Kitty Makes the Hero's Journey

[mckitterick]

This is the most fantastic commercial I have ever seen:

And this is the most awesome analysis of a commercial I have ever read. Thanks to roya_spirit for the links.

Writers, take heed! If you were enchanted and moved by this advertisement for a stupid brand of cat food, you have experienced the power of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. Now imagine how you can grab hold of a reader by applying this plot structure to your writing.

Chris

Comments

[chernobylred.livejournal.com]

My absolute favorite part of that analysis is the author bio:

Shelby Cobras is the sole creator and mastermind behind the brilliantly mundane blog Illogical Contraption. Unfortunately, his cat can’t eat Friskies. It makes her fart.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Wonderful!

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

Friskies makes your cat high?

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

The quest: That's what makes kitty high; rather, transcendent.

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

awesome

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I think too many writers use that structure (let's have a journey for the sake of the journey, and meet archetypes X,Y, and Z, and oh yes, pile on the pretty), though that is admittedly a lovely commercial.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know it can be misused - or used for the sake of using it - but sometimes the story fits the model, and that model is a powerful metaphor!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

This is very true.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Okay, that's neat.

B

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I loves it.

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

kitty begins and ends her journey in the mundane surroundings of her home, then enters a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, complete with quests.

dude! that is the most psychedelic commercial i've seen in awhile!