I had to write a proposal for an essay on Mythology and a movie or book of my choice. So I popped in Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton while doing the dishes and lo and behold I saw the myth quest! The myth quest starts with society needing an object of some kind to become whole again. This object is the vorpal sword, a symbol of courage. They then search for the hero to go on a journey to retrieve the object and thus heal society. Alice is the hero in her own myth quest. She travels through Wonderland, which could also be her subconscious, because she is lost and doesn't know who she is. Along the way she meets the archetypes of the fool (Chesire Cat), mentor (Hatter), seer(Absolum), and caregiver(The White Queen) to aid her journey. Of course the ultimate climax is the end battle with the Jabberwocky and the queens, Red and White. Alice must now face the darkness within, as the passive side of herself must battle the aggressive side. The white queen and red queen are shadows of Alice at an extreme. One represents light while the other represents darkness. Thus the entire story of Alice journeying through Wonderland is the myth quest where Alice journeys through her subconscious to discover who she is. At the end of the film she has conquered the shadow (Jabberwocky) and banished the darkness (Red Queen). While Alice travels through Wonderland, she learns about herself and ultimately transforms into who she wants to be. It's no wonder I enjoyed this movie! It has a great plot and a timeless storyline.
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