Mad Max character study - Character and Challengers

 1.  Choose one character and describe a challenge in their life. Identify which part of the hero's journey this is.

Max Rockatansky is a character who'd rather live a reclusive life in a world in which has gone to waste. He isolated himself from society because of his dark past - dark past of losing the people he loves. Through the end of his journey of escaping Immortan Joe, along with Furiosa and the wives, I believe that one of the challenges in his life he faced was during the last battle with Immortan Joe. It was a challenge for him because he was fighting alongside the people who grew a connection with. One of the reasons why he chose to live such a reclusive life was because of the experience he had of losing the people he cared for. This fits in the 10th step Apotheosis of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey Steps. It fits in this area because Max gained his understanding of his true purpose of encountering Furiosa and the wives. He then requested for the last battle in order to achieve his true purpose as a hero even if it costs his life. If looking at Christopher Vogler's 12 step Hero's Journey, this challenge would have been Max's Ordeal step where he faces not only a near death situation but also the risk of having to repeat the same experience that he had which is loosing the people he had a bond with. If he had, it may be likely for him to return back to living a reclusive life and worse, mentally & emotionally dead. 

2. Explain how they coped with it. Aim  for 3 ways. 

1. Through bonding with Furiosa and the wives, I believe he gained more characteristics of what being a human truly looks like. Because of this, he urged to help them fight for humanity and redemption by taking them back to the citadel even if it costs him his life. 

2. Morality. Max is a character who was ethical, noble and virtuous. Because of these characteristics he had, he would fight for what is right for not only himself but for the rest of humanity. He was chose to be a cop for a reason and that reason was to look for a righteous cause. 

3.  Refusing the worse outcomes - the prevention of Furiosa's death. When he fought alongside Furiosa in the last battle, he saw that Furiosa was about to die. Because of this, he pushed harder for their survival - he won't accept that she will die. The thought of her dying gave him the urge to push harder, he carries on fighting as their is still hope for their survival. 

3. Describe 2 visual/oral techniques that support your ideas plus one quotation. 

Point of view shots and two shots. 

A point of view shot that enhances the moral of his character was when the camera showed us what he sees in his visions. Visions of the people who lost, however, the last visions we as the audience would encounter, his POV, is when a girl tells him, 'cmon pa, let's go' directly at Furiosa and the wives. After the POV shot, he enters the stage of being the Hero of the film. The POV shows us what's been going on in Max's head. For instance, the last vision we saw. Through it, we were aware that he wasn't going to leave Furiosa and the wives alone, but to actually go and help them fight their way to their true destination. 

The two shot of Max and Furiosa in the scene of 'the tree of life' visualized the idea of his trust, and some form of a relationship between him and Furiosa. Through their two shot, we came to understand that Max is finally regaining back his true sense of being a human, furthermore, that his true personality is very righteous.

4.  Explain what the director wants us to learn from this character and how they dealt with their challenges/conflicts. What important messages can we take away from their struggle?

Going back to question three, he dealt his struggles by having hope, driven harder as he refuses negative outcomes and what we value as people. Thinking back to ourselves, we always encounter a situation where we there is a negative outcome and a positive outcome. For instance, senior students in school aiming for University. If we badly want to reach for university, then of course getting some not achieves won't help, in order for us to stay away from those marks, we must refuse it and keep going. Being righteous by studying hard and complete the tasks and also to not give up when there is hope. There are many situations where we face an ethical issue, however if we have the values Max hold and his state of mind, we will make it.