Another journey

    Steven Spielberg, in his movie Empire Of The Sun, delivers a story of a young boy who grows up during World War 2 and is surprisingly called to the adventure of a lifetime.  It isn’t all fun and games and the lessons he learns change this young boy into a man.  This movie truly depicts Joseph Campbell’s Heroes Journey.  It begins with the Ordinary World.  James is a young buck whose parents are filthy rich.  He lives in China in a large mansion.  He has handmaidens and all the toys and pleasures a young kid could ask for. 
    His call to adventure comes in a split second.  Japan strikes and sends soldiers throughout the towns collecting all races other than their own.  They send them to war camps in the outskirts of town.  James tries to run away with his family but is ends up lost in the crowd.  He stays hidden for a while but for want of food and protection he soon begs to give in.  This is where he refuses his call.  He tries his best to surrender by running through the streets yelling at all the soldiers but no one seems to care for him.  He one day finds a man by the name of Basie.  This is his mentor.  He learns of Basie’s knowledge and finds him to be his safest bet to a prolonged life. 
    Jamie is given a new name by Basie in order to sound more American.  He is now known as Jim.  Jim tells Basie that at his home in the town he knows of a lot of good furniture and money to be made.  They drive out there to check it out but are caught and put into a war camp.  This is where he crosses the threshold.  He goes to the camp and is tried, tested, beaten and ridiculed.  He learns new ways of coping and creating.  He goes through many phases here such as the test, allies and enemies, the approach, ordeal, and reward.  At one point he has to put his life on the line and go out on a limb to earn trust and approval of Basie and his clan.  He is almost caught and killed but just barley sneaks by. 
    The American’s come to the aid of the victims of the war camps and help to save them all.  This is where Jamie takes the road back.  He begins his rise to accomplishment.  He still has many struggles here and even has one final stand.  He is left all alone.  Starving and tired he has to walk all the way back to his first camp and it just about kills him.  As he arrives the American army is waiting there and they take him to re-unite with his family.  Jamie finds his parents and lives on.