The classical definition of a hero is a person with talents or attributes that differentiate the hero from a normal person. Although many heroes in films don’t exactly follow the classical definition of a hero, the journey that the hero takes can be similar and contain certain components that stay constant throughout multiple films. In the movie, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, by the director, Steven Spielberg, and company, Lucasfilm, Indiana Jones goes on a hero’s journey.

In Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones demonstrates the birth and destiny components of a hero’s journey. For example, Indiana Jones demonstrates the birth of a hero at the beginning of the movie when he bravely entered a booby-trapped temple to collect an artifact even though he was warned that no one had ever come out alive. He was also very smart and used his intelligence to overcome the traps that were inside the temple leading towards the artifact. These show his heroic attributes early on and lead to him becoming a unique hero who succeeds because of his intelligence and quick thinking. Indiana Jones also demonstrates the destiny of a hero’s journey. In the movie, his destiny was to find the ark that hadn’t been found in a very long time. Unlike many other hero’s journeys, Indiana Jones was not reluctant to go on the quest because he actually wanted to find the ark in the first place in order to make sure that the Nazis wouldn’t take the ark and use it for evil. These details are important because it reveals both the purpose of the quest and also the selfless characteristic of Indiana Joens because he wasn’t going after the ark for the power. Based on these details in the movie, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones demonstrates the birth and the destiny of a hero’s journey.

In Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones comes across a wise man and enemies and allies that impact his quest, and are important pieces of this hero’s journey. For example, Indiana Jones comes across a wise man named Imam, who gave him advice about the ark. He said that the ark should not be disturbed. This is important because this led to Indiana Jones not looking at the ark when it was opened by the Nazis which allowed him to survive unlike almost everyone else there. Indiana Jones also met allies and enemies that affected his quest. Some of the allies he met were Marion and Sallah who helped him fight the enemies and also Sallah at one point saved Jones’ life by catching a bad date before he ate it which would have killed him otherwise. These allies proved to be important because Indiana Jones would have either died or had a more difficult time completing his quest without them. For example, Marion gave him the Medallion which had instructions on how to find the location of the ark. Some of the enemies that Jones came across were Belloq, Major Toht, and the Nazis, who were all trying to take the ark to build an indestructible army. Indiana Jones was able to overcome these enemies by using his knowledge to avoid looking at and disturbing the ark which helped him survive the ark’s powers while his enemies died. The impact of these enemies, allies, and the wise man was significant because the enemies tested Jones’ abilities as a hero, the allies helped him complete his quest, and the wise man gave advice to Jones to help him survive the ark’s powers and defeat his enemies. Based on the people Indiana Jones came across and their impacts on his quest, he fulfills the components of the meeting of a wise person and the meeting of allies and enemies to fulfill the requirements of a hero’s journey.

In Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones also comes across romance. In the movie, he finds romance when he meets Marion, someone who also helped him as an ally. Although this romance might have been a slight distraction, Jones was able to quickly move on so that Marion didn’t negatively impact the progress of his quest. For example, Jones’ romance didn’t distract him from his quest much because the only two times he was involved in the romance was on the boat, and then again after he had completed the quest of keeping the ark safe.  This is another important characteristic of Indiana Jones because he did not get distracted by the romance, he was able to succeed throughout his journey. By Jones meeting Marion and not getting distracted, he finds romance as a part of his heroic journey but in a different way because he was not put off from his main quest of securing the ark before the Nazis did.

Lastly, in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones experiences a final battle and a journey home. Although Jones’ final battle is different from that of a classical hero’s journey, it still fits well because it is a climax against his enemies. In the movie, Indiana Jones is tied to a pole and he and Marion close their eyes as a result of what Imam had told him earlier on. Since everyone else was looking, they all died so Indiana Jones had defeated his enemies, saved Marion, and secured the ark.  This final battle or climax is different from normal final battles because instead of physically fighting his enemies to defeat them, he used the advice he had received and his knowledge of the ark that the Nazis didn’t have in order to defeat them through the power of the ark. The survival of Indiana Jones reflects the massive impact that the wise man, Imam, had had on Indiana Jones’ quest as well as Jones’s attribute of being knowledgeable. Indiana Jones also had a journey home. At first, his journey home seemed to be easy so that he could rest, but then the Nazis attacked his ship and took Marion and the ark with them. Jones followed them and they went to the place of his final battle. This is important because it reflects characteristics of a normal journey home. A normal journey home is usually difficult for a hero, sometimes just as hard as the journey itself. These details from the movie clearly follow this guideline which proves the similarities of Indiana Jones’ hero’s journey to a classical one. After the final battle, Indiana Jones’ journey home is much easier and he immediately appears to be back in the United States talking with bureaucrats. Based on the information, Indiana Jones undergoes a climactic battle over the ark and a journey home in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

In Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, by the director, Steven Spielberg, and the company, Lucasfilm, Indiana Jones goes through a hero’s journey because he experienced all of the major components of a hero’s journey. For example, he went through a birth at the beginning of the movie when he is introduced as a brave, intelligent, cautious, aware, and selfless hero. Secondly, he had a destiny or quest to find the lost ark but not to use it for its power or evil purposes. Thirdly, Jones came across a wise man named Imam, who gave him the advice of not disturbing the ark of the covenant which near the end, helped him at the climax of his journey. Also, Jones came across enemies and allies who affected his quest. The Nazis were trying to find the ark as well which triggered the climax and his allies saved Jones’ life multiple times and helped him with tasks such as getting in and out of the temples. Next, Jones found romance during his journey when he met Marion, but it was different from normal romances in journeys because it barely affected him and it didn’t distract him from his destiny. Eventually, Jones had a final battle or climax that was less based on physical strength and more on his knowledge of the ark and its powers. . This climax played an important part in his journey because he needed to succeed in order to get the ark and its powers away from his enemy and also for his survival. Lastly, Jones had a journey home that was similar to many other classical hero’s journeys. It was a tough way to get back because he was still being attacked by the Nazis which is an important aspect of a hero’s journey. In conclusion, Indiana Jones experienced a hero’s journey in the movie, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, even though he does not initially portray himself as a typical hero who relies on his physical strength but instead completes his journey by relying on his intelligence.

Ryan Budke – Author