In Big Fish, there are many ways in which Edward Blooms story represents Campbell’s idea of the hero’s journey. Edwards’s character is told through story telling and so we mostly see his view of himself. The only other narrations in the film are his son at the beginning of the film and through Jenny, the woman who lives in Spectre. The points of views are important because they help the audience to see two different sides to one man. His sons perspective which is that his father makes up stories to make himself sound more interesting and from Jenny who sees all the good that he has done in his life, such as fixing up her house. Through Edwards’s flashbacks, the audience sees his journey as the hero in Big Fish.
Edwards journey starts in his hometown of Ashton. He receives the call to adventure from within himself. He thinks that he has outgrown the tiny town and is destined for bigger and better things. There is two supernatural aids that exist in the film, the first of these being the witch, who helps Edward to see how he will die. This helps in become fearless in his journey, knowing that even as he comes across troubles he will have the will to get through them. This is seen both in the scene with the tree and also when he is an older man and he is saying that he knows he wont die where he is not. The second of the supernatural aids is Karl, the misunderstood giant. Karl help Edward in providing him the strength and the opportunity to finally leave his little town of Ashton. The crossing of the first threshold is seen during the parade scene, This is when Edward finally leaves home and sets out on his journey with Karl.
The next step in Campbell’s depiction of the hero’s journey is Initiation. Perhaps the most important of these aspects of the journey is the road of trials. These are seen in all of the flashback and the stories that Edward tells. From the story about Spectre, escaping the forest, getting Sandra to marry him even when she was already engaged to another man, going into and coming home from the war in Korea, robing banks, saving Spectre and rebuilding Jenny’s house, Edward embarks on trials like none other, all teaching him a different lesson. Throughout all of these trials Edward has always remained himself up until his final days.
The final stage in the hero’s journey according to Campbell is the return. One can argue that Edward never really return because he is always telling the stories of his journeys. He comes to life through his story telling and through them he will always live on. This is representative of the magic flight, Edwards, and the audiences, journey between his past and his present. The most powerful part of this movie is when Will takes on his father role, telling the stories of his life. This is the stage of being rescues from without. Edwards finally crosses the return threshold when his story telling passes on to future generations. Finally Edward has the freedom to live, or in this instance, to die. He knows that he will live forever through his stories. Thus he rounds out his journey as the hero in the eyes of Joseph Campbell.
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