May the Force Be with You

Research Question: In what ways does Star Wars function as a modern day fairy tale?

Abstract:
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the Skywalkers finally brought balance to the Force, good triumphed over evil, and a foreseeable era of peace befell the galaxy. A long time ago in 1977, director George Lucas blessed the world with an American epic so grand it seemed to reignite a flame of wonder in the hearts of millions. At first glance not much in the Star Wars movies would suggest that there in them lie the typical elements of fairy tales and myths. How are droids, outer space, and lightsabers reminiscent of the classic tales we all grew up with? Unbeknownst to many, these films operate as a modern day myth because of a standard storytelling framework and consequent universal appeal. Star Wars immortalized itself history, but how exactly? In an era where movies have become the stories of modern day, it is fascinating to examine the interconnectedness of the past and present. Most notably, I was interested in the roots and foundations of the space opera Star Wars, and was driven by the question “in what ways does this saga function as a modern day fairy tale?” Almost immediately, it became obvious that Joseph Campbell and his idea of the monomyth heavily influenced Lucas in the creation of these films, as did the pop culture in his youth. The combination of the two guaranteed Lucas a saga that would appeal to all ages and demographics, and would fill the void of a shared contemporary myth. Ultimately, I learned that Star Wars is an old story for a new audience.

Advice:
Anyone taking this class is going to hear this repeatedly, so don't ignore it. Start your research early. Who cares if you don't feel like it or you think you're the master of getting things done at the last moment. You need all the time you can get with this assignment. Starting your research early allows you to sift through a bunch of useless sources in order to find what's perfect for your topic. Books take time to properly scavenge for information, and if you have a lot of books, it's better to have more time to examine them. Also, starting early gives you time to look for more sources in the event of your current sources not being as useful as you thought they would be. Furthermore, set up a schedule for your research and writing. This way you'll know exactly what you're looking for or writing about on x and y days, and this'll help you avoid procrastination. This isn't an assignment you should leave until the last minute if you want a finished product of good quality. Ensure that you have enough time for your work, and use it wisely. Both the library and the internet are your friends. If you choose a topic like mine that can't really be found in the school library, then take to the internet because there's a lot of great sources on there.

Sources:
Forbes, Bruce David. "Battling the Dark Side: Star Wars and Popular Understandings of Evil." Word and World 19.4 (1999) : 351-362. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
Gordon, Andrew. "Star Wars: A Myth for Our Time." Literature Film Quarterly 6.4 (1978) 314-326. Print. 
Henderson, Mary. Star Wars: The Magic of Myth. New York: Bantam Spectra Books, 1997. Print.
Mann, Douglass. Understanding Society. Canada: Oxford University Press Canada, 2011. Print. 
Nusz, Aaron. "The Foundational Structures Behind Star Wars." Diss. University of Louisville, 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. 
Peters, Timothy D. "‘The Force’ As Law: Mythology, Ideology And Order In George Lucas’s Star Wars." Special Issue: Law and Humanities Futures: Special Issue Editor, Marett Leiboff. Spec. Issue of The Australian Feminist Law Journal 36.1 (2012) : 125-143. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.