Good Will Hunting, a film where the most brilliant mind at MIT belongs to the janitor. While facing obstacles and receiving help from others, including a psychology professor, Will Hunting realizes he is holding himself back from happiness. Throughout the film there are different characters and storylines recognizable to each viewer, an idea that dates back to Carl Jung. He believed that every human mind shared a collective unconscious memory. It is the concept of the Archetype that, in Good Will Hunting, represents the hero's journey, a classic story structure that follows twelve stages. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay The first stage is the “ordinary world” which presents the daily life of the hero. This is where we find our genius hero, Will Hunting, living as a janitor who spends many days in trouble with the law. Will represents two common archetypes that align; the hero archetype (the main character who endures hardship) and the orphan archetype (who establishes an emotional connection). Everyone knows orphan heroes; they litter the pages and screens of beloved stories like Harry Potter and Oliver Twist. Comparing these stories with Will's, their common hero archetype is illustrated by the process of overcoming obstacles to achieve one's goals. This is seen when Will overcomes the obstacles of his abusive past and a class system to achieve and become more than expected. The second stage, "a call to adventure", occurs when Will meets the Herald and stays out of the prison. Will solves a complex math problem on a college board while taking a break from cleaning the floors. This prompts Professor Lambeau to seek him out and Professor Lambeau's archetypal role is established as a herald. The Herald archetype is a character that signifies that change is coming for the hero. This is indicated when Professor Lambeau discovers that Will is being detained for assaulting a police officer. He intervenes and Will avoids prison on the condition that he works with Lambeau and sees a therapist regularly. The next step is “refusal of the appeal”. Will agrees to work on his math with Professor Lambeau, but he won't go to therapy. It is evident that he refuses directions as he uses his intelligence to dissuade five therapists. It looks like no one will work with him, until Sean. Fourth step, “meet the mentor”, who is usually older and has more extensive knowledge than the others. Mentors help heroes along their journey and tend to teach them how to help themselves. This role in Good Will Hunting is filled by Sean Maguire, a sympathetic therapist who helps Will overcome his psychological problems. Sean completely changes Will's outlook on life. The fifth stage, "crossing the threshold", is where the hero leaves his ordinary world and sets out on his adventure. This stage occurs in a bar at Harvard University when Will meets Skylar. After a great date with Skylar, Will never calls her back because he's terrified. This introduces Will's adventure, as it leads to him and Sean having a meaningful discussion about Will being completely guarded. He’s the one who crosses the threshold and discovers that there’s something he needs to change about himself. The sixth stage, “tests, allies, enemies,” is where the hero explores his new world and faces trials. In Harry Potter, this is when Harry befriends Ron and Hermione and becomes Draco's enemy..