Joseph Campbell's Monomyth of a Hero's Journey in Gore Verbinski's Rango

No Man Can Walk Out of His Own Story

Gore Verbinski’s animated film, Rango, portrays a chameleon who accidently winds up in the Las Vegas desert after being thrown from the back of his owner’s automobile, and becomes the desperate needed sheriff in the town Dirt. The main character, Rango, demonstrates Joseph Campbell’s monomyth of a hero’s journey throughout the movie, by completing the hero’s journey.

The opening scene shows Rango in the status quo state. He’s in a glass tank with his best friend, which is a wind up plastic toy, and with his plastic torso of a girl friend. This is the status quo because Rango is in his “perfect” world, but he wants more. The second step on the hero’ journey is the “call to adventure.” This is where the main character is pulled from their everyday life into some type of conflict. Rango is thrown from the truck and is stranded in the Las Vegas desert, and is thrown in a flight or fight situation. Without even realizing, Rango has begun his journey where he’ll find what it takes to become a hero.

After his encounter with the hawk a possum assists Rango, which is the start of the third step. The possum tells Rango where to go and how to get there in order for him to survive and become a hero. Rango listened to the possum by following his shadow and ends up in the town Dirt. This fourth step is known as departure. In an old-west saloon he is asked his name, this is where he departs from being in his made up world, and becomes Rango. Rango, like all heroes stepped into the world of adventure and had to choose what kind of man he was going to be, and what story he was going to tell. He also demonstrates the archetype of being a cowboy by wearing the hat, spurs, a gun belt, and having a “cowboy” walk.

Fast-forwarding through the monomyth Rango is conflicted with a water crisis. He accepts the challenge to get the water back, but hits rock bottom when an archetype of an old gunslinger, Jake, comes into the town and reveals his true identity. Instead of choosing to fight back, Rango chooses to run away. He is given words of wisdom by another archetype, the Spirit of the West whom is dressed in all white, which comes off as a God like form. The words are, “No man can walk out of his own story.” This means to be a hero, one must continue on their destined journey by walking the hero’s path. Rango realizes this is true, so he returns and defeats the mayor who portrays a crook. Now Rango starts his new life as the sheriff and goes back to his status quo.

The main character, Rango, demonstrates Joseph Campbell’s monomyth of a hero’s journey throughout the movie, by completing the hero’s journey. Rango, a chameleon went from being in his “perfect world” to creating a perfect town as a hero in reality. Gore Verbinski’s animated film, Rango, is a great demonstration of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey.

“Memorable quotes of Rango.” IMDbPro. 2011. Web. 12 March 2013.

Cite this page