The 17 Stages of Monomyth : Groundhog Day

Monomyth Diagram

Link to better quality Monomyth diagram with full descriptions of stages

          American mythologist Joseph Campbell developed the concept of the ‘monomyth’, which translates to one myth and is often referred to as the hero’s journey. This concept is based on the theory that all stories and narratives are just variations of a single, epic story model. According to the concept of the monomyth, there exist 17 stages that illustrate a common pattern found in most myths and stories. I thought it would be interesting to see how the model of Campbell's monomyth could be applied to the 1993 film Groundhog Day with Phil as the hero of this adventure.

1. Call To Adventure

The film is set on a news show with the camera on air to Phil the weather man. After he performs his duties with ease and and humor, Phil is off the air and instantly becomes his sarcastic and passive aggressive self towards everyone he converses with. It is clear that he is tired of his job that he plans to quit after the Groundhog Day, an event that he has covered for the past four years. Reluctantly, he covers the Groundhog Day festival with his cameraman Larry and news producer Rita. The next day he wakes up to find that, impossibly, it is Groundhog Day again.

2. Refusal of the Call

Evidently Phil realizes that he wakes up to relive Groundhog Day over and over again, and his horror confused disbelief is apparent when he goes through each phase of the day. I find that it is most obvious when he "refuses the call" in the scene when it is the first repetition of February 2nd and Phil drops his news caster microphone and leaves the Groundhog Day event. 

3. Supernatural Aid

After realizing that he really is reliving Groundhog Day with the proof of the repaired pencil, Phil gets up, rushes past every person he meets day to day and goes straight to Rita to say that they need to talk about "a matter that is not work-related." Though she does not come supernaturally or magically, Phil goes straight to Rita for help. Rita could also be credited for supernatural ability. In one scene, Rita recited the last five lines in a poem by Sir Walter Scott almost like an omen to warn Phil to change his ways. She also, at couple points in the film, asks Phil if he ever has deja vu, which implies that Rita might have been slightly aware of the continuous Groundhog Day cycle.

*Here's Sir Walter Scott's poem that Rita recited: "The wretch, concentered all in self / Living shall forfeit fair renown / And, doubly dying, shall go down / To the vile dust from whence he sprung / Unwept, unhonored, and unsung."

4. Crossing First Threshold

Phil experiments with the paradigm and gets himself put into jail in town. After he finds that he is back in his bed like every morning, he rejoices and takes advantage as his day unfolds; Phil kisses Mrs. Lancaster right on the lips, punches Ned upon seeing him and he orders a huge and not very nutritious breakfast of donuts and the like.

5. Belly of the Whale

Because of the repetition of days, Phil is able to acquire a number of skills such as playing piano and speaking French.

6. Road of Trials
In a kind of test, Phil is presented with the town and its people and he must go through Groundhog Day its events endlessly. 

7. Meeting with the Goddess

In the film, the goddess that Phil falls in love with is, of course, Rita. Phil proclaims his love for Rita when he says, "I don't deserve someone like you. But if I ever could, I swear would love you for the rest of my life."

8. Temptation

For a time, Phil indulges himself in women, stealing money and getting away with other actions. Then, Phil tries to seduce Rita, but fails repeatedly as illustrated by the cut scenes in which Rita slaps Phil across the face. These failures help lead him to dread his own existence and tries to kill himself.

9. Atonement with the Father

Though Phil paid little to no attention to him before, Phil passes by the old homeless man stumbling in an alley and helps him get to the hospital. Phil cannot accept this old man's death, who he fondly calls "Dad" and "Pop", and Phil feeds and takes care of the old man and then later tries determinedly to save his life every day. After accepting the old man's death, Phil finally decides to change his life and to help people and touch their hearts. In a way, the old man was the 'father figure' that spurred the turning point of Phil's journey.

10. Apostasis

After the old man's death, Phil swears that "no one will die" on his day...

11. The Ultimate Boon

...which leads Phil to perform many heroic acts. In addition, Phil opens his heart out to Rita, and her advice helps him realize his goal in his trapped life, which is to be a benefactor to others.

12. Refusal of Return

After the evening dance, Phil says to Rita, “Whatever happens tomorrow, or for the rest of my life, I'm happy now...because I love you.”

13. Magic Flight

Ultimately, Phil awakens with his goal, his prize which is his changed self.

14. Rescue From Without

On the last night before Phil breaks the time loop, Rita retires with Phil as she has done once before when they tried to stay awake in the night. In a different perspective, Rita is also sort of the main component of Phil's transformation because of her advice and his love for her.

15. Crossing the Return Threshold

The first indication that Phil has escaped from the cycle of Groundhog Days is when he wakes up to  different commentary on his alarm radio. The greater indication is that Phil wakes up to Rita by his side. 

16. Master of Two Worlds

On the last night before his return to reality, he seems to finally accept his endless Groundhog Day paradigm. By being a sort of heroic master and totally knowledgable and benevolent in the paradigm 'world', now he is transformed and ready to take on the real world again.

17. Freedom To Live

Now that he is finally past Groundhog Day, he shall continue on with his new self. Rita and Phil also talk about perhaps living together in the town of Punxsutawney.

          Although some of the stages do not entirely match up with Campbell's monomyth model, the narrative of Groundhog Day definitely exhibits elements of the model. Phil was called to his adventure which was the time loop in order to become a better person.

Works Cited

Groundhog Day. Dir. Harold Ramis. Perf. Bill Murray. 1993.

IMDB.com. Groundhog Day (1993) - Synopsis. 2014. 7 May 2014 <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/synopsis?ref_=tt_stry_pl>.