(The work on this page is © Joshua I. Sanofsky, 1999)
Joshua I. Sanofsky
5/14/99 German 190G
Paper III
Star Wars: A 20th Century Fairy Tale?
Since every fairy tale needs a plot, and many fairy tales share common plot elements, the first question to ask is whether or not Star Wars has these same elements or similar ones. In most of the fairy tales that have similar elements, the hero or heroine departs from home for one reason or another, embarking on a journey or quest. He or she then has three encounters with people or animals who must be helped by or help the hero. These people often give the hero gifts (usually magical) or travel with the hero to help him along the way. The hero then comes into conflict with a powerful opponent, who is defeated by the hero with the help of the people he encountered or the gifts they gave him. Finally, the hero is rewarded for triumphing over his opponent.
The sequence of events in Star Wars definitely follows this formula. The hero, Luke Skywalker, leaves home first to track down and recover his runaway droid. While away from home, he has the first of his three encounters, in this case with the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, who can be seen as a version of the fairy tale wizard. Obi-Wan not only gives Luke the lightsaber that had belonged to Luke's father (the science fiction equivalent of a magical weapon) but goes with Luke to help him. Obi-Wan also helps Luke by identifying the people responsible for the death of his father...the Empire, and their leader Darth Vader. Luke returns home to find that his uncle and aunt, who had been caring for him, have been killed by the Empire. He leaves home a second time to gain revenge on those who killed his family and rescue a princess in trouble.
He then has his second encounter, this time with the smuggler/pilot Han Solo. At first, Han doesn't appear to be a hero, making Luke and Obi-Wan pay for transportation to where they need to go. However, he shows his true colors later in the movie by helping Luke overcome his opponents. Han also provides Luke with the use of his starship, the Millennium Falcon, which can be seen as the equivalent of the magical conveyances used in many fairy tales. The growing band of heroes then runs into trouble when they discover that their destination has been destroyed by the Empire's Death Star, which takes the place of the evil magic which fairy tale heroes often must overcome.
On board the Death Star, Luke comes into contact with the third person who will help him, Princess Leia, who is a prisoner of the Empire. After he rescues her with Han's help, Leia helps Luke by having faith in him and giving him the strength to overcome his opponents. Where Obi-Wan and Han actively help Luke along his way, Leia helps focus him on his goals and provides him with the strength of will he needs to achieve them.
At the end of the movie, Luke comes into conflict with his opponent, Darth Vader, for the first time. Indirect guidance from Obi-Wan, direct help from Han Solo, the strength given him by Princess Leia, and his own inner resourcefulness give Luke the abilities and edge he needs to overcome Darth Vader and destroy the Death Star. He is rewarded by the knowledge that he has saved his friends, a raising of his social status as his achievements are publicly recognized, and a direct reward from the Princess.
Star Wars seems to draw some of its story elements from common events which take place in many fairy tales. For example, Obi-Wan rescues Luke when he has been injured while out in the wilderness, an occurrence which happens often in fairy tales. Fairy tale heroes often lose their mentor when their opponent is able to overcome them. This happens to Luke, when Darth Vader kills Obi-Wan during their duel near the end of the movie. The most obvious similarity is that many fairy tale heroes must rescue a princess, which is something that Luke does during his adventures.
Many fairy tales also have heroes with very distinctive physical features and behavioral characteristics. These heroes are generally younger than the other characters in the story, and handsome. They begin the story with rebellious or arrogant behavior patterns which evolve over the course of their adventures until they are models of good behavior and heroism. The primary hero in Star Wars, Luke Skywalker fits both of these stereotypes. He is younger, or at least appears to be younger than the other characters in the movie. His behavior at the beginning of the movie is that of a spoiled child...He whines, sulks, and is generally rebellious. By the end of the movie, however, he has begun to evolve into an honorable, respectable young man.
The physical features of the supporting characters are also an oft-used detail in fairy tales. Those on the side of good are usually good-looking, while those on the side of evil have their evil echoed in their appearance, often being described as deformed or outwardly malevolent. This is as true in Star Wars as it is in fairy tales. The male heroes are quite handsome, and the heroine is very pretty. Conversely, the villains are marked by their armor and uniforms which make them appear sinister. Darth Vader especially falls into this category in his black armor and cape, with his helmet which covers his entire head and face, keeping people from seeing his eyes and expressions, making him the ultimate generic villain.
Class structures tend to play an important part in fairy tales. While Star Wars does not overtly present a class structure, it is clear that one is playing a part in the movie. Luke and Han both come from lower working classes, while Obi-Wan seems to have an air of an upper-class citizen fallen on hard times. Leia is a princess of the "Royal House of Alderaan," which suggests that many of the planets in that universe have class structures that include royalty, as her initial attitude of superiority over Luke and Han demonstrates. Additionally, one of the characters in the Empire makes mention of an "Imperial Senate," suggesting that their class structure includes elected officials, and an Emperor, implying that their government was democratic but no longer is.
Characters in fairy tales often use metaphorical language, describing something by comparing it with something else rather than giving a "technical" definition. Some of the characters in Star Wars do the same thing, especially Obi-Wan. For example, he speaks in such a manner when describing the Force, what passes for magic in Star Wars. He says:
The Force is what gives the Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. (Lucas, Star Wars, p.35)
Rather than trying to quantify the Force, he describes it in a more organic, metaphorical way, giving Luke an idea of how large it is rather than exactly how it works.
In the last two hundred years, fairy tales have been changing to involve happy endings. Star Wars follows this trend, ending on a high note. The heroes have triumphed over their opponents (albeit temporarily), destroyed the Death Star, and have had their achievements celebrated. The difference here is that we, the viewers, know that a second movie follows the first, and that our heroes will have to go through a similar sequence of events. After all, without trials to overcome, they couldn't be heroes.
In conclusion, I believe that Star Wars is indeed a modern fairy tale. It has the appropriate sequence of plot elements and character archetypes similar to those in the fairy tales we read in class. The hero overcomes his opponent with the help of the people he met during his journey, and is rewarded with a happy ending. A certain amount of class structure is shown, and Luke Skywalker, the hero, demonstrates class mobility as he goes from being a farmer to a celebrated hero.
Works Cited