Let me try this again.
Continuing the sentiment in the last blog post I shared, for this blog post I would like to begin attempting to explain my understanding of The Great American Novel as an idea in a clearer and more succinct way.
To simplify my idea in a way that hopefully makes sense for everyone reading, I thought it’d be cool to use something as a reference to my own understanding that everyone, no matter the reader could understand. That’s why I decided to use a movie as a reference to associate my understanding of The Great American Novel to clarify any misunderstanding anyone might have. Oddly enough, the movie I will be referring to will be the animated movie, Kung Fu Panda. If anyone reading this post hasn’t seen it, I will provide a synopsis of the movie that will spoil the ending. If you haven’t already seen the movie, but want to understand what I’m talking about in this post, I recommend you watch the movie before reading.
Kung Fu Panda Synopsis
The story begins with Po, the protagonist of the story, who is a panda that loves Kung Fu. Though he dreams about being a legendary warrior in reality, he works as a noodle boy in his father’s noodle shop. While Po’s dreams of another life for himself, in the Jade Palace the wise Oogway has a vision that Tai Lung will escape from prison and come for the Dragon Scroll. It’s foretold that the hero known as The Dragon Warrior will read a Dragon Scroll and will be given limitless power from reading the text. Shifu tries to comfort Oogway about his former student, but Oogway believes only the prophesied hero The Dragon Warrior will be able to stop Tai Lung.
One day in Po’s village, everyone gathers in the Jade Palace to hear the wise Oogway announce The Dragon Warrior. Master Shifu, and the Furious Five put on a showcase of their skill in front of the large audience of villagers. Po, desperate to see the legendary warriors he loves and who will be The Dragon Warrior, sneaks into the Palace. After an accident with a firework cart Po lands right in the middle of the showcasing and in front of Oogway. Suddenly Po finds Oogway pointing to him as The Dragon Warrior. When Po is selected by Master Oogway to become The Dragon Warrior, Po’s hero journey begins. After being selected Po begins his training with excitement under Master Shifu with the legendary five warriors of The Furious Five, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, Crane, and Tigress. But Shifu, who opposes Oogway’s decision, makes Po’s training exceedingly difficult.
At first, Po’s idols The Furious Five ridicule him during their training. But eventually, they come to respect and befriend him. They even explain to Po why Shifu is the way he is and his role in Tai Lung’s (his former student) life. Shifu is the reason Tai Lung believed he would be the Dragon Warrior. Shifu convinced him it was his destiny and trained him vigorously. It was the belief that he would be the Dragon Warrior and how proud Shifu would be that kept Tai Lung going. Unfortunately, it was that same belief that angered him and made him attack Oogway for denying him the scroll.
Then as Oogway predicted, Tai Lung escapes prison. He’s determined to take the Dragon Scroll and reclaim his destiny. But as Tai Lung journeys back to the village, Oogway, the only one who successfully stopped Tai Lung, passes away.
Before Oogway’s death, an uncertain Shifu promises to teach and look after Po. It’s that promise that motivates Shifu to try training Po differently than he had before. When Po begins to learn kung fu, Shifu learns to believe in Po as Oogway had. It’s during Po’s training with Shifu when the Furious Five learn of Tai Lung’s escape and go off to fight the incoming threat themselves.
After some progress in his training, Po and Shifu return to find the Furious Five hurt from their defeat at the hands of Tai Lung. Shifu nervously decides it is time for Po to read the Dragon Scroll and become The Dragon Warrior. But when Po reads it, nothing happens. The dragon scroll “the text” known to give the reader immense and unparalleled power is revealed as nothing more than a shimmery reflective paper. Because of that and the still incoming Tai Lung, it’s decided that Po and the Furious Five will evacuate the village from the vengeance of Tai Lung while Shifu will stay and fight him at the Jade Palace.
When Tai Lung does arrive, Shifu has a difficult time fighting his former student. Tai Lung overpowers his former master with ease. Defeated, Shifu finally apologizes to Tai Lung for making him what he is, and filling his head with the dream of becoming the Dragon Warrior. For a moment, Tai Lung is taken aback by Shifu’s words. But he soon begins another assault and continues to demand for the Dragon Scroll again. Shifu tells him Po already has it, and is long gone, which only enrages Tai Lung. But before he could hurt Shifu anymore, Po reaches the Jade Palace and confronts Tai Lung. After leaving the task of evacuating the villagers to safety to the Furious Five, Po returned to help Shifu. Po, and Tai Lung finally meet.
Tai Lung sees Po with the Dragon Scroll, and the two immediately begin to fight over it. Even after encountering Po’s unexpected skill in martial arts, Tai Lung is able to overpower Po and finally reads the Dragon Scroll reclaiming his destiny. But he too, is confused by its reflection. Po shares his understanding of the Dragon Scroll with Tai Lung, “There is no secret ingredient, it’s just you.” It’s a realization Po’s father helped Po to understand after sharing his insight with him during the village evacuation. Unfortunately, Tai Lung doesn’t understand the meaning of Po’s words, and decides only to attack Po again. Po defeats him, and the movie ends with Po accepted by everyone as a hero and The Dragon Warrior.
Kung Fu Panda & The Great American Novel Synthesis
I know that wasn’t really a quick synopsis, but I really wanted to give you a full idea of the story. It’s a story with a simple premise, but it’s an effective one. I believe its efficacy stems from how the story is told and how the different characters develop in the story. Because of its effective storytelling there are certain components in the story I believe can work as a reference when anyone considers the general mythos of The Great American Novel. Let’s start with the theme of cultural myths within the story of Kung Fu Panda.
Cultural Myths in Kung Fu Panda
Both the idea of the Dragon Scroll, and The Dragon Warrior are accepted cultural myths evident in the story’s premise. It’s important to understand these cultural myths because of their role within the story. These are simply cultural beliefs everyone in the village shares, but there is still a bit more nuance.
I believe the cultural myths of The Dragon Scroll and The Dragon Warrior have an interconnected relationship with other themes in the story.
Cultural Myth & The Great American Novel
As I explained in my earlier blog posts, the idea of The Great American Novel was conceived by a man named John De William Forest. Basically, it’s the idea that there is a book that will encapsulate the voice and identity of our nation. It’s a cultural myth that had a vital role in shape the American literary canon and our national identity, from texts in actuality, to how we understand ourselves in relation to the idea.
Self-fulfilling prophecy Kung Fu Panda
As a result of cultural myths, a self-fulfilling prophecy is created. It influences all of the characters in the story, mainly the protagonist and antagonist, Po and Tai Lung.
So what do I mean by self-fulfilling prophecy?
When Oogway announces Po as the next Dragon Warrior, he already knows that Po is not skilled in Kung Fu and not who Shifu expected. But still, Oogway believes in Po. It’s Po’s father and his message that help him understand the Dragon Scroll. That understanding is what leads Po to finally seeing himself as the Dragon Warrior. When he does, he overcomes Tai Lung and in turn makes Oogway’s prediction come true.
In the same vein, when Shifu tells Tai Lung as a young student that he will become the Dragon Warrior if he trains rigorously, Tai Lung believes he will become the Dragon Warrior. But when Oogway, denies Tai Lung the Dragon Scroll for seeing “the darkness in his heart”, Tai Lung becomes what Oogway envisioned him. When Tai Lung decides to attack Oogway for the scroll, he becomes and solidifies his role as the counterpart and antagonist in the story.
That’s what I mean by self-fulfilling prophecy.
Identity in Kung Fu Panda
Identity, and the searching of it are significant themes in Po’s story within the Kung Fu Panda trilogy. Within the first movie alone, the shaping of identities is a crucial role in the development of both Po and Tai Lung. Both are impacted by the Dragon Scroll and the legend of the Dragon Warrior. The cultural myth of the Dragon Warrior is what makes Po and Tai Lung the characters we see by the end of the movie.
Here’s a bit more of what I mean-After Po is selected to be the legendary hero, he struggles with what he believes the Dragon Warrior should be. That doubt and later understanding is what shapes Po’s development as the protagonist. Tai Lung on the other hand, believes himself to be the Dragon Warrior because of encouragement and training from Shifu from a young age. Even though he was denied the scroll and title by Oogway, Tai Lung’s belief is only reinforced and shapes his fate as the antagonist in the story. As Po and Tai Lung battle, (one protecting the Dragon Scroll, and the other seeking it) both of their identities are affected by its prophecy, and have had their identities shaped as a result. The two identities of the protagonist and antagonist in Kung Fu Panda are made in relation to both the Dragon Scroll and title of Dragon Warrior.
Identity & The Great American Novel
In my earlier blog posts, I shared when the idea of The Great American Novel was conceived by John De William Forest. Insight into the general setting for the idea’s conception is critical, because from what I understand The Great American Novel as an idea was conceived to foster an identity for American literature. The idea has had a lasting influence from its conception because of its themes of nationalism and exceptionalism. Even without The Great American Novel in actuality, its mythology has helped shape our cultural identity with a literary canon that continues to mirror our evolving voices and identities. Beyond that because of its ties to exceptionalism its influence extends beyond our overall literary identity, ultimately becoming a factor in why we see ourselves as a great nation.
Mimetic & Reflexive themes in Kung Fu Panda
Within the themes of cultural myths perpetuated through the Dragon Scroll and the Dragon Warrior, there are aspects to the myth that makes it influential to the characters in the story.
The Dragon Scroll, known to grant the reader “immense power” is given to Po in hopes that after reading it, he will become the “Dragon Warrior”. But it’s not that simple, in a great example of expectation subversion, Po opens the scroll to find it’s just this shiny gold paper. It’s literally a reflexive text. But figuratively, it shapes what Po understands what The Dragon Warrior is to be, and his role as the Dragon Warrior.
What separates Po from Tai Lung as “The Dragon Warrior” isn’t the validation or reinforcement from the Dragon Scroll. He understands that to be the “Dragon Warrior”, he only has to see himself as it. He only has to imitate what it means to be it.
Mimetic & Reflexive themes in The Great American Novel
I believe The Great American Novel as an idea stems mostly from its cultural mythos, but as a text in actuality it must also be reflexive like The Dragon Scroll in Kung Fu Panda. It’s a result of requiring any GAN to encapsulate the American identity through the reflection of American life. That reflexive nature stems from the different implications from our cultural values which in turn makes it mimetic. But our cultural values just like any other society evolve over time. With those shifts in cultural perspectives, how we perceive, understand, and debate The Great American Novel is constantly shifting and evolving.
GAN self-fulfilling prophecy & Interaction with the idea
From its mimetic and reflexive nature, how we consider and interact with the idea itself is what makes it. Basically, I believe The Great American Novel as an idea is a blank canvas, or in this case a shiny scroll. The Great American Novel as a text is shaped by our perceptions and what we believe it to be just like the Dragon Scroll is believed to grant the reader the power of the Dragon Warrior. It’s our perception of its reflection that makes it what it is. We as a society with cultural beliefs and values are the ones who make The Great American Novel what it is, we are the ones who make it special.
I could’ve used any story as a reference to my understanding, but I thought using Kung Fu Panda as an analogous reference would be the most interesting explanation. I hope this cleared up any misunderstanding from my earlier explanation.
In an effort to continually simplify what I mean, in one of the next personal blogposts will outline my own understanding of The Great American Novel as a paradox, and what I mean by personifying the idea and creating a parallel through The Dream Series.