ar1226

Hero

The main heroine of the story would be Coriander Hobie.

Plot Summary

I, Coriander takes place around the time of the Puritan Commonwealth between Charles I and Charles II. Coriander is a wealthy merchant's daughter who growing up watched her mother give neighbors remedies and listening to fairy stories. Her childhood changes with the arrival of a pair of silver shoes that her mother forbade her to wear, but upon her birthday Coriander faces the fear of the stuffed alligator to retrieve the key to the cabinet the shoes are stored in. Once her mother gives in after catching Coriander with the shoes, Coriander vanishes for a time from the bridge while running errands with a servant. When Coriander is nine, her mother dies. Due to rumors Coriander’s father remarries a Puritan. The woman brings a daughter who loves Coriander, but the step mother and the preacher she brings is determined to change everything even her name, insisting upon calling her Ann. In the end, Coriander is locked in a chest where she enters her mother's world, the Fairy world, and inadvertently meets a fairy prince. She convinces prince Tycho not to marry the dark fairy queen's daughter. When Coriander returns to the chest years had past. She learns she must find the fairy shadow of her mothers before the dark fairy who has employed the services of Corianders stepmother and the preacher.

Departure

Coriander was Called to Adventure when she was left a pair of silver shoes as a gift.

Coriander faced the Refusal of the Call when her mother locked the shoes in a cabinet and placed the key in the mouth of a stuffed alligator Coriander was terrified of.

The Supernatural Aid would have been the silver shoes which had a magic laid upon them that called to Coriander.

Coriander Crossed the First Threshold when she vanished from the bridge and appeared unknowingly in the Fairy world.

Coriander faces the Belly of the Whale when her mother dies.

Initiation

Coriander's Road of Trials begins with a meeting with her father when she learns he has something of her mother which may have helped her survive. Other trials include the introduction of Coriander’s stepmother and stepsister and watching her father as he leaves. Being forced to scrub away the pictures on her walls her mother had made. The forced change of her name. Losing the last link to her mother and being locked in a chest.

Coriander's Meeting with the Goddess was when she met prince Tycho. The fairy prince who was being forced to marry Coriander's stepmother's daughter.

Coriander's Woman as Temptress has several parts to it. First, she is afraid of the preacher. Second, she worries about her father, the servant who had been driven away, and her stepsister. Finally, her fear of the stuffed alligator that had held the key to the cabinet.

The Atonement with the Father that occurs with Coriander was when she met a strange man named Medlar. He protects Coriander from the sight of the rest of the Fairy world by making her look like a blue light. He was also the one that introduced Corianders parents to each other and protected Coriander the best he could from the dark fairy queen.

The Apotheosis occurs several times I believe, but the one I choose is when Coriander is faced by the dark fairy queen who demands Coriander's mother's fairy shadow. Coriander must face her alone while prince Tycho is held captive by the hunters who have been after him the entire time.

The Ultimate Boon for Coriander was the possession of her mother's airy shadow. It is coveted by the dark fairy queen for being strong and pure.

Return

Coriander does not want to return home (Refusal of the Return) after defeating the dark fairy queen because she does not want to part with Prince Tycho.

Magic Flight occurred when Coriander is faced by the preacher, her stepmother and the dark fairy queen. She must retrieve her mother's fairy shadow from the mouth of the stuffed alligator she is so afraid of.

There is no Rescue from Without?

Crossing of the Return Threshold happens when Coriander tells those who have helped her what happened. Not many understand, such as the captain of her father’s ships, but they do still support her

nonetheless. She does not tell many people, however, just those who have proven she can trust them.

The Master of Two Worlds occurs throughout the story as Coriander is telling the tale after the events had occurred.

The Freedom to Live occurs for Coriander when her family is brought back together and she finds Tycho has followed her home.

Final Thoughts

I, Coriander does follow the Hero Quest, however there were parts I really had to think about. Also I was not satisfied with the Rescue from Without bit as I am sure there was one, but for the life of me I can’t put my finger upon it. Also, the analyzing of the story showed me that it isn’t really just one big circle. The Monomyth is represented in smaller bits throughout the story. I really had to pick and choose what was relevant at the time. I can pick certain elements from other stories and movies, but without completely analyzing another piece it is hard to see just how much of the Monomyth is represented in different works.