Rites of Incorporation Films
/After having gone through an ordeal leading to a Rite of Transformation where the Hero’s embraces new beliefs, new ideas and wisdom the next rituals are Rites of Incorporation.
In this ritual the Hero return home with the new knowledge and wisdom and shares it with his community and family. They also become more alive by connecting to their feelings. And more in touch with their body as they heal from trauma. They are on a journey of meaning making and incorporating their new learnings into their lives.
In these films you will see themes and images such as:
Order out of chaos and trauma
Establish membership in community, community creating
Taking in new or lost elements of self
Cleansing and purification
Emotional clearing
Forgiveness, amends, justice
Rebirth and renewal
Construction of new or alternative structures of meaning
Wholeness and mystery of life
Images: Cleansing (therefore dirt or feces) animals, standing water, moonlight, flight from harm, helpers, twins, the double (doppelganger), seasons from winter to spring.
Some ritual films with a Rite of Incorporation are:
Return of the Jedi
2001 A Space Odyssey
Spiderman 3, with Toby Mc Quire
Lars and the Real Girl
Today we will look at Lars and the Real Girl. This incorporation film begins with Lars living in a tiny garage apartment. Both parents are dead. His mother died giving birth to him and he and his brother were raised by their father who was overwhelmed with grief and at a loss at how to parent. He keeps a frozen smile on his face as he avoids all human contact.
One day a huge package arrives. In it is a near life sized doll he names, “Bianca.” He introduces her to his brother and sister-in-law. His brother is horrified. He says, “What will people think of him?” What he means is, “What will people think of me and my crazy brother?”
They take him to see the town doctor who thankfully is also a psychologist. She explains to his brother and sister in law that “he is working through something” by his relationship with “Bianca.”
He takes her to church and after some initial skepticism the community begins to accept her. This is part of the ritual of creating community. In some way he is helping the community to be more accepting of those that are different.
Lars takes Bianca to the lake where he used to play as a kid with his brother and takes her up into his treehouse. He shows great care and affection for her. The relationship with her is helping him address what he missed with his mother because of her early death.
Make note of the snow on the ground. It is wintertime and the ritual will move us into spring: A time of rebirth and renewal. As the film progresses you see the snow recede, the icicles melt on his head as he enters the house. The weather is warming.
Later he announces that Bianca is unconscious and sick. She is dying. The community gathers and brings food. They sit with him and comfort Lars. He accepts their comfort and allows hugs. Something he has avoided all his life. He never received touch and nurture from his mother and now he gets the thing he has always needed.
Bianca’s death is his way of working though the loss of the mother. He grieves and then is ready for his own rebirth into a new life that includes welcoming his brother’s first child into the world. Lars feels his feelings of loss and of the joy of new life beginning.
A very touching film I highly recommend. It shows the protagonist, Lars, making a journey from isolation and disconnection into community and becoming a feeling person.
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