The Journey of Luke Skywalker: An Analysis of Modern Myth and Symbol [Paperback]

Steven A. Galipeau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2001

So many years after Star Wars: A New Hope burst upon the world in 1977, why is The Force still with us? Why do the Star Wars movies continue to haunt the imaginations of young and old alike? In the Journey of Luke Skywalker,Steven Galipeau applied depth psychology to the Star Wars epic, uncovering a wealth of symbolic meaning embedded in this seemingly simple tale of adventure. Luke Skywalker's journey, from his early life on a desert farm to his act of redemption that helps transform an entire galactic civilization, captures many of the struggles of the modern psyche, and exercises a powerful sway akin to that of religious myth.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Since the release of the first installation in 1977, the "Star Wars" saga has become an all-consuming passion bordering on a religion for millions worldwide. And it's not just the fun plotting, likable characters, cool props, and dazzling visual effects that keep fans begging for more. Behind the space dogfights and light-saber duels is a mythology that touches a chord in the human psyche. Galipeau, the executive director of the Coldwater Counseling Center in Studio City, CA, here offers a Jungian analysis of the four "Star Wars" flicks in terms of both characters and story. The book is essentially a blow-by-blow description of each film with liberal doses of dialog, followed by Galipeau's interpretation of what the characters' words and actions might mean on a deeper level. Discussing each episode on a separate basis allows readers to comprehend the psychological growth of each character, especially Luke, who is transformed from an inexperienced adolescent to a spiritually and mentally mature adult by the series' finale. As the prime audience for this book is geek fanboys who can recite these scripts in their sleep, the author spends too much time detailing each scene and ignores that film is a visual art, so many of the elements he attaches great significance to appear in the story simply because they look boffo on screen. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and a Saturday afternoon movie is just a Saturday afternoon movie. Nonetheless, this title will be the basis of many Internet discussions not to mention term papers by fans who will enjoy it. Recommended. Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"This title will be the basis of many Internet discussions—not to mention term papers—by fans who will enjoy it.” -- Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Open Court; First Edition edition (February 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812694325
• ISBN-13: 978-0812694321
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #346,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but didn't live up to expectations, January 7, 2002

By 

Matthew S. Schweitzer "zohoe" (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Journey of Luke Skywalker: An Analysis of Modern Myth and Symbol (Paperback)

I was very excited to come across this book as I have been looking for a Jungian analysis of the Star Wars saga for quite some time. I have always been fascinated by George Lucas' use of various mythical motifs and archetypes throughout his amazing Star Wars saga. It is no secret that Lucas was an enthusiast of Joseph Campbell and his Jungian analysis of myths and legends and how they resonate across cultures and generations. Lucas himself catagorized his saga as modern myth and it is loaded with powerful images of the collective unconscious. But Galipeau's "The Journey of Luke Skywalker" doesn't really touch on these aspects so much as describe scene by scene the various nuances of the scenes and characters. It isn't a bad book in any regard. In fact, there are many interesting psychological aspects of the story that I had never even anticipated. For instance, the use of color and it's inherent meaning throughout the saga, particularly references to alchemistic symbolism. Also, images of the Jungian anima and animus appear throughout the Star Wars storylines, especially regarding Luke Skywalker's quest for the Self. And of course, there is no missing the concept of the Shadow in regard to Darth Vader and the Empire. Thus, this is really the tale of two entities, the individual (Luke Skywalker), and the Galaxy at large (human civilization and its many manifestations). This shows that there is much deeper meaning involved in this wonderful space adventure than meets the eye. Unfortunately, I am still left to search for a thorough discussion of the profound mythical aspects of this great epic elsewhere.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on Star Wars as a myth, June 22, 2001

By 

Shana J. Chrystie "shanajc" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Journey of Luke Skywalker: An Analysis of Modern Myth and Symbol (Paperback)

Steven Galipeau's book, The Journey of Luke Skywalker, is, in my opinion, the finest scholarly work that has been done on the Star Wars films. I say this with some authority. As part of the research for my doctoral dissertation, I compiled an annotated bibliography of all the scholarly work which has been done on the Star Wars films. During this project, I read more than a hundred journal articles, books, conference papers, book chapters, and academic papers written from 1977-2001. Though a Jungian perspective was used by several other writers to look at the Star Wars films, no one has penetrated this myth's depths and its relevance to our culture as insightfully as Steven Galipeau.

One of the outstanding things about this book is the way in which Galipeau identifies a psychological situation in Star Wars and then connects it with his own experiences as an analyst and with everyday psychological experiences with which the reader can identify. And though the book is a Jungian psychological analysis, the author uses little Jungian "jargon," thus making the book accessible to the general reader.

Galipeau approaches Star Wars as a "cultural dream," as a myth or fairy tale which "symbolically depicts in important aspects the psychological and spiritual shifts taking place in our age." Just as our dreams reveal the unconscious archetypal dimensions of the psyche on a personal level, so too, our myths --whether told through traditional means or through the modern medium of film -- reveal hidden archetypal dimensions of our collective psyche. As Mary Lynn Kittelson says in her book, The Soul of Popular Culture (Open Court, 1998), "The movies are like the collective culture dreaming. We assemble in darkened spaces, experiencing together an intense world of images. More directly than any other cultural phenomenon, the movies invite us to experience and ponder our lives and culture." The Journey of Luke Skywalker offers an opportunity to do just that -- to ponder our lives and our culture through the rich symbolism and story of one of the most popular film sagas of our time.

Admittedly, this psychological approach to Star Wars is but one perspective among many, but a very important one to those of us who are interested in looking below the surface of our contemporary myths and seeing what they may have to teach us as individuals and as a culture.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars May the Psyche Be With You, October 23, 2001

By 

E. T. Dexter "Dex1138" (near Salem, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Journey of Luke Skywalker: An Analysis of Modern Myth and Symbol (Paperback)

I always enjoy reading other people's thoughts on the underlying themes of Star Wars. And this book takes a great Jungian approach to it. Several times the author points things out that make you think "Hey, i never thought about it like that." On the other hand, there were some parts where I felt the author was making an observation that was a litle out there. But then, I'm not a psychology student.
The majority of the text in the book is relating the events of the movies. So even if you're not a hardcore fan like me, who's seen the movies a bazillion times, you'll be able to follow along as if you were watching the movies.