Did Jareth change Toby's diaper?

[bazooka_beak]

You know, if somebody whisked me away to a magical land, I'd stay, no question. Who needs the "real world" when you'd have magic and wonder at every turn? Seriously, in the manga Sarah has basically become a boring and unimaginative school teacher. How sad :/

Yeah, Toby was definitely a toy for Jareth, but I always thought he sorta wanted Toby to stay so he could raise him and make him an heir or something. Just, you know, he wouldn't do much of the raising himself xD

 

[Redsonga]

I know, why is it always the 'this can't be real I want to wake up' realistic people that get whisked off to magical lands? Even in anime it happens over and over (Fushigi Yuugi, Magic Knight Rayearth).
Why is it never one of us that wants to stay where magic lives? Are we just unlucky ?

 

[BeakerSqueedom]

Agreed, you two!
Honestly, why don't they whisk us gals away...
We'd show lonely Jareth a good time.

I mean...wha? :3

*Angel*

Jareth: *SCREECH*

 

[Baby Gonzo]

Have you all ever heard of the Joseph Campbell hero's journey? In almost every story that has a protagonist, that character will go through a journey from fall to adventure, crossing the threshold, an ordeal, and return. There is more too it than that, so I recommend reading further into the subject, but Sarah's journey into the Labyrinth follows the archetype of Joseph Campbell's hero's journey

The reluctance of Sarah to accept the world she was thrust into was all a part of the hero's journey. One of the steps of the hero's journey is the refusal of the call to adventure.



I didn't see Sarah's lack of imagination or leaving her imagination behind as an issue. I think that some people judge Sarah too harshly. She was a scared kid who had a big responsibility to bring her brother back. Although we all may be thrilled to try something new, it's scary to "leave the nest" and go out into an unfamiliar world. I will say that I did not like Sarah as a character initially, but I think she redeemed herself.

 

[Redsonga]

I've heard of it and studied it in English class..I don't know, I guess I just think that the 'by the book' hero's journey has been done to death .
As for Sarah, even when I was 12 I would have not been afraid of a fantasy world if I was cast into it...But I think your mindset goes a long way in the labyrinth .

 

[Baby Gonzo]

Though the hero's journey archetype has been overdone, if you think about it, almost every movie, especially "kid's movies" or epic movies (Like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars) follow it. It's hardly even intentional. I don't think anyone ever sets out and says "Okay, this has to follow this outline". But if you didn't have some of those elements, there wouldn't be a point.

I consider myself someone who likes to stay close to home. Though I believe I have a vivid imagination, if I were in an unfamiliar place without my family or friends, I don't know how I would handle it. It's not a matter of imagination, it's survival and goal orientation.

Sarah's goal was to find Toby. Her complaints about the Labyrinth were not because she hated it. She was trying to find her brother. If she sat around enjoying the Labyrinth, she never would have found him.

 

[Redsonga]

I guess I'm just saying that rejecting Jareth and the labyrinth might not have been the only way to get Toby back, or at least just send him back.
I think it all comes down to how much you like your 'normal' life in the first place.
I did not have the best home life growing up so to me I would have done a 'take me for him' or 'if you are going to take us, take both of us forever' trade if I was Sarah, since I don't link my home life when I was 12 to happy things, or at least things happy enough to trade living in a fantasy world for them...
The labyrinth may have been not the nicest of places, but who is to say it wasn't just mirroring Sarah's own 'this is going to be scary and Jareth is evil' core feelings?
Of course, I am one of those weird fangirls who thinks that the Jareth at the ending was his true self and that he is a great actor linked to the nature of the labyrinth (I forget if a fanfic was ever written before to that effect, but I think so. If not I would like to write it someday:3),

 

[Beauregard]

Why is it never one of us that wants to stay where magic lives? Are we just unlucky ?

Redsonga, we already have all the magic we need in our lives...The others still need to see it.

 

[BeakerSqueedom]

Beau...that's true...Wow...I'm...touched.

o_o *Will quote that forever, yo*

Honestly.

 

[bazooka_beak]

*gives Redsonga a hug*

I guess for those of us with a big imagination, the idea of living in a "fantasy world" is a lot more appealing than paying taxes and Garfield Mondays While I can understand where the hero is coming from, I was baffled even as a kid.