“the Step Not Taken” by Paul D’angelo 300- 500 Word Analysis.

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Lesson 4 – Defining Moments Key Question (35 Marks) Pearl Gill “The Step Not Taken” by Paul D’Angelo 300- 500 word analysis. In life we are faced with a million moments you’ll one day look back on, whether it is for just a moment, a day, and a week of your time thinking about something you can’t change, whatever happened has happened and you can only choose to accept it, grow from it, or ignore it. This is the concept of an archetype. “The Step Not Taken” by Paul D’Angelo is a story told in monomyth in which the story unfolds in stages, separation, struggle or initiation, and return and reintegration, where the hero moves through as he searches for answers on how to rightfully respond to others suffering. The beginning of this story a call to adventure is made to the hero as soon as he notices the well-dressed young man carrying a briefcase follow him into the elevator. Although everything seems to be the norm a clear indication of separation takes place when the hero states “Nothing at all to indicate what was about to take place” followed by the young man dropping his briefcase and bursting out in tears. The hero shamefully exits the elevator without looking back and is immediately faced with his guide; his guilty conscience of his inaction to help this man, as well as his regret. Due to his fear and inadequacy, the hero refuses the quest to help this men recover from his sorrows and instead lives with his guilty conscience. The journey of struggle and initiation then begins when he explores his thoughts, the possible explanations as to what happened, and his own emotions; these are apart the series of physical, emotional, and spiritual hardship tests he has to go through. “I see his face crumbling before he turns to the wall. I see his shoulders heave as he sobs in a combination of sorrow and shame” this image won’t leave his thoughts leaving

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