Anne Zagursky-Bridge to Terabithia

The Power of Myth

In the film, Bridge to Terabithia, we are introduced to two middle school children that don't quite fit in at school. The young man, Jesse, is an outsider who loves to run and be outside. When the new girl, Leslie comes to his school and steals his running title, he is intrigued by her. She ends up living one house away from Jesse and rides the bus with him and his little sister. The two become fast friends becuase of their love of running and their outsider position in society and their families. Because the love to run, they would sprint as far and long as they could and one day discover a rope swing over a creek in the woods. They decide to swing over and begin their adventures in Terabithia. Leslie has a wild imagination and begins to see a whole new world over the creek filled with mythical creatures and exciting adventures. At first, Jesse doesn't see this world, but after some proding by Leslie, he too sees the magical world.

Each time they go to Terabithia, the world expands and becomes more real to them. However, their lives back at home and school were still painful and tough. They were picked on, ignored, and hurt by others but they would only have to think of Terabithia to feel better. Soon their mythical world and actual world began to bleed together. They began to learn lessons in Terabithia that they translated into their lives. They stood up to the bullies and helped people in many ways. They became more confident and loving kids because of their adventures. In addition, the people at school soon turned into mythical creatures in Terabithia. Little did they know how powerful a myth could be. It transformed their lives as well as the lives of friends and family. Tragedy strikes toward the end of the film but this merely makes the mythical world even more real and powerful. Others are invited in to the world and asked to make it their own.

Myth is important because it helps people understand concepts and emotions that they otherwise would suppress or misinterpret. Terabithia was a special place that Jesse and Leslie could discover who they were and what they were made of. If they could do it in Terabithia they could do it outside in the real world. It seems that the real world and myth became one thing for Leslie and Jesse. Terabithia was as real if not more real than the world on the other side of the creek. Myths may or may not be real but that is not important. What is important is the lessons learned and the feelings the people involved in the myth experience. This world transformed Jesse and Leslie and eventually the whole community.