Digital Essay

THE BLUE LOTUS

The Blue Lotus, which was first published in 1936, is one of the adventures of Tintin. It is a series of classic comic – strip album written and illustrated by Herge, featuring one reporter Tintin as a hero. The Blue Lotus is also considered to be a crucial work in Herge career, marking a newfound commitment to geographical and cultural accuracy. Nevertheless, Vogler (1998) reveals that all great filmic narratives share a similar deep structure, and his four-act structure in Hero’s Journey is concealed as a three-act structure.
In this essay, the Blue Lotus will be analysed according to Vogler’s mythic structure as mentioned. For instance, act 1 includes ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal of the call, meeting with the mentor, as well as crossing the first threshold. Act 2 contains ( tests, allies, enemies), approach to inmost cave, supreme ordeal and reward. In act 3, it consists of the road back, resurrection, and return with the elixir.
Act 1:
Ordinary world:
As a guest of the Maharaja of Gaipajama in India, Tintin enjoys a well-earned rest in the magnificent palace. He is seen indulging in his latest hobby, which is playing with a short-wave radio receiver to Snowy’s intense irritation. Additionally, Ramacharma, one of the famous fakir, demonstrates his remarkable power by showing Tintin some magic, as well as, telling him what he (the fakir) sees will happen in the future. For instance, as Herge (2002) reveals that, the fakir informs Tintin about an enemy he (Tintin) thinks is dead, but he is not, he is planning revenge. He (the fakir) further explains to Tintin another fakir, who is a disgrace to their brotherhood dedicated to their downfall, and that man has a terrible weapon and has spied upon Tintin. The fakir also tells Tintin to be aware of another man with black hair and a yellow skin, who always wears glasses because that man has sworn to destroy him.
Call to adventure:
Tintin is notified about a strange man in the gallery who wants to talk to him. Even though he is confronted by the Rajaijah juice, the poison of the madness which hits a visitor from Shanghai, he still has time to negotiate with the stranger. Tintin is told that he is needed in Shanghai for a special mission, that is, searching for the operator of an opium-smuggling ring.
Refusal of a Call:
In fact, Tintin does not refuse the call. So, he packs up everything he needs for the trip. While packing up, he remembers what the fakir has told him. (I see an enemy, you think him dead, but he plans revenge). At that same time, Snowy (the dog), his best friend, disappears and worries Tintin because he never leaves without him. Later on, he finds him locked in his trunk.
Meeting with the mentor:
Tintin meets with Wang Chen-yee, the leader of an organisation called Sons of the Dragon, also the father of the poor soul who confronted Tintin to death. As a mentor, Wang is surely an adviser, and a reliable helper, as well as, a saviour to Tintin’s life throughout his adventure in the Blue Lotus. He relies mostly on Tintin for the battle against opium, the terrible drug causing such havoc in the country.
Crossing the first threshold:
As a fact, Tintin is eagerly awaited by the assassins of the opium consortium. He reaches Shanghai and travels by a rickshaw which runs into Gibbons, a friend of Dawson, the corrupt police chief of the Shanghai International Settlement. Gibbons beats the rickshaw driver for daring to “barge” into a white man. Tintin intervenes, calling the man’s conduct “disgraceful” and Gibbons vows revenge (Herge, 2005).
After shouting at Tintin for interfering, this Westerner storms into a nearby “Occidental Private Club” where he meets some friends, and tells them the story. As he talks, he gets angrier and more indignant at Tintin’s impertinence and betrayal of his own “race”. He keeps on talking and criticises Tintin, when he gestures wildly, and knocks the tray out of a passing Chinese waiter’s hand, and of course, in his own eyes, a person like him can do no wrong, so the accident is blamed entirely on the innocent Chinese waiter.
While Tintin is in Shanghai, he meets Mitsuhirato, a Japanese business man, who urges him to return to India and protect the Maharaja of Gaipajama. Mitsuhirato explains to Tintin that he has sent a Chinese messenger to tell him (Tintin) to guard the Maharaja, but Tintin states that the man he sent is struck by a poison dart and only manages to say two words, “Mitsuhirato” and “Shanghai”. The business man is really mad and frustrated; he urges Tintin to be in a hurry returning to India, although Tintin is eager to know what’s happening in the Maharaja. The last advice for Tintin given by Mitsuhirato is that, Tintin should be aware of everyone, especially the Chinese because his life is hung by a thread. When Tintin asks him how he knows that, Mitsuhirato responds that “a true Japanese knows everything.”
Act 2:
Tests, allies, enemies:
Tintin is first tested for his strength and power in a sudden tackle from the back, by someone who he does not even know, whilst waiting to return to the Maharaja. While having a cup of tea and thinking of what has happened, someone shoots him and misses; he shoots back and chases the man, which leads him to be arrested by police. The police chief, Dawson, after talking with his friend Gibbons, sends three anonymous but imposingly burly Sikhs to the cell, to give Tintin “a spot of corrective treatment,” and ending up being taken themselves by ambulance from St James Prison to one of the English hospitals.
Tintin has been saved here. However, he has got a telegram, a letter and a parcel from someone, which orders him to meet at ten oclock at Tai Ping Lu Street, and he has to wear the clothes in the parcel. When he goes to this place, he is confronted by a poor disturbed man who almost kills him, but Tintin can manage to hand him to a police officer. Furthermore, Tintin is surprised in his sailing to Bombay the last night, but wakes up in the next morning in a different place. However, Tintin finds out that Wang Chen-yee, the leader of the Sons of the Dragon, a secret society dedicated to the fight against opium, has just helped him escape from that Japanese villain, Mitsuhirato.
That morning, Wang firstly apologises to Tintin for such a violent kidnapping, as he should remained in China, not be recalled to India. Wang further describes Mitsuhirato’s clever tricks and his occupation as a Japanese secret agent and drug smuggler. Wang also apologises for his son who goes about threatening to cut people’s heads off with a sword. He also notifies Tintin that his son has been attacked by their enemies and lost his mind. Moreover, the headquarters of the Sons of the Dragon, which is a secret society dedicated to fighting against opium, is introduced to Tintin. Tintin has a great surprise when Wang mentioned Mitsuhirato as their greatest adversary. On the other hand, Tintin talks about the peculiar message that he tries to solve on his journey to China, which he finally unravel its meaning – “Blue Lotus ten tonight.” Wang then makes it clear to him that, the name Blue Lotus is an opium den in Shanghai. Finally Tintin agrees to go to the Blue Lotus, as that is the reason why the Sons of the Dragon need him.
When Tintin gets to The Blue Lotus den, he finds Mitsuhirato making a deal with someone about something that Tintin has tried to guess. And when they leave for their mission, Tintin follows them and he sees Mitsuhirato and his men blowing up a railway line. No one was killed and damage is minor, but it is blown up into a major Chinese terrorist incident and used as a pretext for a Japanese invasion of Manchurian, the South railway. Reports spread all over the world about the result of their brawl. For instance, the fake report of the Chinese bandits blowing up the railway, the stopping of the train and attacking of the innocent passengers, one report tells of many killed trying to defend themselves, some Japanese who have died after the attack, as well as, the Tokyo Express newspaper special misleading report of the Chinese bandits attacking passengers of the train. These different reports make Japan thrilled and delighted, resulting in their glorious praising and singing that “Japan must never forget her duty as the guardian of law and civilisation in the Far East, and glory to their brave soldiers who have now gone to defend this noble cause” (Herge, 2005, p.22).
Approach to inmost cave:
As Tintin is seen as a spy to the railway incident, he is now trapped and has been tied to a chair. Mitsuhirato injects him with the poison of madness but, that is not the real poison as Chang, has stolen the real one, and also takes care of his gun and knife, when he goes to watch Mitsuhirato’s house. Tintin is then released but when Mitsuhirato finds out it is not the real poison, he follows Tintin to kill him with an unloaded gun and a knife with a rubber blade, and results in Tintin giving him a good blow that puts him to the ground. Tintin has attempted to escape from the city, but it is impossible, as the patrols are watching the gates. Nevertheless, he has been saved by the brother of the rickshaw driver mentioned above, by carrying him and Snowy away from the city using barrels. Even though he is monitored and well searched by the guards, he has finally made it to Mr Wang’s place.
The next interesting scene is when Tintin attempts to go back to Shangai and search for Dr Fang to analyse the poison to cure Mr Wang’s son, where he firstly attacks General Haranochi and uses his uniform, as he inspects the guard. He is saved from that disturbance, but is stopped entering the settlement. He fools the patrol again and escapes by a bike, which ends up disappearing into the cinema. He makes contact to see Fang His-ying, an expert of insanity, who he thinks will cure Wang’s son. However, Doctor Fan has been kidnapped by the opium gang, presumably to prevent him from doing this.
Supreme ordeal:
When Tintin searches for Professor Fang, he is arrested again, he has become a prisoner of the Japanese and they have condemned him to death this time, as he is found guilty of espionage, attempted murder of a Japanese, assaulting a senior officer, as well as, illegally wearing a uniform and medals.
According to Mitsuhirato, Tintin can be set free under two conditions. First he has to join their counter – espionage service and secondly, he has to tell them where he has hidden the poison he steals. Although Tintin is offered a big amount of money, he turns it down. Furthermore, he has managed to escape from prison by a tunnel dug by Mr Wang, from his new-rented house to the cell where he is locked.
Possession of reward:
In fact, Professor Fang has been kidnapped, and Tintin is ready to go to Hukow, on the Yangtze Kiang, which is where the ransom for the professor is to be paid to the kidnappers, so, Tintin rides a train to Hukow, but a flood washes the tracks; all the passengers must leave the train and walk three hours more. He has heard someone calling for help from the river when he disembarks from the train and he rescues him from drowning. This young boy is a Chinese by the name of Chang Chong-Chan. Chang exclaims in disbelief, “I thought all white devils were wicked, like those who kill my grandfather and grandmother long ago” (Herge, 2005, p. 43). Nevertheless, Tintin replies, “but Chang, all white men are not wicked, you see, different people don’t know enough about each other. Lots of Europeans still believe that all Chinese are cunning and cruel and wear pig tails, are always inventing tortures, eating rotten eggs and swallows’ nests” (Herge, 2005, p. 43). Tintin further describes that those same stupid Europeans are quite convinced that all Chinese have tiny feet developing normally. In addition, they are even convinced that Chinese rivers are full of unwanted babies, thrown in when they are born. “So you see Chang, that is what lots of people believe about China” (Herge, 2005, p. 43).
Chang smiles and responds that they must be crazy people in Tintin’s country. As a fact, these two quickly become friends.
The road back:
While Tintin and Chang are in Hukow, the Thompsons get a call for a mission to arrest Tintin again. However, Chang rescues Tintin from the Thompsons who have reluctantly captured him under order, by recopying the Thompsons real authorisation ticket to perform in Chinese territory into another unofficial piece of paper. As a result, they are sent back again to the International Settlement in Shangai.
Tintin and Chang have gone to find Professor Fang. Nevertheless, they are confronted by a photographer, a Japanese who works for Mitsuhirato. The photographer reveals everything about Mitsuhirato and has told them that the professor is kidnapped by Mitsuhirato.
Act 3:
Resurrection:
In order to find these drug smugglers, Tintin hides in one of the barrels on an opium ship, but it turns out that he is seen and when he emerges, he is confronted by Mitsuhirato who is armed with a gun. Then the leader of the opium cartel is known to be Rastapopoulos. Tintin is incredulous that this man he thinks is a friend can be the gang leader, until Rastapopoulos reveals the tattoo of Kih-Osk on his forearm. In addition, Wang’s family has been kidnapped by Mitsuhirato. However, the son of the Dragon has previously overpowered Mitsuhirato’s thugs, shot the gun out of a crook’s hand, has guns pointed at all other crooks who have to surrender.
Return with the elixir:
Wang’s family is being saved, as well as Professor Fang His-ying. Wang’s son is also cured. Wang congratulates Tintin for his courage and mobility; he has offered to take Chang, Tintin’s best friend as his son, which leads Chang into tears because Tintin is going but the sun shines, as he has a new father and mother Wang also wishes Tintin good luck when he returns to his country in the West, as the mission has been solved.


Reference list


Herge, (2002, 1395). The adventures of Tintin: The blue lotus. London: Egmont.


Vogler, (1998). The writer’s journey: Mythic structure for writers. (2nd ed.).
California: Michael Wiese Productions. .