Characters In Patrick Mchale's Over The Garden Wall

The specter was no ghost, but a business competitor. The ribbiting frog can sing. The oppressor was the protector, protecting the oppressed from themselves. The harsh old man simply wanted the product of his life’s investment to go to use. Patrick McHale's Over the Garden all teaches you to rethink your beliefs. This Miniseries features 2 brothers, Wirt and Greg, who find themselves lost in the woods. They meet many unique characters on their journey out of the woods and help them find happiness. Similar to many other stories, Over the Garden Wall shares a loose similarity with Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, a framework for adventure stories where the hero finds allies, defeats an enemy who is commonly referred to as the shadow or villain,

Heroes Wirt and Greg find a schoolhouse run by a harsh, oppressive, anti-creativity old man. While they first find him to be a mean old guy, their opinions change when they see the man’s reasons for acting the way he is. “Who would’ve thought making a primer school for animals was such a bad idea? My life savings, my home--Everything I had went into that dear, dear school. And now I’m forced to sell these instruments just to keep it open.” (McHale, 3) Originally, the old man was seen as evil, but a simple adjusting of viewpoints enabled Wirt and Greg to find a solution to the problem: having a school fundraising event while enabling the students to enable their creative side. They realized that a severe lack of money for the school made the old man abandon turn his back on play and creativity. By using this information, the 2 brothers found a way to use fun to raise money for the school. This made the old man more open to creative exploration as more funds were coming in. With more funds, the old man became more lenient in allowing creative explorations in the curriculum. By learning more information and considering the old man’s point of view, the heroes were able to figure out a solution to the problem that benefited everyone, overcoming

Greg is in the clutches of the beast, and the woodsman collapses from exhaustion. The beast, seeing Wirt’s love for his brother, proposes a deal. “‘Well, then, perhaps we better make a deal… I can put his spirit in the lantern. As long as the flame stays lit, he will live on the inside…’ the beast said menacingly to Wirt. ‘Wait. That’s dumb,’ he replied. ‘You’re not trying to help me… It’s almost like your soul is in this lantern…' Wirt confidently took a step forward to the aghast beast. Wirt opened the lantern revealing the flame inside. The beast screamed, fearing Wirt blowing the flame out. 'Here woodsman. I’ve got my own problems to take care of,’ Wirt stated, giving the lantern to the Woodsman. ‘My brother and I are going home.’” (McHale, 10) Campbell’s Hero’s journey climaxes at stage 8, the ordeal or facing the shadow. Over the Garden Wall differs from Campbell’s journey as Wirt and Greg, the heroes, do not kill the beast, but instead give it to the woodsman (who then kills the beast). This would not be possible if not for Wirt realizing the beast’s obsession with the lantern. Even when Greg was in the clutches of the beast, Wirt is able to change perspectives and see the oddness in the beast’s actions. He stops thinking from his perspective and realizes that he is playing right into the beast’s hands. Seeing the