Five Stages of the Archetypal Journey- After By Anna Todd

Todd, Anna. After We Collided. New York: Gallery Books, 2014. Print.

     The novel After connects to several stages of the journey, but mainly it connects to refusal of the call. Tessa, the main character in the novel, is unsure of what she should be doing. She came to college to get a good education, but that's not what her college experience is all about now. She meets Hardin, He's a jerk at first but then he changes, he starts to show up at her dorm room at random times for no apparent reason. Tessa begins to develop feelings for Hardin, and Hardin begins to express his feelings towards Tessa. The bond between them seems to be unbreakable and they enjoy each others company. Hardin doesn't date, that's the downfall for Tessa. Tessa already has a boyfriend, Noah. She's unsure of what is happening, and what will happen between her and Hardin. Hardin doesn't want a relationship he just want's a girl, Tessa doesn't want to be just his girl she want's more than that. She's stuck between breaking up with her long childhood boyfriend Noah and going for Hardin, or staying with Noah and leaving Hardin. She knows what she wants, Hardin. "Wherever he is, will always feel like home to me" (Todd, After 383). She's just way too stubborn to realize that, yet. She shows a perfect example of refusal of the call because she knows what she needs to do she just doesn't feel ready for it yet. She doesn't want to take the step that might change her life forever. Either for the better, or for the worst.

     It makes sense though, refusing the call may just be easier than accepting it, but in order to finish your journey, you need to go through each stage. Tessa being stuck in the middle of what to do, and what not to do is a perfect example for refusal of the call.