THE HERO’S JOURNEY

CSCI 11, FALL 2011

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: DEFINED

• Described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces

• Campbell called it the monomyth

• A basic narrative pattern found in storytelling traditional all over the world

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder; fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won; the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: SO WHAT?

Do any of these sound familiar from the world of video games?

• hero ventures forth from the world of common day

• a region of supernatural wonder

• fabulous forces are then encountered

• a decisive victory is won

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: STAGES

The Stages of the Hero’s Journey

1. Introduction to the Hero and the “Normal” World

• must have as contrast to the world of adventure

2. The Call to Adventure

• an internal or external event

3. Refusal of the Call

• the hero turns away

4. Meeting with the Mentor

• a mentor teaches the student (the hero to be)

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: STAGES

The Stages of the Hero’s Journey (continued)

5. Crossing the first threshold

• the hero is drawn into the adventure

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies

• the new world of adventure is a stark contrast to the hero’s “normal” world

7. Approach to the inmost cave

• final preparations for the central ordeal of the adventure

8. The Ordeal

• the hero faces her or his greatest challenge

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: STAGES

The Stages of the Hero’s Journey (continued)

9. Reward

• time to recuperate

10. The Road Back

• time for the hero to renew her or his dedication to the adventure

11. The Resurrection

• the last challenge, the hero must be purified to return to the “normal” world

12. Return with the Elixir

• the hero returns with something to share with others

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: YOU ARE A HERO

Challenge:

Can you map your journey through a semester of college onto the Hero’s Journey?

Call to adventure (sign of for classes!)

Refusal of the call (but I’m enjoying my summer!)

Meeting with the mentor (I hope this teacher isn’t a jerk…)

Crossing the first threshold (I just got my first homework back)

Test, Allies, and Enemies (pretty obvious?)

Approach to the inmost cave (gotta study for finals)

The Ordeal (final exam?! I’m ready!)

Reward (one step closer to my degree!)

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:THE “NORMAL” WORLD

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:CALL TO ADVENTURE

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:MEETING WITH THE MENTOR

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:TESTS, ALLIES, ENEMIES

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:THE ORDEAL

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:USEFUL FOR GAME DESIGNERS?• Yes, most definitely

• cross-cultural appeal• useable across a variety of media, including games

• The hero in your game

• first-person games: your player• third-person games: your main character

• Your game is the journey