The Hero’s The Hero’s JourneyJourney

What makes a “hero”?What makes a “hero”?

Right now, take a few Right now, take a few moments to jot down moments to jot down

some some CLASSIC HEROESCLASSIC HEROES and who some of and who some of youryour

heroes are.heroes are.

Be sure to write down Be sure to write down (bullet) what makes (bullet) what makes

these people “heroic.”these people “heroic.”

Some common Some common characteristics of HEROES:characteristics of HEROES:

BraveBrave StrongStrong FairFair DeterminedDetermined LoyalLoyal SelflessSelfless RespectedRespected IntelligentIntelligent FocusedFocused

The Hero’s JourneyThe Hero’s Journey

In the mid-1900s, a man named Joseph Campbell wrote a book called A Hero

With a Thousand Faces. He found similarities that existed in mythic

adventures and defined what we now call “The Hero’s Journey.”

What he realized was that there was aPATTERN of events that seem to happen,

inone way or another, in most adventure

stories.

The Journey – 3 major The Journey – 3 major “chapters”“chapters”

1. The Departure – The protagonist is – The protagonist is separated from the “known” and steps into separated from the “known” and steps into the “unknown”the “unknown”

2. The Initiation – By crossing a threshold, – By crossing a threshold, the protagonist’s world is changed forever. the protagonist’s world is changed forever. The journey becomes both mental AND The journey becomes both mental AND physical and results in a realization of physical and results in a realization of purposepurpose

3. The Return – The protagonist starts living – The protagonist starts living in a more “enlightened” way, realizing he/she in a more “enlightened” way, realizing he/she has “gotta do what you gotta do.”has “gotta do what you gotta do.”

Call to Call to AdventureAdventure

Hero leaves to go on his Hero leaves to go on his adventure.adventure.

Ex. Shrek decides he is fed up and Ex. Shrek decides he is fed up and wants the fairy tale creatures out of wants the fairy tale creatures out of his forest, so he decides to do his forest, so he decides to do something about it. something about it.

Supernatural Supernatural AidAid

The hero receives help from The hero receives help from someone or from fate. This might be someone or from fate. This might be a sign or it might be a person. The a sign or it might be a person. The sign might be something as literal as sign might be something as literal as an omen, or it might be something an omen, or it might be something as simple as good weather for as simple as good weather for traveling. The person who helps traveling. The person who helps might be a guide or an aid in times might be a guide or an aid in times of trouble. of trouble.

Ex. Simba sees Mufasa’s in the sky and he reminds him of his rightful place on the throne.

Threshold Threshold (Beginning of (Beginning of

Transformation)Transformation)

The hero begins to change. The hero begins to change. Sometimes the change is Sometimes the change is good and sometimes it is bad.good and sometimes it is bad.

Ex. Luke Skywalker Ex. Luke Skywalker begins to learn about begins to learn about the force.the force.

Challenges and Challenges and TemptationsTemptations

The hero faces many obstacles he The hero faces many obstacles he must overcome. These might be must overcome. These might be literal or figurative monsters. They literal or figurative monsters. They might also be temptations such as might also be temptations such as alcohol, drugs, or a bewitching alcohol, drugs, or a bewitching woman. (Temptress) Sometimes the woman. (Temptress) Sometimes the hero’s main challenge is the one hero’s main challenge is the one within himself. within himself.

Ex. The sirens in the Odyssey are examples of a Temptress.

Helpers and Helpers and MentorsMentors

Helpers do just that…they help. Helpers do just that…they help. They are sidekicks. Mentors train They are sidekicks. Mentors train and teach the hero. Sometimes, and teach the hero. Sometimes, there are both helpers and mentors; there are both helpers and mentors; sometimes there is only one or the sometimes there is only one or the other. other.

The AbyssThe Abyss The hero is at his lowest point. He The hero is at his lowest point. He

questions himself and the point of his questions himself and the point of his journey. The hero receives a revelation journey. The hero receives a revelation (something is revealed). This (something is revealed). This revelation might come from someone revelation might come from someone else, or it might be a realization of the else, or it might be a realization of the character (epiphany). This revelation character (epiphany). This revelation helps the character to die (literally or helps the character to die (literally or figuratively) and be reborn. figuratively) and be reborn. Simba is at his lowest point when he

fights Nala and doesn’t even recognize who she is or who he is. He has a revelation and this is what starts him on his journey of return.

Transformation Transformation The hero’s change is complete. This The hero’s change is complete. This

might be a physical change or a might be a physical change or a mental change. mental change.

Simba returns to Pride Rock to reclaim his throne.

AtonementAtonement The hero makes an atoning sacrifice The hero makes an atoning sacrifice

to help complete his journey. This to help complete his journey. This might be a sacrifice of himself might be a sacrifice of himself (death) or a sacrifice of something (death) or a sacrifice of something he is (he decides not go home; he he is (he decides not go home; he gives up his way of life, etc.)gives up his way of life, etc.)

Frodo decides to never go back to the shire. His hero’s journey required him to make a complete sacrifice of his old life. He will never be the same again.

ReturnReturn The hero returns. Sometimes, the The hero returns. Sometimes, the

return is only that the society return is only that the society returns to normal as the hero is returns to normal as the hero is dead and cannot physically return. dead and cannot physically return.

The “Circle of Life” is complete. The hero has returned.

Look back at your list of Look back at your list of HEROES…HEROES…

Have any of them gone through thisHave any of them gone through this

““journey”?journey”?

Could you relate any aspects of Could you relate any aspects of youryour life life to steps of the journey?to steps of the journey?

The word “odyssey” means:The word “odyssey” means:

a long, wandering and eventful a long, wandering and eventful journeyjourney