World Literature

Learning Targets• Define and understand concept of an archetype• Define and identify the stages of the hero’s

journey

Purpose: In being able to identify the archetype of the hero’s journey, you will be able to see connections between literature of various cultures and time periods.

Warm-up• What is a hero? Think of heroes in real life and in

fiction, movies and short stories. What characteristics stand out as heroic? Does the concept of a hero change over time?

Key TermsArchetype, Hero, Epic

Archetype• Pattern of character, thought, image, etc. that is

universally present• Example: pattern of the heroic character that

repeats through literature and history across cultures and timeo Odysseus, King Arthur, Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Luke Skywalker, Harry

Potter

Literary definition: Epic

• An epic is a long narrative work about a larger than life hero who is engaged in a dangerous journey or quest that is important to the history of a nation or people

Elements:• Epic Hero• Epic Conflict• Heroic Quest• Divine Intervention

Epic Hero Defined

General Harry Potter Example• Unusual birth• Some strength• Have mentor or

guideo Often a mystical force

• Flawedo Physically or

emotionally or both

• Mother sacrificed herself for him to live

• Wizard• Dumbledore• Physical connection

to Voldemort, emotional need (to a level of compulsion) to find a family

The Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Adapted from Joseph Campbell’s A Hero with a Thousand Faces

(view Joseph Campbell’s A Hero’s Journey video clip 43:40-48 minutes)

Three main categories

Departure

Initiation

Return

Three main categories

Departure-Hero ventures out on quest

Initiation-the adventures and challenges on the quest

Return-hero returns home with knowledge and power earned on the quest

Modern Epic Heros• Like the Star Wars Saga, each Harry Potter book

or film is a hero’s journey in itself. It works even better when viewed as a whole to see the archetype, the pattern.

Departure• The Call

o Hero receives a call to go on an adventure and often initially refuses• Luke Skywalker meets Obi Wan but doesn’t get that he is also

a Jedio Something happens that forces the character to accept the call

• Luke Skywalker’s aunt and uncle are killed, forcing him to go with Obi Wan

o Crossing the Threshold• Moving from the known to the unknown

o Luke Skywalker goes with Obi Wan to the bar with all the strange creatures

o Threshold guardians (obstacles)• Storm Troopers

o Mentors and helpers• Obi Wan, R2D2, C3PO for Luke

Harry’s Departure(refusal then acceptance of the call)

Refusal/Unanswered Call

Acceptance

• Harry can converse with the snake at the zoo. (sign of the call and his special abilities)

• The letter arrives at #4 Privet Drive and Harry is prevented from seeing them.

• Hagrid gets him from the shack, and Harry finds the new world in Diagon Alley then on to Hogwarts o (Why the big entrance to

Hogwarts in each book? A new threshold each time.)

http://wizardinglife.com/2011/08/diagon-alley-the-perfect-place-to-have-a-family-vacation/

http://www.alicia-logic.com/capspages/caps_viewall.asp?criteria=Title&start=721

Harry’s Departure Cont.

Threshold Guardians Mentor/Helpers

• Dursleys• Fluffy• Draco• Etc.

• Dumbledore, Sirius• Ron, Hermione, Hagrid

Initiation and Transformation• The Challenges and Trials

o progressing in difficultyo Tempters/tricksters make things tough

• Descent into Darkness-actual or metaphorical Hello The biggest challenge-must be faced alone, the hero has to go on

without helpers or mentor• Obi Wan dies and Luke has to destroy the death star alone

o Death and rebirth-spiritual or actual• Luke has a spiritual rebirth. He finds the force.

• Revelation and Reconciliationo Facing fear and flawo A new self or sense of selfo Reconciles with others in life

• Luke finds the force, starts to believe he’s a Jedi, finds out who is father is

Harry’s Initiation

Challenges/Trials

• Chamber of Secrets• Tri Wizard Tournament• Seeking the horcruxes• The bulk of the action

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Horcruxes.jpg

http://www.canmag.com/news/4/3/1965

Harry’s Initiation cont’

• Think about it. He faces the guardian-Fluffy then goes down (descends)

• He descends again into the Ministry of Magic to the Department of Mysteries in Book 5

• It doesn’t have to be a physical descent though.

• Harry in book 7 faces Voldemort alone and faces his own mortality (many times throughout the series)

Descent

http://www.chud.com/60160/movie-of-the-day-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets/

http://fantasyfaceoff.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=races&action=display&thread=431

Harry’s Transformation and Reconciliation

• He has to reconcile each year with Vernon Dursley

• In the end, he reconciles with Dumbledore when he speaks with him in death

• Harry accepts his role in the prophecy and faces his fear of death but also realizes he has a choice in his destiny

• Harry realizes that he has a family in life, what he has always wanted (though he was always longing for his parents or Sirius as his only family)

http://www.softsclub.com/movies/1014511-harry-potter-deathly-hallows-part-2-ts-2011-a.html

The Return

• Goal has been met (or not)o Deathstar destroyed

• return (with a Gift, the reward) to assume new role in life o Luke gains the force, wins rebel award

• Saves or contributes to societyo Luke joins the rebel forces

Harry’s Return

• In books 1-5, Harry returns from his trials mostly triumphant. Griffindor wins house cup.

• He returns to Hogwarts at the end of each book (often ending up in the hospital wing)

• He grows in power and knowledge and acceptance of his power and role in the prophecy

• In the final book, he dies and considers that he may refuse to return to the world. In the end, he returns to the living world then we later find to his family (Ginny, kids and friends)

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/magic/medical.html

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/08/05/harry-potter-stars-say-final-scene-was-a-challenge-for-the-ages/

The key points recapped

• The hero has to go out into the worldo This is called the _________________

• face challenges and fears, change/transformo This is called the ___________________

• then return home with something to offero This is called the ___________________

Other stories that follow hero’s journey?

As you read

Focus on the Epic HeroFocus on the Cultural

Values

• Keep track of the Hero’s virtues, strengths and weaknesses

• What does the hero seek? How will this help his people?

• Think about the values that the epic conveys about the culture that produced it

• What values does the Hero represent