The Hero’s Journey

What is Mythology?  A metaphor that provides us with symbols of a life we long to experience  Non-literal stories  Timeless stories that resonate with the audience no matter their age, race, gender, class, or time period  As relevant today as it was thousands of years ago. ~WHY?????

What is a Hero?  A hero is a metaphor for the human search for self-knowledge  They respond to the deep psychological dilemma of human existence  Heroes produce common social understanding of the human condition  Heroes give mankind hope

What is the Hero Cycle?  A metaphorical guide to transformation/enlightenment  The archetype and basis for all stories  The pattern of life, growth, and experience for every human being  Evident in virtually every media (literature, film, comics, prose, video games) and even our own lives

Jung and Campbell  Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell are two of the most prominent explorers of the psychoanalytical and mythological origins for human and social behavior.  Jung and Campbell developed the idea of the archetype  Archetype: A recurring pattern of images, situations, or symbols found in the mythology, religion, art, and dreams of cultures around the world

The Hero’s Journey

Home/Birth  Metaphorical and literal beginning of the journey  Hero is “trapped” in a banal or ordinary life  Central character is superficially naive and unsophisticated

Harry lives in his cupboard under the stairs at Number 4, Privet Drive. Harry Potter

The Call to Adventure  The hero is called to his/her adventure by some external event or messenger  The hero may accept the call willingly or reluctantly  The call constitutes an opportunity for the hero to face the unknown and gain something of value  The hero may initially refuse the call, but inevitably starts the journey

Harry receives mysterious letters and a visit from Hagrid telling him he is a wizard. Harry Potter

Obi-Wan teaches Luke about the Jedi and the Force and asks him to embark on a journey. Star Wars

Neo receives a phone call from Morpheus and eventually meets him after initially refusing. The Matrix

Mentor/Amulets  The Hero will often receive aid from a protective figure (mentor/guide)  The helper frequently gives the hero a protective amulet or weapon for the journey  Although helpers can assist the hero, they cannot take the journey for him

Harry receives his wand from Mr. Ollivander and guidance from Albus Dumbledore. Harry Potter

Luke receives his lightsaber from Obi-Wan Kenobi, who serves as his mentor and teacher. Star Wars

Crossing the Threshold  The hero must undergo some ordeal in order to pass from the everyday world into the new world  The important feature is the contrast between the familiar world and the unknown world of adventure  The Hero is opened to new ways of thinking, learns more skills, and seeks freedom  Essentially, the hero enters a world that is altogether different from his/her old world

Neo chooses the red pill and begins his journey to the real world. The Matrix

Challenges and Temptations  The Hero travels through the world of adventure where he must undergo a series of tests  Each successful trial further proves the hero’s ability and advances the journey toward its climax  Trials can be physical, mental, or emotional/psychological/spiritual in nature  The trials often challenge the hero’s weakest point

Luke escapes from the Death Star and battles the forces of the Empire. Star Wars

Neo must overcome the Agents to save Morpheus. The Matrix

Helpers  The Hero is often accompanied on the journey by a helper who assists in the tests and serves as a loyal companion  The helper may also be a supernatural entity in the world of adventure  Helpers include guides, mentors, companions, etc.

Ron and Hermione help Harry with the various tasks under the trapdoor. Harry Potter

Han and Leia both assist Luke in his trials. Star Wars

Trinity and Tank help Neo rescue Morpheus. The Matrix

(Abyss – Death/Rebirth) Final Battle  This is the critical moment in the hero’s journey which facilitates the resolution of the adventure  The hero must often face this challenge alone, surrendering completely to the adventure  The hero often suffers an unhealable wound in the course of the journey (not always physical)

(Abyss – Death/Rebirth) continued  Hero may descend into a hell-like area (land of the dead?). His return is like returning from the dead. Symbolically goes where normal humans can’t and finds truth about self.  The hero may just die symbolically or people may think he’s dead for a while.

Neo fights with Agent Smith, is killed, and is reborn as the One. The Matrix

Transformation  Either during or after the climax, the hero is transformed by revelation  The hero undergoes a sudden, dramatic change in the way he/she thinks or views life, leaves the ego behind, and is motivated solely by an idea or ideal  After transformation, the hero achieves peace with himself, incorporates the lessons from the journey, becomes fully “reborn,” and experiences revelation or transcendence  The hero MUST change during the course of his journey.  The real victory comes when he learns about humanity and has true understanding.

Atonement  Hero either redeems father’s evil deeds or reconciles with father over wrongs done by the hero.  The “father” does not have to be his/her actual father.  Often the hero must find peace with his father, mother, or ancestors. This goes back to the belief that we cannot truly know ourselves if we do not accept our past and our roots. The hero may be an orphan, or he may gain a surrogate parent along the journey. At any rate, he must accept his past and heritage before he is able to move beyond this and change in any significant way.

Luke flies back to the Rebel base after destroying the Death Star Star Wars

Neo’s transformation allows him to defy the laws of physics inside the Matrix. The Matrix

Return  The hero again crosses the threshold and returns to the everyday world  The hero can be either willing or unwilling to reenter the ordinary world  Sometimes an external force is required to pull the hero back to the normal world

Harry returns from the trap door to the lighted halls of Hogwarts. Harry Potter

Luke arrives back at the Rebel base after destroying the Death Star. Star Wars

Award  The object, knowledge, or blessing the hero acquired during the voyage is put to use in the everyday world (transformation or illumination)  It often has a restorative or healing function  It serves to define the hero’s role in society  It is a true sign of a hero that he/she has sacrificed his/her ego (overcome selfishness) to complete the journey. Upon returning to the everyday world they recognize that they are forever transformed into a being “of this world” but “not of this world” and recognized as a person of wisdom and knowledge but forever separate and above the common man.

Harry stops Voldemort from procuring the Sorcerer’s Stone, making the wizarding world a safer place. Harry Potter

Neo assumes his role as the One, turning the tide in the war against the machines. The Matrix

The Basic Hero Cycle  “A hero ventures forth from the 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.”  Joseph Campbell, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, p. 30

They’re More Like Guidelines, Anyway…  The hero cycle does not have to be followed as a formula: it is an archetype  Order, presence, and exactness of the steps can vary  Interpretation of the lesson is up to the storyteller and audience  The cycle is a map that can be followed as a guide

Let’s take another look…

Your turn  Take the next 5 minutes to talk quietly amongst your class to come up with as many examples of The Hero’s Journey as you can. Note: Your examples may not include ones that we have already discussed in class.  What are your thoughts???

Your task… Create your own Hero’s Journey:  Based on what we have learned today, work with a partner to create a SHORT (1 page) story about a hero.  In your story, show the “steps” a hero needs to take to fulfill the hero’s journey. This hero may be fictional, or one from your own life. (Remember, as I said – many of you will walk out of this mundane “ordinary” world and will likely attain hero status! :-)  Be CREATIVE and have fun with this! Be prepared to share your HERO story for the class.