Journey of the Hero

Vocabulary Hero = usually the main character in a literary work, the one who “learns the lesson” of the story and is changed by it. Story = metaphor for the human condition characters (archetypes) who embody universal qualities that are a part of every human being.

Vocabulary, cont. Myth = a story dealing with the forces of creation and their relationship to human beings a metaphor for a mystery beyond human comprehension help us understand, by analogy, some aspect of the mysterious universe we live in Archetype = characters, energies, or functions that repeatedly occur in the dreams, stories and mythologies of all people, of all cultures reflect aspects of the human personality.

No matter how fantastic or unbelievable these stories may be, they have the ring of psychological truth. Who am I? Why am I here? What happens when I die? What is good and evil?

The Hero’s Journey has 12 Basic Stages Act 1 (exposition/inciting force) 1. The Ordinary World 2. The Call to Adventure 3. Refusal of the Call 4. Meeting with the Mentor 5. Crossing the Threshold

12 Basic Stages, cont. Act 2 (rising action/climax) 6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies 7. Approach to the Inmost Cave 8. Supreme Ordeal 9. Reward

12 Basic Stages, cont. Act 3 (falling action & Resolution/denouement) 10. The Road Back 11. Resurrection 12. Return with the Elixir

In a nutshell, here is a myth, epic, or legend: Heroes are introduced in the Ordinary World, where... they receive the Call to Adventure. They are Reluctant at first or Refuse the Call, but... are encouraged by a Mentor to... Cross the First Threshold and enter the Special World, where...

In a nutshell… they encounter Tests, Allies, and Enemies. They Approach the Inmost Cave, crossing a second threshold... where they endure the Supreme Ordeal. They take possession of their Reward and... are pursued on The Road Back to the Ordinary World. They cross the Third Threshold, experience a Resurrection, and are transformed by the experience. They Return With the Elixir, a boon or treasure to benefit the Ordinary World.

Archetypes Archetype - An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned The best way to look at archetypes is as different aspects of the hero’s personality - these sometime contrasting forces make for a complete person. We will focus on the most common for our purpose of understanding the hero’s journey and relating it to our own lives.

7 Main Archetypes 1. The Hero 2. The Mentor 3. The Herald 4. The Threshold Guardian 5. The Shape-Shifter 6. The Trickster 7. The Shadow Ideally, every character should have a little of every archetype.

Two Important Questions to Keep in Mind when Analyzing Characters What is the dramatic function of the character? What is the psychological function of the character?

Strategies for reading… Read myths with the eyes of wonder: Find their universal meaning, look for their mysterious source. Read myths in the present tense: Eternity is now. Read myths in the first person plural: the Gods and Goddesses of ancient mythology still live within you.

Strategies for reading, cont. Notice the images and stories that you are drawn to and repelled by. Explore them. Look for patterns; don't get lost in the details. Make connections; break old patterns of thought. Expand your horizons! Any mythology worth remembering will be global in scope. The earth is our home and humankind is our family. Read between the lines! Literalism kills; Imagination quickens.