Joseph campbell’s the hero’s journey an archetypal story

Let’s start with this: Q: What is an ARCHETYPE? A: It’s just a fancy way of explaining a PATTERN, TYPE OF CHARARACTER, or TYPE OF STORY that is repeated in literature, film, TV shows, etc.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY is one of the oldest story ARCHETYPES on the planet

Meet JOSEPH CAMPBELL (1904-1987) He was the world’s foremost authority on mythology–he identified the “STEPS” of THE HERO’S JOURNEY

In his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell asserted that ALL STORYTELLING FOLLOWS THE ANCENT PATTERNS OF MYTH… This makes THE HERO’S JOURNEY A MONOMYTH. This means ALL STORIES INVOLVING HEROES follow a universal pattern.

CAMPBELL KNEW THAT HEROES ARE CENTRAL TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, an essential part of our storytelling.—that they serve a purpose which transcends society, culture, and time. He believed: “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” –AND- “The adventure of the hero is the adventure of being alive.”

Campbell was such an expert on heroes that George Lucas (creator of Star Wars) consulted with him while writing the scripts for the first Star Wars trilogy.

Think about your favorite hero in a book, a movie, or both…who is it? Well…guess what? Whoever your hero is, he or she follows Campbell’s STEPS OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY! Keep this in mind as we take you through the steps…as we do so, try to “plot” how your hero handled his or her journey. P.s. also think about what makes your character a hero in the first place. What qualities does he or she have to have to qualify as a hero in your eyes?

Also, before we move on to the STEPS, be on the lookout for certain CHARACTER ARCHETYPES you will identify throughout…

1. THE HERO {OF COURSE! YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT! } THE HERO is… Usually the main character—a person who needs to learn something in the story Note: there can be several heroes along the way (we will discuss that further) Think about who is the “chosen” one…the hero who will ultimately be responsible for fulfilling some kind of quest?

2. THE MENTOR THE MENTOR is… A wise person or animal who provides guidance to the hero—usually giving him magical gifts or advice for the journey ahead Oftentimes we will see the mentor archetype coaxing the hero archetype to undertake the adventure Usually the hero is resistant to the challenge—he or she doesn’t want to take the risk! More on that later…

3. THE TRICKSTER THE TRICKSTER is… The “wise-fool”—someone who uses tricks and jokes to guide the hero Typically, we are unsure if the trickster archetype is good for the hero, or not-so-good for the hero The trickster keeps us, as well as the hero guessing!

4. THE SHADOW THE SHADOW … Represents our darkest desire, untapped resources, or rejected qualities Oftentimes has “anti-hero” or “fallen hero” qualities The function of the shadow archetype is to challenge the hero, to provide a worthy opponent in the hero’s struggle *Most shadows do not see themselves as villians, but merely the heroes of their own myths…

5. THE SHAPESHIFTER THE SHAPESHIFTER is… A character who “changes appearance” to disrupt the adventure The shapeshifter archetype serves the dramatic function of bringing doubt and suspense into a story The mask of the shapeshifter may be worn by any character in the story—and is often expressed by a character whose loyalty and true nature are always in question

6. THE HERALD THE HERALD … Issues challenges and announces the coming of significant “shaking up” of the status quo Because of this announcement, the hero’s situation shifts— nothing is ever the same again The herald archetype serves the important psychological function of representing a need for change But…like most of us, adapting to change is quite uncomfortable for the hero!

7. THRESHOLD GUARDIAN THE THRESHOLD GUARDIAN … Protects the special world and its secrets from the hero—providing tests for the hero to prove his or her worth If properly understood, these guardians can be overcome, bypassed, or turned into allies Threshold guardians are not the main villain; they are often the “henchmen” of the villain On a deeper psychological level, threshold guardians represent our internal demons—their function is not necessarily to stop the hero but to test if he or she is really determined to accept the challenge of change

*NOW THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CHARACTER ARCHETYPES, WHERE DO THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES FIT IN?

Annakin Skywalker Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Once a hero, Annakin Skywalker goes to “the dark side”, and becomes Darth Vader. Sadly, this makes him… - A SHADOW -

Next example: Who is this? What character archetype does she represent?

Katniss Everdeen The Hunger Games - HERO-

How about him? What part does he play?

Gandalf The Lord of the Rings - MENTOR -

How about him? How does he fit in with the rest of the character archetypes?

Jacob Black Twilight - SHAPESHIFTE R -

What purpose does this character serve? Which archetype is he?

The White Rabbit Alice in Wonderland - HERALD -

How about this guy. Who is he How about this guy? Who is he? Where does he fit in as a character archetype?

Gollum The Lord of the Rings - TRICKSTER -

And the last of the character archetypes…

- THRESHOLD GUARDIANS - Orcs The Hobbit - THRESHOLD GUARDIANS -

HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT? Now that you are now an expert on CHARACTER ARCHETYPES… LET’S MOVE ONTO THE 12 STEPS OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY!

1. ORDINARY WORLD The hero’s normal, everyday (often mundane) world before the journey begins…

2. CALL TO ADVENTURE The hero is presented with a problem, challenge, or adventure to undertake…

3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL The hero is reluctant, and initially refuses the challenge or journey—usually out of fear.

4. MEETING WITH THE MENTOR The hero meets a mentor to gain confidence, advice, or training to face the adventure

5. CROSSING THE FIRST THRESHOLD The hero crosses the gateway that separates the ordinary world from a new, special world. No going back now!

6. TESTS, ALLIES & ENEMIES The hero faces tests, meets allies, confronts enemies, & learns the rules of the new world in which he finds himself.

7. APPROACH The hero has hit setbacks during his tests. He may need to reorganize his helpers, or rekindle morale with mentor’s rally cry. High drama…stakes heighten!

8. ORDEAL The biggest life or death crisis hits. The hero encounters his greatest fear—only through facing death can he be “reborn”. He now experiences even greater powers to see the journey to the end.

9. REWARD The hero has survived death and overcome his greatest fear, earning the reward he sought. The Reward may come in many forms: an object of great importance or power, a secret, greater knowledge or insight, or even reconciliation with a loved one or ally. Whatever the treasure, which may well facilitate his return to the Ordinary World, the Hero must quickly put celebrations aside and prepare for the last leg of his journey.

10. THE ROAD BACK The hero must recommit to completing the journey & travel back to the Ordinary World. But the road back is often dangerous…

11. RESURRECTION The hero faces the most dangerous meeting with death. He overcomes it, showing he can apply all the wisdom he will bring back to the Ordinary World.

12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR The hero returns from the journey with the “elixir” for everyone in his world to use to heal physical or emotional wounds. He has fulfilled his purpose and comes back changed for the better. The “elixir” represents a new beginning in which fear is conquered, insights and freedom are gained, and the greater good is restored. Resolution! 

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” –Joseph Campbell

Look for this formula in books, movies, and TV shows, but also in YOUR OWN LIFE… Remember: humans reflect on our world through symbolic stories of our lives. AND… Think about how YOU ARE CALLED upon to leave your comfort zone, have an experience that transforms you, recover, and do it again.