The Makings of a Hero (in only 17 easy steps!!!)

Joseph Campbell was an American cultural anthropologist and mythologist who proposed that almost all ancient myths contained common elements and archetypes. He felt the most evident example of that was the “Journey of the Hero,” the path or process of becoming a hero that most legends have as a formula.

Campbell believed that the Path of the Hero could be split into 3 main sections: The Departure to becoming a Hero. The Initiation into the ranks of Heroes. The Hero’s Return to the Regular World.

Departure The Call to Adventure – This is the stage where we first see the hero in his/her normal life. He/she usually gets some strange news or offer that things are about to change. Refusal of the Call – This is the stage where the reluctance of the hero makes him/her try to avoid the new adventure. (Sometimes it is other people that try to block the call.) Supernatural Aid – This is the stage where some deity or technologically advanced character bestows some powerful artifact or useful information that will help the hero make his/her way through the later trials in the journey. The Crossing of the First Threshold – This is where the hero leaves the safety of his/her known world far enough that immediate return is not possible or probable. Belly of The Whale – This is where the hero decides (i.e., makes a conscious decision) that he will not flee back to the safe known world.

Initiation The Road of Trials – This is where the hero faces his/her challenges of high adventure. The hero might stumble – or even fail – some of the initial trials, but this is good practice. The Meeting With the Goddess – This is where the hero (usually we’re talking about males) meets a maiden, a queen, or a goddess of such unsurpassed beauty that he dedicates his quest and his life to her. Woman as Temptress – This does not have to be a woman, but it can be anything that says to the hero “Give up! It’s not worth it. You do not have to do this.” Atonement with the Father – This stage signifies where the hero reconciles with a parental figure who sees the growth made by him/her. The father figure does not have to die, but the hero needs less direction from him and is not dependent upon him anymore. Apotheosis – This occurs when a character transcends beyond the normal world to the world of the spirit. (This does not have to be the hero, but it is usually someone very close to him/her.) The Ultimate Boon – This is when the reason for the quest or journey is actualized. It usually comes with some great prize or artifact.

Return Refusal of the Return – Once the hero completes his/her quest, he/she might not want to return to the mundane world. The Magic Flight – The hero has wrapped up the adventure, but decides to keep a little hidden memento or souvenir of his/her adventure of which others might not be aware. Rescue from Without – The hero might be wounded or weakened as a result of the conflict resolution. He/she might need assistance from supporting characters to return to the safe world. The Crossing of the Return Threshold – The hero returns from the epic journey a little wiser and with skills that will never allow him/her to have the same existence again. Master of Two Worlds – This is the moment of transcendence for the hero. He/she has moved beyond the status of normal person (or hero) and becomes something greater than ever imagined. Freedom to Live – Now that the hero has transcended, the things that he/she feared at the beginning of the adventure do not give pause any more. The hero is at peace with him/herself and is not afraid – possibly even of death – anymore.

SPAWN Writing Special Powers and Problem Solving Assignment #2 for The Hobbit : Imagine that you are plucked from your normal, mundane, maybe even boring life, and transported into a magical or technologically advanced world, way beyond the boundaries of reality. Once you are in this world, you are told that you must recover someone or something that holds the fate of the universe in the balance. Luckily, you do not come into this world unarmed. You are given a special artifact that has one supernatural power. Guidelines: Your quest synopsis should be 2 double-spaced pages, minimum. Be creative and detailed with the descriptions you give. Imagine that your reader has never seen this wacky world before and wants to know as much as he/she can about it from your report. Don’t just set up the conflict, make sure to let you reader know how the problem is resolved!