1. Based on the work of Joseph Campbell
The Heroic Quest
Based on the work of
Joseph Campbell

2. Joseph Campbell
1904 – 1987
Mythologist: one who studies myths and legends in different cultures
Used archetypes to explain why patterns of stories appear in all cultures, regardless of time or place.

3. A heroic text structure
The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949)
Campbell studied hundreds of heroes from different times and cultures.
During his study he recognized a common text structure for every hero.
This text structure appears in Native American, ancient Greek, African, Norse, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Asian heroic tales.
Campbell called this text structure the Heroic Quest

4. Three Parts of the Heroic Quest
Part I: Departure—the hero’s journey begins
Part II: Initiation—the hero is tested
Part III: Return—the hero’s journey is complete

5. Part I: Departure— the hero’s journey begins
The status quo (the current state of affairs)
Society is in pretty bad shape.
As an audience, we get to see the hero before he/she has done anything heroic.
Hero is typically an unlikely person
Main clue: orphan or person of
mysterious birth

6. Part I: Departure— the hero’s journey begins
The call to adventure
Fate/providence/destiny reaches out to the hero and offers him/her the quest
The hero may accept or refuse the quest.
If the hero accepts, all is well.
If the the hero refuses, tragedy or disaster strikes the hero personally so that he/she is forced into taking the quest.

7. Part I: Departure— the hero’s journey begins
Advice and gifts from a mentor
The mentor may be a variety of people or, as in fantasy, creatures.
Usually grants some gift or ability
to hero
Mentor’s advice and gifts allows the
hero to be successful during the first
part of his/her challenges.

8. The status quo The call to adventure Gifts from a mentor D E P A R T U
Part I
Harry Potter
Peter Parker
The status quo
The call to adventure
Gifts from a mentor
Peter is a bit of a nerd, and has poor self esteem. Leads a boring life with aunt and uncle.
Harry leads a boring life living with his aunt and uncle. Whereabouts of Voldemort unknown. D E P A R T U
A radioactive spider bites Peter, giving mysterious new powers. How will Peter use them?
Letters from Hogwarts arrive. Hagrid arrives and tells him he’s a wizard.
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
invisibility cloak, Hedwig the owl

9. Part II: Initiation— the hero is tested
Minor challenges
Hero must go through several minor challenges first.
Bring out the hero’s qualities, often previously unknown, even to the hero.
Success proves to others (and the hero)
that he/she is capable of great potential.

10. Part II: Initiation— the hero is tested
Mentors true and false
The hero will meet other mentors during the course of the heroic quest.
Some will be true, honest, and helpful.
Others will see the hero’s potential and try to use him/her as a tool in their own evil plans.
One of the hero’s greatest struggles is in learning whom to trust and why.

11. Part II: Initiation— the hero is tested
Isolation of the hero
Just before the final fight, the hero
is separated from his/her friends.
The heroic quest demands that the
hero must complete the final
challenge without any help.

12. Part II: Initiation— the hero is tested
The supreme ordeal
Ultimate fight with the villain, usually to the death.
In narrative structure, this is typically the climax of the story.
Main difference from typical narrative structure:
This fight is not the end—it’s just a step that must be done before the hero can finally finish the quest.

13. Spider-man faces the Green Goblin
Part I
Harry Potter
Peter Parker
Minor challenges
Mentors true/false
Hero is isolated
Supreme ordeal (physical climax)
getting used to powers
quidditch, bullies I N T A O
Malfoy, Snape, Ron, Dumbledore
Uncle Ben, Aunt Mae, Norman Osborn, Jonah Jameson
Peter isolates himself from his friends. The Green Goblin takes Peter away.
Harry leaves Hermione behind after the potions ordeal.
Spider-man faces the Green Goblin
Harry faces Voldemort.

14. Part III: Return— the hero’s journey is complete
The last task
The final fight is not enough
Hero must draw upon experience gained during the quest and change the status quo
Hero at last shows personal and spiritual growth gained during the quest
A spiritual climax in addition to
the physical climax

15. The status quo is changed
Part I
Harry Potter
Peter Parker
The status quo is changed
Hero shows wisdom (spiritual climax)
Simba
Peter is more confident. He’s comfortable around Mary Jane and with his powers.
Voldemort known to have returned. Harry is more confident and leads an exciting life.
He returns Pride Rock to it’s former glory, and starts a family of his own. R E T U N
Harry figures out Dumbledore’s puzzle of the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Peter dedicates himself to Uncle Ben’s philosophy.
Simba realizes that his family does not blame him for his father’s death.

16. Recent texts that used the Heroic Quest as their text structure:
The Star Wars series
The Matrix trilogy
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Who is the real hero, according to this pattern? It’s probably not who you think!
Spider-Man
The Harry Potter series
The Lion King
Batman

17. "The adventure is its own reward - but it's necessarily dangerous, having both negative and positive possibilities, all of them beyond control."
—Joseph Campbell