1. 57. HERO’S JOURNEY “The Hero’s Journey is a circular path of discovery where a young hero realizes their true destiny of greatness.”

2. The Hero’s Journey is also called the “Monomyth” or the one myth.
The monomyth is a
popular idea of mythology
by American writer Joseph
Campbell, who found that
all heroes in different
countries throughout
history follow a similar
journey of discover.

3. The hero’s journey is important to study
because it shows that throughout time, over
thousands of years, the human idea of a hero
and their symbolic meaning has not changed.
Their journey has not changed. So the actual
steps of their journey become “archetypes” of
something greater, a collective consciousness of
understanding that guides us and links us
throughout history . It becomes the central
philosophy of literature.

4. The Hero’s Journey has specific stages.

6. These steps are followed by all young heroes.

7. The Hero’s Journey has been carefully identified and de-constructed over the past several years.

8. You could spend a lifetime trying to understand all the intricate characters and storylines.

9. Joseph Campbell, in his Hero of a Thousand Faces, outlines the Hero’s Journey in these stages:
I. DEPARTURE
INITIATION
RETURN
1. Call to Adventure
6. The Road of Trials
12. Refusal of the Return
2. Refusal of the Call
7. Meeting with Goddess
12. The Magic Flight
3. Supernatural Aid
8. Woman as Temptress
14. Rescue from Without
4. Crossing the Threshold
9. Atonement with Father
15. Crossing of Return
5. Belly of the Whale
10. Apotheosis
16. Master of Two Worlds
11. Ultimate Boon
17. Freedom to Live

10. Many characters have been on the Hero’s Journey, from Theseus to Luke Skywalker, Siddhartha to Frodo Baggins, Neo in the Matrix to Harry Potter.

11. What do you think about the Hero’s Journey and the ‘Monomyth’
What do you think about the Hero’s Journey and the ‘Monomyth’? Can there be one story that unites all of humankind?
Do you ever think of your life as a journey? What part of your journey are you on now?
BRAINSTORM

12. Writing #57: What is the Hero’s Journey?
(Define) The hero’s journey is a __________________
____________________________________________.
(Explain) It is important because _________________
_____________________________________________
(Example) Every story has certain archetypes stages
such as _________, ___________, and __________.
(Describe) In my life, I understand the hero’s journey
because ___________________________
___________________________________________.