hero's journey introduction
TRANSCRIPT
INTRO TO THE HERO’S JOURNEY’
Joseph Campbell spent years studying myths and legends
from cultures around the world. In his studies, he discovered that heroes in these stories all
had similar experiences. In 1949, he published a book
called The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he described an archetype that
he called “The Hero’s Journey” or the “Monomyth.”
An “archetype” is a model or pattern that reoccurs in
literature.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
#1. Status Quo.The hero lives an ordinary life in the ordinary world.
He might have limited awareness of a problem
that does not directly affect him.
There might be unusual circumstances
surrounding the hero’s birth. For example, he might be adopted and
we might not know something important
about his real parents.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
#2. The Call to Adventure.The hero receives some
information that urges him to leave his normal life behind
and begin an important adventure.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
#3. Refusal of the Call.At first, the hero does not want to go. He might be
scared, or he might not think he has the ability to do what is
being asked of him.
If the hero at first refuses, something always happens
that forces him to change his mind. Commonly, someone the hero cares about dies,
and he now feels he must do something about it.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
#4. The Helper or Mentor.The hero can’t do this on his
own, so an older or wiser mentor arrives to give aid. The mentor might teach him new
skills, give him a map, or provide him with magical
weapons or artifacts that will help in his quest. The mentor often has mystical powers.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
#5. Crossing the Threshold.The hero leaves his familiar
home and enters into an unknown world of danger.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
#6. Trials.The hero has to succeed at a series of trials that challenge and build his moral strength
and character. He might have to solve riddles or problems, defeat enemies, travel great distances, or find something
lost. He might fail some of these challenges, but learn important lessons from the
experience.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations
#7. Temptations.The hero will be tempted to abandon or stray from his
goal. He might be temporarily distracted from his goal, but ultimately he will figure out what is most important and overcome the temptations.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations
#8. The Ordeal.The hero must approach and
defeat his ultimate enemy. This enemy is whatever holds the power over his life. This
is the center point of the journey: all the previous steps have been moving up to this
moment.
In many myths and stories, this ultimate confrontation is with a father or father-figure.
8 The
Ordeal
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations
9 Crisis
#9. Crisis / Darkest Hour.The hero reaches his darkest
hour. He comes close to death, and in some stories even dies or
enters the afterlife. When he overcomes the crisis, the hero usually acquires new courage
or power, and is “reborn” stronger than before.
8 The
Ordeal
The crisis and the ordeal go together. It might happen during
the ordeal, or right before the ordeal.
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations
9 Crisis
10 The
Boon
#10. The Ultimate Boon.A boon is a gift or treasure. After
overcoming his greatest challenge, the hero receives a
reward. The reward can be simply that the goal has been achieved and the enemy is
gone. The reward may be newly acquired wisdom. Sometimes
the hero may receive an actual, physical gift that he can take
home to his people.
8 The
Ordeal
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations
9 Crisis
10 The
Boon
11 The
Return
#11. The Return.The hero brings the boon back to the
ordinary world. He might need to flee from danger, or he might need to be rescued by
his allies. Ultimately, he brings whatever wisdom or gift has has earned home to
share with people who need it.
8 The
Ordeal
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations
9 Crisis
10 The
Boon
11 The
Return
12 Master of 2 Worlds
#12. Master of Two Worlds.The hero tries to go back to his old life, but life will never be the same as it was before now that he has gone on the journey. He is
a changed person: he can successfully navigate both the known world and the
unknown world.
8 The
Ordeal
Known World
Unknown World
1 Status Quo
2 The Call
3 The
Refusal
4 Helper/ Mentor
5 Crossing Threshold
6 Trials
7 Temptations8
The Ordeal
9 Crisis
10 The
Boon
11 The
Return
12 Master of 2 Worlds