The Power of the Hero’s

The power of the hero's journey

start

Lesson Objectives & Essential Q's

Welcome!

• Students will identify and analyze the stages of the hero's journey as outlined by Louise Munson.
• Students will recognize and discuss the significance of the hero's journey in literature and storytelling.
• Students will apply their understanding of the hero's journey to a chosen text or story.
• Why is the hero's journey a recurring pattern in literature and storytelling?
• How does understanding the hero's journey enhance our appreciation of stories?

Warm up!

Identify elements of the hero's journey you see in the poster.

Introduction

The scholar Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) is best remembered for The Hero with a Thousand Faces, his magnum opus in which he explains how mythical protagonists both ancient and modern follow uncannily similar paths from beginning to end. Campbell’s monomyth theory is a 17-point chronological structure that includes landmarks labeled “The Belly of the Whale” and “The Magic Flight,” tracing the shared arcs of character and plot that form the blueprints of our most enduring stories. *watch StudySync Video

Vocabulary

apotheosis- the highest state of development or ability

Archetype- a typical example of something, or the original

boon- an advantage; benefit

Incarnate- embodying a spirit or idea in physical form

Threshold- the entry point

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

To begin a hero’s journey, “we must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” At least, that’s what comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell said—and he should know. While not an actual sailor, like Ulysses, nor an armored King Arthur, Campbell took his own hero’s journey through chronicles of mythology. Writing in The Hero With A Thousand Faces, published in 1949, Campbell stated that all stories from all cultures are essentially the same. To exemplify this idea, he came up with the Monomyth, which uses 17 steps to outline a hero’s journey. Since it was published, Campbell’s book has come to be revered by academics, authors, and filmmakers because it is a blueprint that helps unlock the structure and meaning of almost every story ever told. Knowing the plot points also helps us write new ones. Just think about the popular stories of our lifetime: Star Wars, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings —they all utilize the steps Campbell outlined in The Hero With A Thousand Faces. The archetype of the hero’s journey is important because it helps us understand the common building blocks human beings have used to tell stories across time and cultures.

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

The Hero’s Journey: Stage One: Departure 1. The Call to Adventure Many stories open with our would-be hero living an ordinary life. While happy enough, deep down he or she feels there’s something missing. Then, suddenly, there’s a call to crisis! This call interrupts the ordinary world, and requires our hero to leave his or her ordinary life and jump into action. Remember how, in order to protect her sister Prim, Katniss volunteered to be a Tribute for the Hunger Games? After Katniss answers this call, we know her world will never be the same. 2. Refusal of the Call Although Katniss skipped this step, most of the time the hero initially refuses the call. While ordinary life is boring, the hero prefers boredom and routine because change is scary. However, refusing the call doesn’t make it go away. Instead, the knock just gets louder, and if the hero continues to refuse, he or she suffers the consequences. Frodo is a good example of this because he loves his comfortable life in the Shire and doesn’t want to leave. It is only after he is almost killed by the Ringwraiths that he realizes he will never be safe as long as the One Ring exists. Refusing the call means staying stuck and not growing. That wouldn’t make for a very good story, would it?

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

3. Supernatural Aid Once the hero answers the call, the universe sends help in the form of a mentor—often an old man, a wizard, or Robin Williams—who provides divine power or protection against, as Campbell puts it, “the dragon forces he [or she] is about to pass.” Sometimes the mentor is the same figure that started the whole thing in the first place with the call to adventure. Luke Skywalker is given Yoda, Will Hunting is given an insightful therapist, and Harry Potter actually gets two supernatural aids: Hagrid and Albus Dumbledore. All of these mentors help our heroes understand themselves and harness their powers for the journey to come. 4. The Crossing of the First Threshold Now prepared for the journey ahead, the hero still has to face the “threshold guardian” before he can pass into the dangerous unknown. Usually deceitful, the guardian is not who he or she appears to be, but he or she often possesses wisdom our hero needs. In The Matrix, Morpheus is the threshold guardian, and he presents Neo with a tough choice: the blue pill or the red pill. If the hero decides to cross the threshold, he enters into a new world, where the rules are different and the stakes are life and death. Stage Two: Initiation 5. The Belly of the Whale By passing the first threshold, the hero is transformed into another state of being. As Campbell puts it, “The hero …is swallowed into the unknown and would appear to have died.” Sometimes, he or she is literally swallowed by a monster or creature. Other times, it’s more metaphorical.

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

Think of Star Wars, when the Millennium Falcon is sucked into the Death Star by a tractor beam. This part of the journey is the hero’s rebirth, where he or she must spend time going inward. 6. The Road of Trials After being spit out of the belly of the whale, the hero must continue his or her transformation by facing a series of tests sent by symbolic figures. The hero or heroine usually fails one or more of these tests. Remember how even though it was fun to watch him try, Luke failed at first in his Jedi training? This is the exciting part where the hero hones his or her skills. There are preliminary victories, but most importantly, we learn about the shortcomings within the hero that he or she must eventually overcome. 7. The Meeting with the Goddess Next, the hero encounters the Queen Goddess of the World, who represents the feminine and the entire universe, good and bad alike. This encounter serves to make the hero whole. In mythology, this test is represented by someone of the opposite sex (a goddess, or god). As Campbell puts it, “The meeting with the goddess (who is incarnate in every woman) is the final test of the talent of the hero to win the boon of love.” Remember when Jake meets the goddess Neytiri in Avatar? She protects him from harm, teaches him about the Na’vis, and they fall in love. 7. The Meeting with the Goddess Next, the hero encounters the Queen Goddess of the World, who represents the feminine and the entire universe, good and bad alike. This encounter serves to make the hero whole. In mythology, this test is represented by someone of the opposite sex (a goddess, or god).

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

As Campbell puts it, “The meeting with the goddess (who is incarnate in every woman) is the final test of the talent of the hero to win the boon of love.” Remember when Jake meets the goddess Neytiri in Avatar? She protects him from harm, teaches him about the Na’vis, and they fall in love. 8. Woman as the Temptress Here is where the hero faces material or physical temptations that could lure him or her to abandon his or her quest. The hero must make a choice: give in to worldly temptations, or stay the course. The temptations faced by the hero do not always come in the form of a female character. Sometimes, temptation can come in the form of an object. For Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the temptation manifests as the Sorting Hat lures him to join Slytherin House. In Star Wars, Luke is similarly tempted by the dark side of the Force. A hero must “surpass the temptations of [their] call, and soar to the immaculate ether beyond.” 9. Atonement with the Father This is the center point of our journey, when the hero must finally confront the person or thing that holds power over his or her life (remember the inner shortcomings that were left unchecked in Step 6?). In many myths, this “self-generated double monster” is symbolized by the father or father figure. Every step before this one has led to this encounter, where the hero must accept all the terrible things in the universe, and in return is shown the bliss of the world. In Star Wars, this is when Luke confronts Darth Vader.

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

10. Apotheosis In return for pushing past fear, the hero is elevated and enlightened. He or she keeps the best of both the mother and father, rejecting their flaws. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, this happens when Harry realizes the wizard within him and becomes immune to Voldemort’s aggression. By achieving the seemingly impossible (in Step 9), the hero discovers newfound power. Stage Three: Return 11. The Ultimate Boon Having advanced past the previous steps, the hero finally achieves the main purpose of his or her journey—the ultimate boon. At times it means avenging someone or destroying something (the One Ring, the Death Star). Other times the ultimate boon comes in the form of a holy grail or the elixir of life itself. For Harry Potter, his ultimate boon is defeating Voldemort and discovering the Sorcerer’s Stone. 12. Refusal of the Return Now that the hero has been enlightened, he or she might not feel like returning to his or her old life, but the adventurer “still must return with [a] life-transmuting trophy.” In the 2011 film version of Little Red Riding Hood, Valerie refuses to return to live with her family after slaying the Big Bad Wolf. Still, most heroes do eventually return home, feeling a responsibility to share their new wisdom so others may benefit.

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

13. The Magic Flight If the hero decides to go home, this is when he or she must figure out how. Dorothy is faced with this dilemma throughout her heroine’s journey in The Wizard of Oz. Sometimes the return is dangerous, especially if the hero must escape with the boon and face further obstacles. This last stage can also be a comical pursuit, like in Toy Story when Buzz flies into Andy’s car after defeating Sid. 14. Rescue from Without If the hero can’t get home without help, or refuses to return, he or she might need some help from friends and allies. The ally who steps in to save the hero at this stage often comes as a surprise. A good example of this can be found in Marvel’s The Avengers, when Iron Man, after making a heroic sacrifice and taking out the enemy, nearly falls to his death before Hulk swoops in and saves him at the last minute. 15. The Crossing of the Return Threshold To complete the adventure, the hero “must survive the impact of the world.” In other words, this is where the adventurer figures out how to keep the wisdom gained on the quest while integrating back into ordinary life. Not so easy! Remember how, in The Incredibles, they return home after defeating Omnidroid only to discover that Syndrome has abducted Jack-Jack? Just when you think the journey’s over…

The Power of a hero's journey by Louise Munson

16. Master of the Two Worlds The hero’s ultimate goal is to represent both the human and divine in a single being. Heroes become masters when they conquer all fear by defeating external foes and internal doubt. Mastering two worlds can also involve a hero achieving balance within or reconciling opposing internal forces. In Aliens, Ripley unites her maternal instincts to protect an orphan girl with her warrior drive. 17. Freedom to Live The hero can now live in harmony with the universe. Freed from the constraints of fear, he or she can finally live in the moment. In Star Wars, Luke earns his Freedom to Live when he becomes one with the Force and is able to impart his wisdom to others. Conclusion Recognizing Campbell’s Hero’s Journey in stories across time and cultures can help us better understand the archetypal structure of books and movies. The hero monomyth serves a more personal purpose as we reflect on our own journeys through life. Using this lens allows us to view the trials we face with a fresh perspective while also giving us more compassion for our fellow travelers.

Summary

In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell outlined the 17 steps that every protagonist follows on the hero’s journey. The steps are broken up into three stages: Departure, Initiation, and The Return. During the first stage, the hero receives the call to adventure, gets help from a supernatural aid, and crosses the first threshold into the dangerous unknown. During the Initiation stage, the hero has to pass through a series of trials—including the Belly of the Whale, the Road of Trials, the Goddess, the Temptress, and the Father. Pushing past his fear, the hero experiences a moment of apotheosis and newfound power. In the final stage, the hero achieves what she or he set out to do and must return home. This is where final plot twists occur, as the hero struggles to get home while figuring out how to integrate the newfound wisdom.

Quiz!