Process
The Hero's Journey
The Hero's Journey (based on the work of Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero with a Thousand Faces) can be divided into five parts: a call to adventure, a road of trials, achieving the goal, a return to the ordinary world, and the benefits of reaching the goal. There are longer, more complicated descriptions of the hero's journey, but we'll just focus on five stages of the journey. Each of these parts is explained below.
A Call to Adventure
In the beginning of the hero's journey, he (or she) has the chance to go on an adventure. Most of the time, the hero will resist the adventure for a while, but eventually gives in.
In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker is helping his aunt and uncle and basically living a simple life. An evil power, led by Darth Vader, is slowly taking control of the galaxy. This seems very remote to Luke until the arrival of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi calls Luke to adventure.
We can also track the hero's journey by studying the story of Moses. Moses hears the "call to adventure" as a young shepherd. He comes across the burning bush and God tells him what he must do to free the Hebrew people and lead them to the Promised Land.
A Road of Trials
The hero must go through a series of adventures. He/she usually has the help of an outside source--sometimes, this is supernatural help.
Luke and his companions go through several trials (rescuing Princess Leia, escaping from Darth Vader, get the plans of the Death Star etc.) and join their fellow rebels with a means of destroying Darth Vader and the Death Star.
Moses, too, goes through a series of adventures. When he approaches Pharoah and demands the freedom of the Hebrews, the request is denied. Moses calls down seven plagues on Pharoah until he finally agrees to let the Hebrews go. The Hebrews are pursued and God saves them by parting the Red Sea.
Achieving the Goal
After going through several trials, the hero eventually reaches his or her goal. At times, these trials will challenge the hero emotionally as well as physically.
Luke and the rebels use the stolen plans of the Death Star to attack it while it is still vulnerable. Luke drops the explosive that detonates it. Mission accomplished.
Moses has achieved the goal of setting his people free and must lead them to the Promised Land. On the journey to the Promised Land, he receives the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai.
A Return to the Ordinary World
Although the hero has achieved his/her goal, the hero still must return home or to the ordinary world. Some heroes do not want to return right away.
Luke is reluctant to return to the new (and safer) world after all he has been through. He has lost his mentor and been through so many adventures--he isn't the young man he was when he left his aunt and uncle's home.
Moses is reluctant to return to the everyday world, but his people need him and the set of rules that God has provided for them.
The Benefits of Achieving the Goal
As a result of his/her journey and success, the community (or even mankind) benefits from the hero's achievement. The hero may be changed and may have suffered, but the community is better for his/her journey.
The galaxy experiences a new time of peace because of what Luke has done. He and his companions are rewarded for their sufferings.
The Hebrews are free and have God's commandments. Moses is an inspirational, but flawed character. He sees, but doesn't get to enter the Promised Land with his people, although he has made it possible for them to reach it.
A Modern Hero's Journey
The Matrix
Neo, the hero of the movie The Matrix, goes through the hero's journey as well. In this video, you will hear an expert on the hero's journey discuss how Neo's story follows the typical hero's path. This video is one of the "easter eggs" from the dvd of the movie.
The Classic Hero's Journey
Now, you'll have a chance to read a classic myth and apply the Hero's Journey to it. This is the story of how a young Greek hero, Theseus, stops the sacrifice of young people by killing the Minotaur (half bull, half man).
"Theseus and the Minotaur"
The Minotaur was an ancient monster that was half bull and half man. Its horns were as sharp as knives, its hooves could kick the life out the strongest of heroes, and its food was human flesh. The Minotaur lived in a great maze of winding passages on the island of Crete. Each year seven boys and seven girls were sent from Greece to Crete as food for the beast.
Theseus Hears the Call to Adventure - He Must Protect the Young People of His Country
One year, Theseus, the greatest of the Greek heroes, said that he would go to Crete and fight the monster. "Let me go as one of the victims," he said to his father, Aegeus. "I'll kill the Minotaur and free Greece from this danger." Aegeus was unsure. He remembered how others had promised to kill the monster and had ended up dead. But Theseus insisted. Soon his ship sailed with black sails—the Greeks did this when they were sailing into certain death. "Watch out when I return," said Theseus. "I will have white sails to show that I've succeeded."
The Road of Trials
Theseus' ship arrived at the harbor of Knossos, near the palace of King Minos of Crete. The king's daughter, Ariadne, saw the ship. Theseus and the beautiful Cretan princess spoke, and, before they knew it, they were in love. When Theseus told Ariadne that he was going to kill the Minotaur, she decided she would help him. She knew that even a hero would get lost in the winding passages of the Minotaur’s maze. So she gave him a ball of thread. "Unwind it as you go in, then you will be able to find your way back out again by following the thread," she explained. So Theseus entered the dark, winding maze, leaving a trail of thread as he went.
Achieving the Goal
Soon he heard the sounds of the monster, and as he walked on, the roars got louder and louder. Theseus reached the center of the maze and came face to face with the monster. Theseus could see the glow of the beast's eyes. He could hear the rumble of its breathing. He could even feel the warmth of his breath as the creature crouched in its lair. Theseus paused, waiting for the right moment to attack. When the Minotaur turned his back, Theseus sprang. He thrust his sword into the beast's flesh. The Minotaur gave out one last roar and died. Theseus found his way out of the maze using Ariadne's thread and sailed quickly back to Greece to tell his father that he had succeeded.
Return to the Ordinary World
But Theseus was so excited that he forgot to put on the ship’s white sails. When Aegeus, Theseus’ father, saw his son's ship with black sails he thought that his son was dead. The old man, despairing, threw himself from the cliff into the seas, and died beneath the waves. Theseus had killed the Minotaur, but lost his father.
Benefits of the Hero's Achievement
Theseus saved the young people of his country. In spite of his grief over the loss of his father, Theseus became a strong leader of his people.
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/weird-beasts/minotaur.htm
Theseus Slays the Minotaur
An aerial shot of a maze in Enland.
Ariadne shows Theseus how to find his way out of the maze.
Time to Step Up - How Well Do You Understand the Hero's Journey?
You have seen and read several examples of how the hero's journey progresses. Now, it is your turn to trace the Hero's Journey. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Select your text (movie, book, short story)
- Watch or read the material and identify the five steps of the Hero's Journey in your chosen text
- Once you have isolated the key information from your text, use it to create a paper bag Travel Log for your hero.
- Present your Travel Log to the rest of the class. Explain how you identified and expressed the Hero's Journey through your Travel Log.