Journey of the Hero Kcl

8/9/2019 Journey of the Hero Kcl

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Understanding Mythology and

Legends for Middle School Language

Arts/Humanities Students


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Click on young Hercules to return to the previous slide.

Click on Excalibur to return to home slide.


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Why think about the

Journey of the Hero?Many great minds throughout history have

studied what it means to be a hero.

From the beginning of time, people have told fantastictales of mythology, legends, fairy tales, and fables to

help explain the origins of existence, the world, and our

surroundings.

These tales also help try to explain why people behavethe way they do, and explain their actions and deeds.

Sowhat does it mean to be a

hero?


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Defining the Journey of the

Hero In the Journey of the Hero, there are

specific characteristics or traits that define

this story or narrative. You might be surprised to find out that

many of your favorite books or movies

follow this story plotline or path.

The hero/heroine is not just doing

something for personal survival, but for

others.


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Some Key Terms:Some Key Terms:Click on the graphic to learn more about that term orClick on the graphic to learn more about that term or

phrase.phrase.

MythologyHero

Quest

Arc of the Hero Cycle


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What is Mythology? A man named Joseph

Campbell spent years thinking

about what makes a hero a

hero, and why we as humans

seem to need heroes in ourstories and cultures.

Based on his work, we have a

greater understanding of what

characteristics mythology and

legends have throughoutcultures and history.

To watch a film about Joseph Campbell:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=227781013595028167deo.google.com/videoplay?docid=227781013595028167


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QuestA quest is a journey in search of something,an object, or goal, or an idea, (such as

peace).It is usually long and difficult.


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HeroThe main character leaves his or hercommunity to go on an adventure,

performing deeds that bring honor to thecommunity(Herz and Gallo 121).


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https://reader010.{domain}/reader010/html5/0601/5b106a6a1a607/5b106a70


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Journey of the Hero

On the Edge of Greatness!

Click here to go to

Part I: Departure

Click here to go to

Part II: Initiation

Click here to go to

Part III: The Return


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Part I:

Departure/SeparationThe Call to Adventure

The hero is just living a normal life, and

receives some information that sends her off

to the unknown, usually in search of

something important, or saving something or

someone.


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Example

Help me,

Obi-Won

Kenobi,youre my

only hope.


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Departure/Separation

Refusal of the CallThe hero, at first, doesnt want to do the task

or deed he is asked to do; however,something unfortunate may happen to

him, even if its just regret and a life of

mediocrity.


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Example Hercules kills his wife and

children, due to madness

caused by Hera (she

caused a lot ofproblems). He would not

have gone on his quests

had it not been for this

tragedy.


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Supernatural Aid

The hero accepts the call, and encounterssome protective, mystical figure, often an

older person, who provides special tools,

knowledge, gifts, or weaponry to help the

hero in his tasks.


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Examples

Perseus receives a

helmet from Hermes.

Luke receives a light

saber from Obi-Won

Dorothy receives rubyslippers from Glenda


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Crossing of the First

ThresholdThe heroine must cross over into a world

that is strange and unknown to her.

Oftentimes there is a guardian or gate-keeper to guard the entryway.


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Example

Frodo Baggins must leavehis Shire home to go where

he has never been before.


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Belly of the Whale

The hero/heroine may not go over athreshold, but go through this process

instead

Transformation, or the hero is shaken

down, stripped of their former physicaland mental selves


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Example

When Dionysus, the

god of the vine in Greek

mythology, was a baby,Hera sends hungry

Titans to devour him.

Hestia, goddess of thehearth, saves him and

he is reborn.


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Part II: InitiationThe Road of Trials

The hero is now on his way. Hes been

transformed, or crossed the threshold to a

new and strange world. Now, he begins to

encounter obstacles (people, objects,

monsters) that hinder his path, and he

must conquer all. There is usually unseenhelp (from a god/goddess, or other

mystical being).

The Twelve Labors of HerculesThe Twelve Labors of Hercules


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Example

In the Chinese legend of

Mulan, she must learn to

fight and train as a

soldier, proving her

stamina and worth.


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Initiation

Meeting of the Goddess/God

On the road, the hero may meet a woman

with whom he will have a unique bond.The woman may be his mother, sister, or

another goddess, but through her, he

receives support and energy. If its a

female heroine, a male figure will be

present.


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ExampleIn the Lord of the

Rings trilogy,

Galadriel guides

Frodo andprovides him with

a token of

protection.


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Initiation

The TempterSomeone who tries to get the hero

distracted from his or her mission, or their

quest; usually offers comfort, fun, riches,

love, money, etc.


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ExampleCalypso does her best to

keep Odysseus by her

side, and prevent him

from his journey home.


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Initiation

Atonement with the Father

The central character may meet a father

figure character they must confront. Thisperson is of high authority. Sometimes

the father figure may be an ideal that the

person holds as the ultimate authority.

http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/hero_journey/atonement_father.htm


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Example

When Darth

Vader confesses

to Luke Skywalker

that he is Lukes

father.

Luke isnt toohappy about that.


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Initiation

ApotheosisApotheosis means the highest point of

glory, power, or importance. It may alsomean the transformation into a deity,

meaning a human becomes an immortal

god or goddess.


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Example Apotheosis occurs

when Gandalf the

Grey transforms to

Gandalf theWhite.


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Initiation

The Ultimate Boon

Boon means a gift or favor, or something

that works like a blessing or benefit.

This is the prize that the hero set out to

get, and transforms his character.The hero is now ready to accept this,

meaning, he can handle it now.


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Example

Perseus manages

to get Medusa to

part with herhead


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Part III: The Return

The Refusal of the ReturnWell, things are pretty wonderful in the new

world the heroine has discovered, and shemay not want to go back to her normal

existence. This is the fulfillment of the

promise and oath of the quest


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Example In the Disney

version of

Hercules,

Hercules findshimself liking

some of the glory

and fame he finds

as a half-mortal.


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The Return

The Magic FlightThere is a desperate, exciting, and usually

high-speed chase back home with the

boon.


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Example In Bill and Teds

Excellent

Adventure, our

protagonists maketheir way back

home in the nick

of time in a phone

booth.


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The ReturnRescue from Without

The hero is saved from one final obstacle

from a surprise source. It may be

someone he knows, or not. Sometimes the

plucking from disaster comes from a

god/goddess.

The phrase from without means fromwithout knowledge, or really, with

surprise!


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Example SpoilerAlert!At the end of

Prisoner of

Azkaban, Harry is

saved by a griffon,whom he

encountered

previously in the

plot.


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The Return

The Crossing of the Return Threshold

The hero/heroine returns to the real world.

Sometimes there is one more obstaclethat is a remnant of the quest that also

enters this world, and the hero must

confront one more problem before the

journey comes to a close.


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Example Luke must

confront Darth

Vader one final

time


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The Return

Master of Two WorldsThe hero feels comfortable in both the world

of the divine and the world of humans.


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ExampleSpoilerAlert!

At the end of

Disneys version

of Hercules,Megara and

Hercules decide

to live on Earth,but are welcomed

with the

Immortals, too.


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The Return

Freedom to LiveThe heroine gives the boon to her fellow

man, and the story comes to resolution.


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ExampleSpoilerAlert!

And they lived

happily ever

after!


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Resources/Image Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_Faces

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/

http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/images/2007/08/08/hero_2.jpg

http://www.arnoldbocklin.com/ab_medusa.htm http://ll-images.veoh.com/image.out?imageId=user-NPTFlea13.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/U/F/PerseusHat.jpg

http://www.mjtstages.com/summer.php

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Journey of the Hero Kcl