The Hero’s Journey No. This is not “how I ordered that really good sandwich from Jimmy Johns and...
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Transcript of The Hero’s Journey No. This is not “how I ordered that really good sandwich from Jimmy Johns and...
The Hero’s Journey
No. This is not “how I ordered that really good sandwich from Jimmy Johns and it took over an hour for the dork to deliver
it.”
The Epic Poem
• A long poem..• Told in elevated
language• About the exploits of a
hero• That celebrates the
values of a particular culture.
The Epic Poem
• Begins with an “invocation to the muse”• Involves supernatural forces• Grand setting – impressive, covers a lot of
territory• Often culminates in a massive battle “between
good and evil”• And then there’s that hero…
If you’ve been to the movies…You know what a hero goes through.
Think Luke, Frodo, Neo, Harry Potter…
What do they all have in common? (Apart from the XY chromosome
pattern, which I feel is patently unfair. Let’s face it – if we can carry the babies for nine months, go through labor, and raise them, we are certainly hero material. Am I right?)
Definition
• A hero is a figure who • faces the challenges feared by • and displays the virtues/traits valued by• a culture• thus ensuring that culture’s survival.
A Hero’s Qualities
• Supernatural ability/talisman
• Young, untried• Charged with a quest• Inner flaw• Special weapon?• “Unhealable wound”• Has a guide/mentor…
Stages of the Quest – “Separation, initiation, return” (Joseph Campbell)
• Called to adventure -- refuses• Leaves “comfort zone”, for
supernatural world • Supernatural help• Completes first challenge
(yaaay!)• And falls flat on face (ka-thunk…)• Things get bad (the “belly of the
whale…”• But bravely keeps going…(if it
was easy, he wouldn’t be a hero…)
We aren’t done yet• IS TEMPTED!!!!!• But obviously “just says no.”
Duh. (unless you’re Odysseus)
• Loses father/wise guide…(reunited?)
• SUCCESS!• (but not without some
sacrifice)• And goes home…• …but can we ever go home
again?