The Hero’s Journey

1. The Hero’s Journey • What do Luke Skywalker, Simba, King Arthur, Spiderman, Ironman, Superman, and Harry Potter all have in common?

2. Jung and Campbell • Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell developed the idea of the archetype • Archetype: A recurring pattern of images, situations, or symbols found in the mythology, religion, art, and dreams of cultures around the world Joseph Campbell Carl Jung

3. The Hero • Usually male • Usually of low birth or low social standing, but may secretly have special powers or high birth-right of which he is unaware • His parents are usually dead or absent

4. Unusual Birth • Often in danger or born into royalty • Luke w/ aunt and uncle • Simba born a prince • Superman born on Krypton, sent to Earth • Neo farmed by robots

5. The Call to Adventure • Commonly the Hero receives the call to adventure in one of three ways: • He may begin the quest by being selected by the town’s leaders to face a perilous situation in order to save them all http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqsf38_harry-potter-and-the-philosopher-s-stone-film-clip-1_shortfilms

6. The Call to Adventure • Or he may begin because of a mistake or blunder in which something is lost, and he must retrieve it • Or he could be told to go questing by some force or god http://movieclips.com/vAk3-transformers-movie-my-name-is-optimus-prime/

7. Refusal of the Call to Adventure • Sometimes, (but not always) the hero may refuse or resist the call to adventure, but if this happens the hero brings negative events upon himself or his people. • This negative event severs the hero’s ties to the community and forces him into the adventure. http://movieclips.com/tYde-the-lion-king-movie-remember-who-you-are/

8. Supernatural Help or The Guide • The Guide is one of the oldest symbolic figures in mythology. • He usually appears as an old, mysterious, protective figure • He offers guidance or advice and often has supernatural powers or magical weapons • He represents wisdom http://starwars.com/explore/encyclopedia/characters/yoda/#!/media

9. Crossing the First Threshold • Hero performs feats after leaving home • enters a realm of darkness, danger and the unknown • encounters temptation (usually by a woman) http://movieclips.com/oEJG-star-trek-movie-the-ice-creature/

10. Belly of the Whale • Hero descends into a hell-like area • Symbolically goes where normal humans can’t • May be represented by escape from an actual whale or monster-like creature http://movieclips.com/bVmX-how-to-train-your-dragon-movie-were-on-dragons/

11. The Return/ “Apotheosis” • Apotheosis: The elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god. • Hero must return to his people once he completes the quest, to bring his newly gained wisdom and knowledge for the betterment of his people. http://movieclips.com/9zXN-the-lion-king-movie-simba-returns/

12. Apotheosis • Hero is rewarded at the end of his adventure.

13. Purpose of the Journey • The journey represents a person’s search for something within themselves like courage, maturity, and wisdom. • Heroes are often young, adolescent males because most hero quests are about young people growing into adulthood.