The Hero’s Journey

“How much easier is self-sacrifice than self-realization.”

-Eric Hoffer

Monomyth“the one story”

• Campbell discovered that hero myths, no matter what their origin, told basically the same story about the same deed.

• Quest: a journey taken in search of a person or object of great value

• Deals with the pattern of experience in peoples’ lives—birth, growth, death.

• Told for entertainment and education

Mythic Hero

• male or female

• Heroes are often of obscure or mysterious origin

• show early signs of being special

• offspring of a god and a human being

• The hero usually has a guide or guides

• The hero is accompanied by friends, servants, or disciples

8 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Separation (from the known)– The Call– The Threshold

Initiation and Transformation– The Challenges– The Abyss– The Transformation– The Revelation– The Atonement

The Return (to the know world)– The Return (with a gift)

Separation

• The Call– The Hero is called to adventure by some

event or messenger. The Hero may accept or refuse the call.

• The Threshold– The contrast between the familiar world of

light and the dark, unknown world of adventure

Initiation and Transformation

• The Road of Trials (Challenges)– The Hero must undergo a series of tests.

Each successful test further proves the hero’s ability and advances the journey toward its climax

• The Abyss– The Hero faces his greatest challenge which

he must face alone

Initiation and Transformation

• The Transformation and Revelation– The Hero overcomes his fears and his

transformation is complete. Part of the Hero must die so that a new part can be born.

• The Atonement– The Hero is fully reborn and becomes “at-one”

with his new self.

The Return

• The Hero again crosses the threshold and returns to the everyday world. The hero comes back from this adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.– Boon: blessing, gift

ArchetypesAncient patterns of personality and relationships that appear across the world’s

myths, legends and folktales.

The Mentor

•source of wisdom

•gift giver

•conscience

Threshold Guardian

•can be an inanimate object, animal, or force of nature

•protect us from taking journeys before we are ready

•Step aside and point the way

Atonement with the Father

•a father-like figure

•To understand the father, and ultimately himself, he must reconcile with this figure

Common Archetypes in the Hero’s Journey

The Herald• acts as a signal to change and invite the

hero to answer the call to adventure• job is motivate• may be positive, neutral or negative

Meeting with the Goddess• helps the Hero unite is inner self with his

outer persona

The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King

Separation (from the known)– The Call– The Threshold

Initiation and Transformation– The Challenges– The Abyss– The Transformation– The Revelation– The Atonement

The Return (to the know world)– The Return (with a gift)