9th

Grade

There and Back Again

The Hero's Journey
Mitchell Hopson
 What is The Hero’s Journey?

The hero’s journey is a flexible story framework that is based on the

norms of mythological stories. The term was first noted by Joseph
Campbell in his 1949 book “The Hero With a Thousand Faces”. Depending
on the specificity of the description, the hero’s journey features between
three and seventeen common stages in their stories.
 More to Know

The journey features a multitude of interchangeable terms and terms that are
not essential, since the idea of the hero's journey has existed for nearly 100
years. Some terms that are important to know, but may not be in every
iteration of the journey include:

● “The Elixir”
● Seizing the Sword
● “The Innermost Cave”
● Magic Flight
● Refusal of the Call
 The Journey Itself
Below are common components of the hero’s
journey:

● Call to Adventure
● Supernatural Aid/Meeting a Mentor
● Cross the Threshold into the Unknown
● Helpers
● Trials
● New Skills
● The Supreme Ordeal
● Revelation/Atonement
● Receives Prize
● Return from the Unknown
 Examples in Literature

Harry Potter and the

The Hunger Games
Sorcerer's Stone
Meeting a Mentor:
Call to Adventure: Harry Haymitch Abernathy
receives a letter from after the reaping
Hogwarts

The Odyssey To Kill a Mockingbird

Crossing the Threshold: Trials: The town
Gods sending down scrutinizing Atticus
storms to earth
 More Examples

Star Wars The Wizard of Oz

New Skills: Luke learning The Ordeal: Dorothy
how to use the Force meeting the Wizard

Shrek Aladdin
Revelation: Personal Receives a Prize: Jasmine
acceptance gained from confesses her love for
Fiona Aladdin
 The Hobbit
The Hobbit is one of the most
recognizable pieces of literature that
uses the hero’s journey framework.
 So What?

The use is two fold. As readers we can gain a greater understanding of

media, literature and storytelling traditions as a whole. We can explore
unfamiliar worlds in familiar ways. “The significance of analyzing the
hero’s journey lies with the patterns among stories”. As writers, it can be
used as a mold to build to more.
Use the Known to Express the Unknown

The structure too often has an “overemphasis on sameness throughout

the stories and the patterns”. The hero’s journey is a structure that can
help writers begin. It is important to remember that “similarities and
patterns should be tracked, but erasure of differences in characterization
or plot should also be noted”. Embrace the unique while using the
structure.
To break the mold,
you have to make
the mold.
 Your Call to Action
Create your own short story using the model of the hero’s journey to help
propel the story, but emphasize a certain uniqueness in your story. Select
a hero in a field, culture, or topic that you are passionate about and
bolster individualized aspects. It is encouraged to use unique terms, and
specific experiences that can create a greater points of difference
between stories.
 Resources

“Subject Guides: The Monomyth (the Hero's Journey): The Hero's Journey.” The Hero's Journey -
The Monomyth (The Hero's Journey) - Subject Guides At, Grand Valley State University, Aug.
2022, https://libguides.gvsu.edu/c.php?g=948085&p=6857311.

“Classical Mythology - Greek: The Hero's Journey.” LibGuides, St. Louis Community College, Nov.
2022,
https://guides.stlcc.edu/c.php?g=154584&p=1015055#:~:text=Origin,their%20journey%20towar
d%20hero%2Ddom.

Caserta, Mary. “Revitalizing the Pedagogical Approach to The Hero's Journey.” 2021. University of
Dayton, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center,
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1619270080963203.