The Hero’s Journey

1. 8th Grade Literature Ender’s Game The Hero’s Journey

2. The Hero’s Journey, or monomyth, is based on an idea from the 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell. • Campbell’s idea was that important myths from around the world, which have survived for thousands of years, all share a fundamental structure. • The term for this structure, “monomyth,” comes from James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake.

3. The Hero’s Journey • The Hero’s Journey can be used to analyze a variety of films and literary works. In fact, George Lucas used this model to develop his epic story, STAR WARS. • Details may change from story to story, but the basic structure is present in many adventure stories. • As you can see in the graphic on the last slide, the journey is more detailed than what we will be covering; however, this is a good introduction to monomyth.

4. Stage I: Separation • Unusual Birth: The hero’s birth/childhood is surrounded by unusual circumstances. • The hero is often orphaned or displaced from his/her parents. • Call to Adventure: The hero is called to leave home, and he or she willingly or unwillingly goes. • Heroes often refuse at first due to fear or insecurity.

5. Stage I: Separation • Supernatural Helper: The hero is aided by someone, often old and wise, with magical and mystical power. • Talisman/Special Weapon: The hero has a weapon or protective device given to him or her that will be useful on the journey.

6. Stage II: Initiation • Crossing the Threshold: The hero leaves the familiar, safe world of home and enters fully into the new world of the journey. • Trials: The hero has to succeed at a series of trials that challenge and build his/her moral strength & character. • These trials often come in threes. • The final trial, often the most daunting, is usually referred to as the “ordeal.”

7. Stage III: Return • Achievement of Goal: Upon successful completion of the trials, the hero achieves the goal of the journey. • Reconciliation with a father-figure: If a division or conflict with the hero’s father or father-figure is part of the hero’s journey, reconciliation or healing with the father occurs.

8. Stage III: Return • Return Home: The hero, sometimes willingly and sometimes unwillingly, again crosses the threshold and returns home. • The hero often has a difficult time returning to a “normal” world after the extreme situations and circumstances he or she endured during the adventure.

9. Applying The Hero’s Journey To Young Adult Literature • How does Harry Potter fit the model of The Hero’s Journey? • It is important to note that with books in a series, each novel can contain its own Hero’s Journey, while the entire series can be considered one larger Hero’s Journey. • In class, you will work in partners/groups with The Hunger Games and The Lightning Thief to practice analyzing this model. You will then keep your own analysis of Ender’s Game. This analysis will be due to your Literature teacher on the day you take the AR test in Science.