I LOVE when teachers teach their point and add examples to help illustrate their points. Annette does a fantastic job of this in her craft basic class about the hero's journey.
What is the hero's journey?
The hero's journey is a narrative, or story template, that involves a hero who goes on an adventure, goes on an adventure, learns a lesson, wins with the info from the lesson, and returns home changed. The first story that comes to my mind is The Hobbit.
The cast:
- Hero
- Mentor
- Herald
- Shape-shifter
- Shadow
- Trickster
The Journey:
- The Ordinary World
- The Call to Adventure
- Refusal of the call
- Crossing the 1st Threshold
- Threshold guardians = tests, allies, enemies
- Approach to inmost cave
- Ordeal
- Seizing the sword
- Road Back
- Reusrrection
- Return with Elixir
HERO
- Audience identifies with the hero
- The hero must grow
- Is involved in action
- Has a flaw and a strength
- Must sacrifice
Examples: Dorothy, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Shrek, Woody, Elizabeth Bennet, Frodo
Static Heroes (don't grow): James Bond, Bourne, House, Iron Man, Batman
MENTOR:
- Teaches the hero
- Often gives gifts to the hero
- Motivates the hero
- May calm or may kick in the pants
- Can also be a shape-shifter
Examples: Obi Wan, Dumbledore, Donkey, Jane Bennet, Gandalf
THE HERALD:
(Inciting Incident)
- Issues the challenge to the hero
- Announces coming change
- All is not well
- Gives hero motivation to go on an adventure
- A person, object, event (like the letter from Hogwarts, earthquake, cancer)
Examples: Gandalf gives the ring to Frodo, Bingley moves to Netherfield, Harry gets the letter,
THE SHAPE-SHIFTER
- Not what they appear to be
- Reveals true self
- Good or Evil
- Often combined with another character type
Examples: Darth Vadar, Wizard of Oz, Gollium, Darcy, Strider
THE SHADOW
- The Villain
- Tests the hero's abilities and worthiness
- Often appears beautiful or good
- Often is a shape-shifter
Examples: Darth Vadar, Joker, Sid, Wickham, ALS, natural disaster, disease
TRICKSTER
- Adds comic relief
- Brings things into perspective
Example: Merry & Pippen, R2D2, Lydia, Scarecrow
NOW that we've met, and hopefully, understand the cast, let's move into The Journey in the next post!
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