Joseph Campbell’s “Monomyth”
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Joseph Campbell’s “Monomyth”
Heroic Journey through mythology,
heroes take great journeys such as:
slaying Medusa, killing the Minotaur,
finding the Golden Fleece.
But the Hero's Journey isn't just a pattern
from myth. It's the pattern of life, growth and experience -- for all of us.
It’s reflected everywhere, from television to great works of literature to real life.
Because it's the pattern of human experience, our experience, your experience.
Every challenge or change we face in life is a
journey.
Some examples:
Love found and lost; births and deaths; a move to a new school, job, or city; parent’s divorce or illness…
All have the potential of transforming us to a new level of understanding.
Every new confrontation challenges us to re-evaluate our thinking, behavior ,or perspective;
presents us with possibilities for insight and growth.
Why study The Hero‘s Journey?
Literature we read; movies we see; experiences which shape our life; helps us understand our world and our lives:
We develop a sense of awareness and be better able to make decisions and solve problems
We will begin to recognize our own points of passage and the importance they have for us
Separation (from the known):
1. Ordinary Life/Known World
2. The Call to Adventure
3. The Threshold Crossing
4. Departure
5. Allies
6. Gift
7. Mentor
Initiation and Transformation:
8. The Challenges
9. Final Ordeal/Confrontation (known as the “Abyss)
The Return (to the known world):
10. The Return (with a Gift)
11. Resurrection: Turning point for the hero who is forced to prevent their own death….
12. Return with the “elixir”: Hero returns to the ordinary world with new knowledge (or object) to heal or benefit the world, society, and/or family,
As we review the following stages of “The Hero’s Journey,” see what parallels you can draw to Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart and record your findings on the handout provided….
1. Ordinary Life/Known World
Hero is feeling at peace and happy
He/she is in their familiar environment with friends and family
2.
The Call to Adventure
Opportunity to face the unknown and gain something of physical or spiritual value
We choose willingly to undertake the quest, or we may be dragged into it unwillingly
Example: Something is taken from us like our family or our
society; our quest is to reclaim it,
Save or restore honor: our own, our family's, or our country's.
3. The Threshold Crossing
The “jumping off point” or “point of no return”
No turning back
Hero leaves the known world (feeling secure) and enters the unknown world (now insecure because of the dangers that are ahead)
4. Departure
Hero has mixed feelings about the adventure;
May feel fear, desperation, depression or anxiety about leaving his/her known world
5. Meeting Allies
Hero will meet people/friends who help on the way
Usually appear at the perfect time to give advice or help
Even though the ally wants to help and does , it is still the hero’s journey and the helper cannot take it for them
6. Gift
Hero gains a “gift “ to complete the journey
Must be something that is helping, not just simply a present
Not always a material object– example: can be a special power.
7. Mentor
An ally, but more---guide, teacher, who is consistently there
A single person who is wishing for the hero to complete the journey
8. Challenges and temptations
Early challenges are easier ; get harder as the hero becomes stronger in character
Hero must be tested
The “old” is being burned away and the new, stronger and more mature person begins to blossom
Strike at the hero’s greatest weaknesses, most vulnerable skill, knowledge or emotion
9. Final Ordeal/Confrontation (The Abyss)
Greatest challenge of the journey
Faces greatest fear, alone;
takes the shape of hidden fear or deep need that must be resolved;
A “flawed” hero is not ready for the final ordeal;
may fail and will have to try again
10. The Return (with a gift)
discover our gift, result of our new level of skill and awareness
Become richer or stronger, enlightened spiritually
May return with a great spiritual message, but find that our message is rejected
May ostracized or even killed for our ideals
Risk losing our new understanding, having it corrupted by allowing ourselves to slide back in the same old patterns as before…
11. Resurrection: Turning point for the hero who is forced to use this new knowledge (or magic) to prevent his/her own death. (may be a real death or a metaphoric death)
12. With the newfound knowledge and wisdom (the “elixir”), and after overcoming the final obstacle, the hero returns to an “old world” or more typical life as a changed person. There is balance between the two worlds.
To review, the “Journey first began in the ancient myths; it is still around us today…
Basis for almost all of the books and plays we read
A Lesson Before Dying, To Kill a Mockingbird…
Movies we enjoy -- Forrest Gump, Finding Nemo, Spiderman, Field of Dreams, The Matrix…all depictions of the Hero's Journey.
The pattern that we follow in our own lives---
Will be challenging and exciting;
Open the doors to knowledge and understanding;
Better able us to face difficulties and use our experiences to become stronger and more capable;
Help us achieve wisdom, growth, and independence, to become the people we want to be.
So where did okonkwo’S
journey lead him?
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