 Role Models. We want to strive to be like someone who is better than we are.  We want someone to pave the way for all of us – someone to “break the mold”  We want someone to make the world safe at an unsafe or uncertain time.

 A theorist who closely studied comparative mythology and comparative religion.  Focused largely on the role of the hero in his studies, and discovered a pattern (an archetype) that spanned time and culture…

The Known The Unknown or Shadow Realm STAGE ONE: SEPARATION STAGE TWO: INITIATION STAGE THREE: RETURN Call to Adventure Threshold Guardians Crossing the Threshold Helpers Atonement with the Father Transformation/ Revelation Ultimate Boon The Return Reward (Freedom to Live)

 Unusual Circumstances of Birth  Leaves Family and Lives With Others  Traumatic Event Leads to Quest  The QUEST is the HERO’s JOURNEY ▪ Special Weapon ▪ Supernatural Help ▪ Proves Himself on Quest ▪ Journey and Unheal-able Wound ▪ Atonement With Father (or Father figure) ▪ Change in Spirit or Thought

 Often in danger or born into royalty  Luke w/ aunt and uncle  Simba born a prince  Moses put in basket  King Arthur doesn’t know he is royalty until he pulls sword from stone

 Raised away from his people  Luke w/ aunt and uncle  Simba w/ Timon and Pumbaa  King Arthur w/ Merlin  William Wallace with uncle  Moses raised as Pharaoh

 A hero’s life is changed forever  Luke’s aunt and uncle’s death  Wallace’s wife is killed  Arthur pulls sword from stone  Simba is told father’s death is his fault  Yahweh appears to Moses  Bruce Wayne’s parents are murdered

Thus begins the journey…

The Known The Unknown or Shadow Realm STAGE ONE: SEPARATION STAGE TWO: INITIATION STAGE THREE: RETURN Call to Adventure Threshold Guardians Crossing the Threshold Helpers Atonement with the Father Transformation/ Revelation Ultimate Boon The Return Reward (Freedom to Live)

STAGE 1: SEPARATION A. Call to Adventure B. Supernatural Aid (Helpers): A guide or magical helper appears to assist with the journey. C. Crossing the Threshold: The move from the known and comfortable world into the unknown world (The Shadow Realm).

 Hero may be given a special weapon to help him along the way (usually by the mentor) Only the hero can wield his weapon  Luke’s light saber  Arthur’s Excalibur  Moses’ staff  Wallace’s sword  Neo’s power over the matrix

 Hero often has spiritual guidance  Luke hears Obi-Wan Kenobi  Arthur has Merlin  Yahweh guides Moses  Wallace dreams of his dead father  Simba sees Mufasa in the sky and has Rafiki help him

STAGE 2: INITIATION A. The Road of Trials (Tests): Series of tasks that the hero must undergo to begin the transformation.

STAGE 2: INITIATION (Continued) B. Atonement with the Father (Supreme Test): Center point of the journey; this is when the hero must confront whatever holds ultimate power in his life. To understand himself, the hero must reckon with this ultimate authority figure. This will typically result in some transformation and revelation that the hero must understand in order to achieve his goal.

STAGE 2: INITIATION (Continued) C. Ultimate Boon: The achievement of the goal of the journey.

 Hero performs feats while on Quest  Luke blows up Death Star, leads rebellion  Arthur leads battles and brings glory of Camelot  Moses performs miracles  Simba contemplates his life and defeats Scar  Frodo throws the ring into the fire

STAGE 3: THE RETURN A. The Crossing of the Return Threshold B. The Master of the Two Worlds/The Freedom to Live (Reward): The hero is now comfortable and confident in both the known world and the shadow realm and is free to live in the moment.

 These stories are about change. The hero goes through a Transformation, often through a death/rebirth sequence (signifying the new person that emerges). The death and rebirth can happen anywhere in the story and is usually symbolic (though it can be literal).