Greek Hero! Ok, no, this isn’t Odysseus in the movie, but you get the right idea…

The Hero  Hero: done something beyond the normal sequence of achievement They give their life to something bigger than him or her self. They give their life to something bigger than him or her self.  Moral Objective: The hero saves a person, place, or idea. This journey is ALL ABOUT SACRIFICE! This journey is ALL ABOUT SACRIFICE!  Can you think of any modern-day hero’s?

Deeds of the Hero  Physical: war, sacrifice, physical exertion  Spiritual: learned or found mode of supernatural information to come back to communicate

The Hero’s Journey Stages of the Journey: An 7 Step Program

InnocenceBefore the Journey: In the stage of innocence, everything seems happy and pleasant; the character appears to be the center of the world  Odysseus was ruling Ithaca; had a wife and a baby son  Just finished winning a war! Stage 1: Innocence

Stage 2: The Initiation The Initiation Moment: A sudden awareness that the world is not what it seemed to be; death exists, bad guys can win 1. The Call: an invitation/opportunity for adventure— sometimes willingly and sometimes must be dragged into it  something taken/withheld from us  something lacking in life  restore honor to a loved one or country  realization that something is not permitted; are punished or fighting for rights  Fighting to restore someone else’s honor, not willing to go (fakes his own insanity)— Iliad  “The Odyssey” Call  Not really optional— Poseidon is mad

Stage 2 cont. 2. The Threshold: the jumping off point of the adventure; leaving what you know and are good at (security) to encounter the unknown   Threshold Mentor: someone who helps give a little push, helps the hero decide to do it—a parent, teacher, religious figure   will encounter other helpers along the way Sometimes, the character does not accept that the world is changing, lives in denial and returns to the initiation stage rather than progress on to…

Stage 3: Chaos The hero must accept this knowledge that the world is not perfect and go on because of this. 3. The Challenges: Begin the journey into the unknown (internal or external)   challenges may get progressively harder   great test to tell difference between Helpers and Tempters (those who want to distract the hero)   hero is constantly tested on greatest weakness and must rely and perfect skills 4. The Descent Abyss: The greatest challenge of all   must surrender self and face biggest fears/challenges  When do we see this?

Stage 4: Transformation and Restoration 5. Transformation and Revelation: overcome the abyss come to realization about errors of their ways something (internal or external) must die— fear dies to give way to courage, ignorance must die for enlightenment 6. Atonement: Rebirth   beginning of new self   the imbalance which sent the hero on the journey has been corrected  You will have to fill this in as we go…

Stage 5: Resolution As a result of 5 and 6, the character can be resolved— typically, hero will appreciate life more 7. The Return: Restitution, final stage   new level of skill, appreciation or awareness   Go back to the community to renew or fix it in some way   things don’t always go so smoothly—sometimes their message/change is rejected

My hero…