Hero’s or Archetypal Journey Key Vocabulary Hero, archetype, tragedy, quest, and the eight-step transformation

Hero someone that is distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, and strength

Archetype representing an original type after which other similar things are patterned recurring patterns of human behavior, symbolized by standard types of characters in movies and stories

Quest the act of searching for something

Tragedy an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

Freewrite (5 Minutes) What journey in life have you experienced? What was the end result of your journey? Did you experience or undergo a change or transformation?

Eight-Step Transformation

“Every challenge or change we face in life is a journey.”

“Every move to a new school, job, or city opens the chance to stop being what we were and to start being what we can become.”

“The journey is a process of self- discovery and self-integration, of maintaining balance and harmony in our lives.”

“As with any process of growth and change, a journey can be confusing and painful, but it brings opportunities to develop confidence, perspective and a new way of being in our world.”

“Understanding the Journey pattern can help us understand the literature we read, the movies we see, and the experiences which shape our life.”

REMEMBER: “The journey is a single process, an individual adventure towards growth and transformation.”

The hero is called to adventure although he is reluctant to accept.

Departure 1: Superman leaves Planet Krypton in the crystal star even though he is a child and does not fully comprehend this experience.

Departure 2: Superman leaves his aging mother behind in his small town of Smallville.

The hero crosses a threshold into a new, more dangerous world, gaining a more mature perspective.

1 st Threshold: He leaves his home in Smallville as Clark Kent and creates a new home as Superman (initiation).

2 nd Threshold: He leaves his home once again and moves to the city of METROPOLIS to work at the Daily Planet and to live a dual life (Clark Kent & Superman).

2 nd Threshold: He leaves his home once again and moves to the city of METROPOLIS to work at the Daily Planet and to live a dual life (Clark Kent & Superman). He leaves his world in Smallville and finds his first (new) love in Lois Lane.

The hero is given supernatural aid, and he endures tests of strength, resourcefulness, and endurance.

The hero descends into the innermost cave, an underworld, or some other place of great trial. Sometimes this place can be within a hero’s own mind. Because of this trial, the hero is reborn in some way—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this experience, the hero changes internally.

The hero uses his new wisdom to restore fertility and order to the land.

SEPARATION (from the known) 1. The Call 2. The Threshold (with guardians, helpers, and mentors) INITIATION AND TRANSFORMATION 3. The Challenges 4. The Abyss 5. The Transformation/Apotheosis 6. The Revelation 7. The Atonement THE RETURN (to the known world) 8. The Return (with a gift) to assume new role in life

1. THE CALL

SEPARATION (from the known) 1. The CallInvites us into the journey willingly or by force Gives us a chance to face the “unknown” and gain something new May be a quick or traumatic change or it may “sneak up on us”

Departure 1: Superman leaves Planet Krypton in the crystal star even though he is a child and does not fully comprehend this experience.

Departure 2: Superman leaves his aging mother behind in his small town of Smallville.

2. THE THRESHOLD (guardians and helpers)

SEPARATION (from the known) 2. The Threshold (with guardians, helpers, and mentors) -once we are “called,” we must PASS OVER the threshold into the UNKNOWN which may be filled with challenges and dangers; the “jump start” for the journey -we encounter “threshold guardians”; they protect us by keeping us from taking journeys for which we are unready or unprepared -once we are READY, the guardians step aside and point the way = Helpers and Mentors

1 st Threshold: He leaves his home in Smallville as Clark Kent and creates a new home as Superman (initiation).

2 nd Threshold: He leaves his home once again and moves to the city of METROPOLIS to work at the Daily Planet and to live a dual life (Clark Kent & Superman).

3. THE CHALLENGES -SERIES of challenges -experiences TEMPTERS that try to pull you away from your path using fear, doubt, or distraction

INITIATION AND TRANSFORMATION 3. The Challenges -face a series of challenges or temptations that strike our greatest weakness -Problem = trying to tell the difference between “guardians” and “tempters” -Tempters try to PULL US AWAY from our path using fear, doubt, or distraction

TEMPTER (Physical) Weakness = Kryptonite

4. THE ABYSS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE (must face it ALONE)

INITIATION AND TRANSFORMATION 4. The Abyss-GREATEST CHALLENGE of the journey -we must face it “ALONE”

GREATEST (mental/emotional) CHALLENGE: Lois Lane dies in the earthquake caused by Lex Luthor. Superman is angry that his “superpowers” cannot save her. (He remembers the death of his adopted father.) He decides to FIND A WAY to save her.

5.TRANSFORMATION / APOTHEOSIS 6.REVELATION 7.ATONEMENT

INITIATION AND TRANSFORMATION 5. Transforma tion or the Apotheosis 6. Revelation -when we conquer the Abyss and overcome our fears, our transformation becomes complete -final step in this process = a moment of death and rebirth (a part of us dies so that a new part can be born) / EXAMPLE: fear dies to make way for courage -Apotheosis is the realization that we are now “godlike” -we experience a REVELATION (dramatic change in the way we think or view life) -we are not just changed, but we are DIFFERENT

INITIATION AND TRANSFORMATION 7. The Atonement-We are “AT ONE” with our new self -We are FULLY reborn -We have been restored to harmony in our life and in our world until “our next call”

TRANSFORMATION / APOTHEOSIS: He is transformed because he conquers the Abyss (he saves Lois Lane using his super powers). This represents a moment of “death” (disillusioned when Lois Lane dies) and “rebirth” (he CAN and DOES save Lois Lane). The transformation is complete. He experiences the Apotheosis because his super powers have become LIMITLESS (he saves a life). He becomes “god-like.”

REVELATION He experiences a dramatic change in the way he thinks or views life. He father “reveals” to him that he must NEVER use his powers to change the natural course of human life. He DISOBEYS, and he decides to think for himself. RESULT: He matures. He becomes DIFFERENT. He becomes a MAN. ATONEMENT He knew that what he did went against everything that he had been taught. However, he finds a sense of PEACE or CLOSURE to his decision. With Lois Lane alive, he feels that HARMONY exists in his life once again.

THE RETURN (to the known world) 8. The Return (with a gift) to assume NEW ROLE in life FINAL STAGE OF OUR JOUNEY = RETURN TO EVERYDAY LIFE We discover our gift (new level of skill or awareness) BEGIN CONTRIBUTING TO OUR SOCIETY (save or renew a city/community) DISADVANTAGES: 1) may be rejected by society 2) society may not be able to grasp/accept your gifts 3) HERO may become frustrated and leave society to be on his/her own

Warden: “This country is safe again, Superman, thanks to you.” Superman: “No sir. Don’t thank me, Warden. We’re all part of the same team. Good night.”

What is this hero or archetypal journey? “It is the pattern that we follow in our own lives as we face challenges and move from child to teenager, from teenager to adult, from adult to old age, and from old age into death.”

RESOURCES Life’s Great Adventure The Hero’s Journey by Reg Harris Link: