1. The Hero’s Journey & The Odyssey
Winter 2017

2. Terms
Motif: is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story. 
Archetype:
In literature, an archetype is a typical character, motif, an action, or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature.
Archetypes recur throughout many different stories

3. Examples of Character Archetypes
The temptress
The warrior
The trickster
The guide
The sage
The wicked stepmother
The embodiment of evil
The mother figure
The damsel in distress
The underdog
The innocent or naïve one
The villain

4. Examples of Story Archetypes
Hero’s journey
Rags to riches
Good vs. Evil
Guy gets girl
Fall from grace
Coming of age
Creation stories
Myths
Legends
Fairytales/Folktales
Fable

5. Archetypes, broken down…
Myth: a story humans created in order to explain something, like how the earth was made, why rain falls, why there is evil, etc.
Legend: an exaggerated story about a real-life character or event.
Fairytale or Folktale: a magical, improbable story told for fun, mostly intended for children
Fable: A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson.
** Almost all cultures contain all 4 archetypes!

6. And then there’s the Hero’s Journey…
The “monomyth” is an archetype found in numerous tales around the world. The monomyth describes a journey, metaphorical or literal. Countless stories, ancient and modern, follow the monomythic cycle, including stories like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and The Hunger Games

7. The Hero’s Journey Hero’s Journey:
First described by Joseph Campbell in his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Represents a common journey or cycle that most if not all hero characters go through as the story progresses
Comprised of many different stories, that are all the same!
Examples: Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Frozen, Tangled, The Lion King, any Marvel or DC Movie focusing on one main hero, etc.

8. The Monomythic Cycle, AKA The Hero’s Journey Archetype
I. Departure (from the familiar world)
1. The Ordinary World
2. The Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. The Crossing of the First Threshold
II. Initiation
1. The Road of Trials, Find Friends, Allies and Enemies
2. The Approach
3. The Ordeal
4. The Reward
5. The Road Back
6. Resurrection
III. Return

9. Example: The Hunger Games
I. Departure (from the familiar world)
1. The Ordinary World: Story starts in District 12
2. The Call to Adventure: Katniss accepts sister’s summons
3. Refusal of the Call: None
4. Meeting the Mentor: Haymitch meets with her and Peeta on the train
5. The Crossing of the First Threshold: Leaves district 12 for training

10. The Hunger Games Initiation
1. The Road of Trials, Find Friends, Allies and Enemies: The games- Katiniss faces many challenges right after the games begin, including getting the backpack at the cornucopia.
2. The Approach: Katniss is almost caught and killed until Rue helped her escape from the tree.
3. The Ordeal, death, & rebirth: Katniss’ outlook changes after Rue dies, and she realizes she must stick with Peeta. They decide to commit mutual suicide.
4. The Reward: The capitol refuses to let both players die, so they let Peeta and Katniss win.
5. The Road Back: Both characters know that they will be punished in some way, but they return to the capitol winners.
6. Resurrection: They are allowed to return home.
III. Return: Katniss and Peeta return home to live in the Victor’s Village

11. The Odyssey: An Epic Narrative Poem
Narrative Poem: A poem that tells a story; often sounds more like prose, but may be written in verse.
Epic poem: An epic poem is a long, narrative poem that is usually about heroic deeds and events that are significant to the culture of the poet. Many ancient writers used epic poetry to tell tales of intense adventures and heroic feats.

12. Characteristics of Epic Poetry
Tells about events set in the distant, glorious past.
Events are on a majestic scale; large battles, and dangerous quests.
Contains larger than life heroes.
The hero is usually noble or royal.
Includes supernatural characters or events.
Hero = extremely courageous
Poem starts en media res, or the poem begins in the middle of the action

13. The Odyssey Background
Written around 800 BCE by Greek poet, Homer
Our main character, Odysseus leaves to go fight with the Greeks in the Trojan war.
This war lasts 10 years!
The Odyssey is Odysseus’ 10-year journey from Troy back home to Ithaca.

14. Homer
Not much is known about his life, but it is thought he was born around 850 BCE (maybe)
Born in Greece
He was blind (we think)
He told his poems orally- they spread around by word of mouth

15. Gods and Goddesses of The Odyssey to Know
Zeus
Poseidon
Athena
Helios
Apollo
Aeolus

16. New Literary Devices
Epithet: a descriptive term accompanying or in place of a name.
Examples from The Odyssey:
Hermes the Wayfinder (1:1)
The grey-eyed goddess (I:221) = Athena
Young Dawn with fingertips of rose (9:68)
The nymph with pretty braids (I:111) = Calypso

17. New Literary Devices
Epic Hero: An archetypical hero that usually possess most of the following traits:
Noble Birth
Superhuman intelligence, bravery, and courage
Successful warrior
Travels over a vast setting
National Heroism
Humility
Faces supernatural foes
Helped or harmed by gods/goddesses
Always emerges victorious
Most epic heroes have a flaw that defines who they are that they must overcome.

18. New Literary Devices
Epic Simile: A very long comparison between two unlike things, using the words like or as. Homer often develops a simile at great length.
Ex. His rage held hard in leash, submitted to his mind, while he himself rocked, rolling from side to side, as a cook turns a sausage, big with blood and fat, at a scorching blaze, without a pause, to broil it quick;

19. Review of New Terms
These are terms you will be quizzed and tested upon:
Motif
Archetype
Monomyth and The Hero’s Journey
Narrative Poem
Epic Poem
Epithet
Epic Hero
Epic Simile
Myth
Legend
Fable