1. Storytelling - The Hero’s Journey
The Monomyth
*AN ASTERISK MEANS VOCAB WORD

2. *MONOMYTH - DEFINITION
The cyclical journey undertaken by the standard mythological hero
Narrative pattern
Transcends time and tradition

3. 5 STAGES OF THE QUEST DEPARTURE INITIATION RETURN 1. call / separation
2. descent / entry
INITIATION
3. trials / tests
4. triumph / emergence
RETURN
5. reintegration (shares learning / elixir / eternal life / riches)

4. STAGE 1 - THE CALL Status Quo Call to Adventure Assistance
The hero’s life before the call
Call to Adventure
The hero may refuse or run from the call...this sometimes functions as a means of accepting it. The hero may often not have a choice about accepting the call.
Assistance
Encourages or forces hero on journey
Could be a weapon or mentor or other

5. STAGE 2 - THE DESCENT Departure/Cross the Threshold
The hero leaves the normal world; crosses into the new world
Point of no return - the adventure MUST happen at this point
Initial challenge - confronting a literal / figurative gatekeeper
Painful - fight the gatekeeper
Painless - enter a cave

6. STAGE 3 - TRIALS / TESTS Series of challenges / tests / trials
Tempted to stay in the new land, abandon journey, give up
Often reconciled to father figure
Hero may have to fight battles,
Solve problems and riddles
Often the majority of the story
Approach
Hero prepares/trains to face the crisis
Crisis/biggest ordeal or fear

7. STAGE 4 - TRIUMPH / EMERGENCE
Triumph - The hero fully realizes and completes the calling by earning a treasure, triumphing over an enemy. (Result)
Emergence/New Life - new knowledge of the world
Often accompanied by a literal or figurative resurrection or new birth

8. STAGE 5 - REINTEGRATION Return - Master of two worlds
Freedom to live in either
Often see some sort of return to normal world though the New Life means it is seen or the hero is seen differently
Resolution - Share knowledge
/ elixir / eternal life / freedom from
conflict with others
Hero may continue fight for others
Other problems get resolved

9. JOSEPH CAMPBELL
Described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Question: Why would he entitle his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces?

10. REMEMBER… DEPARTURE INITIATION RETURN Call / separation
Descent / entry
INITIATION
Trials / tests
Triumph / emergence
RETURN
Return

11. SOME MONOMYTHS IN TIME Avatar (2009 AD) American King Arthur (1485 AD)
English
Superman (1932 AD)
American
Moses (1400 BC)
Hebrew
Siddhārtha (100 BC)
Indian
Jesus (70 AD)
Roman
14 BC
10 BC
6 BC
2 BC
2 AD
6 AD
10 AD
14 AD
18 AD
4 AD
8 AD
12 AD
12 BC
8 BC
4 BC
16 AD
20 AD
Odyssey (800 BC)
Ancient Greek
Beowulf (1100 AD)
Anglo-Saxon
Batman (1939 AD)
American
Star Wars (1977 AD)
American
Al-Khiḍr (610 AD)
Islam
Paradise Lost (1667 AD)
English

12. MATRIX AS MONOMYTH
Stage 1 - Neo is called out of the Matrix and to save people from the Matrix.
Stage 5 - Neo returns to the Matrix to begin the rescue as the chosen one.
Stage 2 - Neo takes the red pill and wakes up in the ‘real world.’
Stage 4 - Neo realizes he is the chosen one and that the Matrix is a program.
Stage 3 - Neo fights Smith, saves Morpheus, visits the Oracle, is shot by Smith.

13. LION KING AS MONOMYTH
Stage 1 - Simba is called to be king by Mufasa’s death
Stage 5 - Simba ascends as newly transformed king of Pride Rock
Stage 2 - Simba descends into wilderness - chased by hyenas - thought to be dead
Stage 4 - Simba defeats Scar
Stage 3 - Simba is confronted by and overcomes cowardice and laziness - he speaks with Mufasa and realizes his calling

14. OTHER MONOMYTHS?