The Heros Journey

According to ________________________________, a famous

scholar who studied mythologies across the word, many cultures
myths follow specific ______________________ in their characters or
plots. He called these, _____________________.
Archetypes are _____________________ and
_____________________, or basic units of expression, that appear in
art and mythology around the world.
We all know about archetypes without even realizing it! They show up
in _____________, religion, fairy tales, and _________________.

Some common Archetypes are:

-

Mother figure
__________________________
__________________________
Maiden
__________________________
__________________________
Trickster

Archetypes can also be kinds of stories that appear in many different __________________.
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An example is a _____________________________ (or a destruction myth), whether by flood or fire or

some other means.
The main kind of archetypal story that were concerned with, however, is the
____________________________.

The Heros Journey

The heros journey is what ______________________ called the quintessential (or best example) or an
__________________________________.
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It outlines the _______________ a character will likely take on his or her ____________________ to
become a _______________.
It generally follows three main portions: __________________________, the initation, and the
_______________________.
And remember, not every hero will fit every step, but they will often fit most of them.
Some that follow the heros journey: Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Spiderman, Harry Potter, Kung Fu
Panda, Finding Nemo, The Lightning Thief, etc.

Part I: Departure
-

Part I consists of
o _________________________________________________
o _________________________________________________
o _________________________________________________
Unusual Bith (or early childhood)
o There is something ____________________ about the heros birth or childhoodsomething that
sets him ______________ from the very beginning

o How does Percy fit this description?:________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Call to Adventure
o The heros call to adventure is something that spurs him or her to
__________________________. Hero is forced to __________________ everyday world/life.
o The hero may at first reject the ____________, but he will eventually come around and decide he
has to take _________________. This _____________________ is the heros first
_______________________ step.
o How does this fit Percys description? ______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Crossing the Threshold
o The threshold is the boundary between the life the hero has know before and the
_________________
_____________________ that await him. Behind him is his home and past lifebefore him is
uncertainty and danger.
o Crossing the threshold, then, is when the hero takes the first steps on his __________________,
leaving home and setting off on his ____________________________.
o How does this fit Percys description? _______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Part II: Initiation

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Part II contains most of the rising action and most of the excitement.
It includes:
o ________________________________________
o Supernatural Helper or Mentor
o ________________________________________
o The Abyss or Temptation
o The Transformation
o *Hunting group of companions/loyal Retainer: __________
________________________________________________
The Challenges Trials
o The challenges make up the bulk of the heros journey. They are the things the hero must
____________________, the monsters the hero must fight and the
__________________________ the hero must win, in order to complete his journey.
o Name a few of Percys trials: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Supernatural Helper or Mentor
o The hero usually has a ___________________ who looks out for him, teaches him what he
needs to know, gives him __________________ and _____________________, and maybe even
gives the hero a weapon or magical object.
o How is this portrayed in The Lightning Thief? ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
o Unfortunately, the mentor usually also has to be out of the picture in order for the hero to come
into his own and truly show his ______________. For this reason, mentors have to leave ther
hero in one way or anotherthey often end up dying.
Special Weapon

o The hero also has a weapon, often one that only he can yield. This may be something given to
him by the ____________________, or perhaps something he has to
_________________________.
o This special weapon can come in many forms: a pen from a mentor, a magical sword named
Excaliber, his fathers light saber, or even a wand chosen just for him.
The Abyss or Temptation
o An ____________________ is defined as an ______________________________ deep
_____________________, depth or void.
o So the abyss is the darkest, most perilous part of the heros journey.
o What is continued to be described as a deep chasm, and what has Percy been tempted with?
______________________________________________________________________________
o They may even face the ___________________________ to become evil or to desert their quest.
The Transformation
o This is the point where the hero achieves his _____________________, wins the battle, finishes
the ___________________, saves the girl, kills the bad guy and, most important, is changed by
his experiences. He becomes a _______________________________.

Part III: The Return

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Finally, the character is ready to return home and _____________________________________ as a true

hero. His journey is coming to a close. The final part of the journey consists of:
o ___________________________________________
o The Master of _______________________________
The Return Home
In order to prove himself a ____________________ person and a true _____________,
the hero must return home. He may decide to not stay there, but he will usually return at
least temporarily.
The Master of Two Worlds
The final step refers to the heros ability to reconcile his _______________________ on
his journey with his life back home.
He has seen and learned things that have changed him. How can he live in the world he
used to, but still stay true to his new role as hero?