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    The Hero Cycle

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    kiss_thesky
    The Hero Cycle outlines the common steps that heroes follow in myths and stories. It was developed by Joseph Campbell who identified archetypes that are repeated across cultures. The cycle includes steps like the Call to Adventure, Tests in the Land of Adventure, encountering a Goddess or Father figure, and bringing back an Elixir to complete the quest and return home transformed. Many well-known stories like Star Wars and The Lion King follow this Hero's Journey pattern described in the Cycle.

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    The Hero Cycle

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    kiss_thesky
    313 views19 pages
    The Hero Cycle outlines the common steps that heroes follow in myths and stories. It was developed by Joseph Campbell who identified archetypes that are repeated across cultures. The cycle includes steps like the Call to Adventure, Tests in the Land of Adventure, encountering a Goddess or Father figure, and bringing back an Elixir to complete the quest and return home transformed. Many well-known stories like Star Wars and The Lion King follow this Hero's Journey pattern described in the Cycle.

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    The Hero Cycle outlines the common steps that heroes follow in myths and stories. It was developed by Joseph Campbell who identified archetypes that are repeated across cultures. The cycle includes steps like the Call to Adventure, Tests in the Land of Adventure, encountering a Goddess or Father figure, and bringing back an Elixir to complete the quest and return home transformed. Many well-known stories like Star Wars and The Lion King follow this Hero's Journey pattern described in the Cycle.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    313 views19 pages

    The Hero Cycle

    Uploaded by

    kiss_thesky
    The Hero Cycle outlines the common steps that heroes follow in myths and stories. It was developed by Joseph Campbell who identified archetypes that are repeated across cultures. The cycle includes steps like the Call to Adventure, Tests in the Land of Adventure, encountering a Goddess or Father figure, and bringing back an Elixir to complete the quest and return home transformed. Many well-known stories like Star Wars and The Lion King follow this Hero's Journey pattern described in the Cycle.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
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    At a glance
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    The key takeaways are that the Hero Cycle is an archetype that is repeated in most hero stories, identified by Joseph Campbell. It consists of steps like the call to adventure, tests, and return home.

    The Hero Cycle is a pattern of narrative archetypes that appear in many hero stories. It is sometimes called the monomyth, with 'mono' meaning 'one'.

    The steps of the Hero Cycle according to Joseph Campbell are: the call to adventure, tests, meeting the mentor, crossing the threshold, trials and victories, achieving the goal, the road back, resurrection, and return home.

    The Hero Cycle

    What is the Hero Cycle?

    • Sometimes it is called the monomyth –


    “mono” = “one”.
    • Joseph Campbell, a mythology and
    folklore scholar concluded that one
    archetype is repeated in most hero stories.
    Arche/type

    • “Arche” = “old” – archeology


    • “type” = “form”
    • Archetype = “Old form”
    The Cycle

    • What follows are the steps Campbell


    identified in the hero cycle.
    • Not every hero story includes every step,
    but you will notice that most are familiar.
    The Hero at Home

    • In the beginning of the story, the hero is


    often the “lowest of the low”,
    unrecognized but perhaps having a
    questioning nature or a quiet ambition to
    find out who they truly are.
    • Can you think of examples?
    Call to Adventure
    • Soon some problem arises
    that causes heroes to go on
    quests. In traditional
    literature, heroes often
    have to compete for the
    chance to go, as they are
    naturally overlooked in
    favor of their older or more
    glamorous siblings.
    The Tests

    • Before they proceed very far on their


    adventure, heroes are faced with
    challenges or tests. If they meet them
    with cleverness, courage, or kindness,
    they often receive some magical help that
    enables them to proceed on their quest.
    The Helper
    • The helper is a person or
    peculiar creature who provides
    magical aid heroes need to
    cross the threshold into the
    place where the object of their
    quest is usually found.
    Sometimes the helper provides
    other miraculous equipment
    that allows heroes to succeed.
    The Land of Adventure

    • Quests lead heroes into the “Land of


    Adventure”, “Never-Never Land” or
    “Narnia”, for example.
    • Once there the heroes’ adventures truly
    begin.
    • This is usually where they realize they do
    have special powers.
    The “Belly of the Whale”

    • Once a hero arrives in the land of


    adventure, they usually have a death and
    rebirth experience.
    • Their childish nature must die off, and
    their more mature and heroic nature must
    be born.
    • Authors usually use tomb or grave
    imagery in this stage of the hero cycle.
    The Goddess

    • If heroes are male, they usually encounter


    a beautiful female figure who may
    challenge or love them, but in any case
    confirm that they are worthy heroes.
    Father Atonement

    • Heroes often come up against stern father


    figures who challenge them severely.
    • Sometimes heroes overthrow these father
    figures.
    • At the very least, they force the father
    figures to recognize their status as a hero.
    • The Lion King and Star Wars have good
    examples of this step.
    Elixir Theft

    • The object of the quest is often some


    magical gift, potion, that is needed back
    home.
    • Heroes win this object or steal it.
    The Flight

    • After the hero wins or steals the elixir, he


    often has to run for his life.
    The Return

    • When the hero returns home, they bring


    what is needed to keep life going on
    comfortably.
    • Sometimes there is a royal marriage.
    • Sometimes they slip into quiet reflection.
    • This steps completes the cycle since they
    are back home.
    Other Common Elements

    • Heroes often have uncommon births, or


    they are orphans.
    • Examples – Moses floating down the river
    in a basket. Simba’s father dies when he
    is young.
    Other Common Elements

    • Heroes often have a weapon only they can


    use.
    • Examples – Luke Skywalker / Darth Vader
    – light saber; Pootietang – belt; Moses –
    staff.
    Reviewing and Thinking

    • View this slideshow once more while


    providing examples from hero stories that
    are familiar to you.
    • You should be able to provide examples
    for at least seven of the steps.
    • Your examples will help you with your
    writing assignment.
    References

    • Children’s Books in Children’s Hands


    (1998). C. Temple, M. Martinez, J. Yokota,
    A. Naylor (eds.). Allyn and Bacon, Boston.

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