Assignment:
Choose a book or a movie and write an essay showing how the book
or movie fits the structure of the Hero’s Journey.
This is a 1, 000 word essay. Each pages should have 250
words. The essay must be typed in 12 font, double-spaced, and have a minimum of
six paragraphs.
The first paragraph should briefly recount how and why the
structure of the hero’s journey began.
The second paragraph should briefly recount the structure of the hero’s journey.
The third paragraph (and perhaps, the fourth) should recount the
Ordinary World of your book or movie. This should include a brief description
of the “ordinary world”, and the protagonist’s life in the ordinary world.
There should be the “Call to Adventure”, the protagonist’s first refusal, and
her/his final acceptance. You should include the appearance of the “Mentor” and
her/his relationship with the protagonist. Finally, the “Threshold Guardians”
should be mentioned. These are the ones who block the hero’s transition into
the special world and they must be overcome, tricked, or made into allies so
that the hero or heroine can move into the special world and fulfill her or his
destiny.
The next paragraph(s) should discuss the “Special or Magical
World”. The special world comprises the largest part of the story and is
considered the second act. This part of the story contains the most adventures,
and should include the “Ordeal”, “the Forest or Sacred Grove”, “the Belly of the
Beast”, “the Sacrifice”, “the Hunt”, and “the Chase”.
The next paragraph(s) should comprise the “Hero’s Return”. This
occurs after the hero is successful in his adventure and has the prize or is
triumphant in accomplishing his destiny. There is a bridge, which joins the
“Special World” with “the Return of the Hero”, which is often the hunt and the
chase. The end of the chase ends in success but at a great cost to the hero,
who may suffer a “death” or severe loss of some sort. After the death (real or
metaphorical) the hero is resurrected and returns to the “Ordinary World”, but
bearing the “elixir”, which may be a treasure of some sort, or knowledge, or
wisdom. The hero is changed in a very profound, fundamental way.
The final paragraph should be a brief summing up of the main
points of the essay and a conclusion. Remember, there should be no new
information given in the final paragraph.
