Hero’s Journey
Intro to Archetypes
Archetypes
• Archetype- A recurrent narrative design,
pattern of action, character type, theme or
image which is identifiable in a wide
variety of works of literature.
– Characters
– Situations
Characters
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The Hero
Mother figure
Innocent youth
Mentor
Doppleganger
Scapegoat
Villian
The Hero
• He or she is a
character who
predominantly
exhibits goodness
and struggles against
evil in order to restore
harmony and justice
to society
Mother Figure
• Such a character may be
represented as Fairy
Mother who guides and
directs a child, Mother
Earth who contacts
people and offers spiritual
and emotional
nourishment, and
Stepmother who treats
their stepchildren roughly.
Innocent Youth
• He or she is
inexperienced with many
weaknesses and seeks
safety with others, but
others like him/her
because of the trust he or
she shows in other
people. Usually, the
experience of coming of
age comes in the later
parts of the narratives.
Mentor
•
His or her task is to
protect the main
character. It is through
the wise advice and
training of a mentor that
the main character
achieves success in the
world
Doppleganger
• It is a duplicate or
shadow of a character
that represents the
evil side of his
personality
Scapegoat
• A character that
takes the blame of
everything bad that
happens
Villain
• A character whose
main function is to
go to any extent to
oppose the hero or
whom the hero must
annihilate in order
to bring justice
Situations
• a given experience that a hero or
character must endure to move from one
place in life to another
• Actions and events that add to the plot
• A common event seen throughout stories
in many different genres
Quest
• a search for someone or something of
great power or importance
• never easily accomplished and often
includes near impossible challenges
Task
• The Hero must perform some nearly
superhuman deed
• This is done to save the kingdom, win the
girl, or find himself
Initiation
• An initiation symbolizes a right of passage
• An adolescent may come into adulthood
through an initiation
• Very much connected with growing up and
maturity
Good vs. Evil
• Battle between two primal forces
• Traditionally, Good will triumph over evil
• (protagonist vs. antagonist)
Additional Situations
• Utopia
– Perfect world
– Slow revelations
– Shocker!
– Wake up call
– Departure
Additional Situations
• Coming of Age
– Youth
– Slow revelations
– Shocker!
– First act of adulthood
– Departure
Additional Situations
• Stranger comes to town
– Undisturbed world (optional)
– Stranger comes to town
– Disruption of normal order
– Protectors
– Departure
Additional Situations
• Romance
– Stranger comes to town (at first this character
and the protagonist HATE each other)
– Disruption of normal order
– New love leaves
– Act of Contrition
– New love returns
Hero’s Journey
• Sends the hero on a search for some truth or
information
• Forces the hero to discover many unpleasant
truths
• At his lowest point, the hero will return to the
world of the living
Story Template
Once upon a time
1. Separation
Hero’s
Journey
Follows
Patterns
Suddenly
Luckily
2. Initiation
3. Belly of the
Beast
4. Discovery
Happily Ever After
5. Return
*Life as we know it…
• The audience (reader) sees a glimpse of
the hero’s normal life
We see Nemo with his dad on the reef,
going off to school. Through dialog we learn
about how life has been for Nemo.
Separation
• Something is taken away or he/she moves
• Everything changes
• Happens very early in the story
The divers take Nemo away from the reef.
This is part of another separation.
Initiation
• Character learns the rules of the “new
place”
• Almost always involves physical pain
When Nemo first lands in the tank, he slams
into the glass sides trying to escape and
calling for his dad.
Belly of the Beast
• May be more than one situation, but close
to the end
• The character “hits bottom”
• Leads directly to discovery
Darla is in the dentist’s office, holding Nemo’s
baggie. It looks as if Nemo will suffer the same fate
as the fish who went before him.
Discovery
• Discovers something deep and meaningful
about himself
Now Nemo has a strength that he didn’t
possess before. He is able to stand up to his
dad and this time he does it straightforwardly
rather than a passive-aggressive way.
Return
• Allows the character to be at peace
We return to the reef, and we get to see
someone who represents nearly every
chapter of the film.
Other common elements
• These elements sometimes appear in the hero’s
journey.
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Extended search
Supernatural forces
Decisive victories (usually triumphing over evil)
Acts of selflessness
Rescue of the princess (or other helpless person
Call to adventure
Wise and helpful guide
Into the unknown