• Also known as the Monomyth, the Hero’s Journey is a theory coined by a man named Joseph Campbell, which suggests that all great stories include the same seven basic character archetypes. In this lesson, we will familiarize ourselves with each archetype so that we will be able to identify them in the stories that we read in the future.
Let’s begin!
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Select one to begin your journey. You must face each one to overcome your trials…
Face Your Trials…

• All great stories have a Hero. Usually, the Hero starts out as a normal person, nothing special. This allows the audience to make a connection, being able to relate to or sympathize with him/her. As the story progresses, the Hero gains the power and wisdom to be able to overcome their conflicts and win the day!
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• The Herald is what thrusts the Hero into his/her journey. The Herald can be a person, an object, or an event that provides some kind of incentive or piece of information that encourages the Hero to take action. Positive or negative, the Herald is what truly sets the story in motion.
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• The Mentor is a wise presence that guides and teaches the Hero along his/her journey. Oftentimes, the Mentor may also double as the story’s Herald, though they can also easily be separate characters. Either way, the Mentor is an essential part of the Hero’s Journey!
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• The Threshold Guardians are meant to prevent the Hero from completing his/her journey. Threshold Guardians are often called henchmen. Depending on the story, they could be easy to defeat but large in number, they could be few in number and extremely powerful, or anywhere in-between.
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• The Trickster’s role in the story is to provide comic relief, often by—you guessed it—tricking or playing jokes on the Hero or any of the story’s other characters! However, many times the Trickster may provide comedy relief by simply being quirky, reckless, or clumsy. They are also oftentimes the Hero’s sidekick, or become one at some time during his/her journey.
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• The Shape-Shifter is a character that changes his/her role at some point during the story. The Shape-
Shifter’s possibilities are nearly endless: a good guy could become a bad guy or vice versa, a Threshold
Guardian could become a Mentor, etc. The Shape-Shifter’s change of heart could not only provide some of the story’s greatest plot twists, but he/she could also change roles as much as he/she wants, potentially filling multiple roles one at a time, all at once, or teetering back and forth between two roles.
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• The Shadow is the main, ultimate villain of the story, standing in the way of the Hero and his/her goal. Oftentimes, the Shadow’s defeat
the Hero’s goal or a large part of the goal. The strength and wisdom gained during the Hero’s Journey is all for the sake of defeating the
Shadow, but despite this, a good story almost always makes the Shadow evenly matched with— if not still slightly superior to—the Hero, for the sake of suspense and an exciting final
showdown!
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Shadows to Return

• How many different character archetypes make up the
Hero’s Journey?
a. 10
b. 8
c. 5
d. 7

• What is the Hero’s Journey also known as?
a. The Monolith
b. The Herald
c. The Monotrip
d. The Monomyth

• Which of the seven character archetypes often accompany the Hero as a sidekick?
a. The Mentor
b. The Trickster
c. The Shape-Shifter
d. The Herald

• All of these are correct examples of the corresponding character archetype, except… (Click the pictures for this one!)
a. Loki is the Trickster
b. Darth Vader is the Shadow
c. Indiana Jones is the Hero
d. Gandalf is the Herald

• There aren’t quite that many different definable archetypes that appear during the
Hero’s Journey. Gather your thoughts and try again.
Return to the Trial of
Wisdom

• Wisdom will give you a full life. Your enemies and allies are not so great in number, but continue to focus and the answer will become clear.
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Wisdom

• Wisdom comes with experience. You will meet more characters along your journey, but do not quit; you are doing fine.
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Wisdom

• Excellent! Your mind clearly sees the path before you. You may proceed to the next trial…
Continue to the Next Trial

• While it may take courage to face a monolith, it is not the name of your journey.
Take heart and try again!
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Courage

• It certainly takes courage to answer the Herald’s call to adventure, but it is only one component of a much larger event. Try again; you have proven that you have the fortitude for such a demand!
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Courage

• While “trip” is definitely a synonym for “journey,” I’m afraid this answer is a play on words.
However, no hero has ever begun as strongly as they finish; follow in their footsteps and try again!
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Courage

• Wonderful! You have show the courage to continue on your journey in the face of adversity! You have earned your place in your next trial…
Continue to the Next
Trial

• The Mentor can be—and usually is—friends with the Hero on his/her journey, but his/her main purpose is to teach and guide the Hero. Being friends with your teacher has many advantages, but try again.
Return to the Trial of
Friendship

• Yes! The title “Trickster” is a bit… well… tricky! But overall, the Trickster is usually the quirky sidekick that sticks with the Hero like glue. You have proven that you truly know who your friends are; you may proceed to the final trial…
Continue to the Final
Trial

• While it is true that the Shape-Shifter may become the Hero’s friend or sidekick at one point or another, he/she may still shift into roles that oppose the Hero. Whether the Shape-
Shifter’s roles oppose the Hero exclusively or not, the frequent changes also make it difficult to truly call them “friends” or “sidekicks”.
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Friendship

• The Herald is another character who
be the Hero’s ally, but they could also just as easily be their enemy. The Herald may not even qualify as a sentient (intelligent; self aware) being that could serve as a “friend,” though it could still be an “enemy,” such as a natural disaster. Having the Herald on the Hero’s side may hold an advantage, but that is not his/her main purpose. You’re getting there; try again.
Return to the Trial of
Friendship

• You’ve got it! This was meant to be a “trick” (get it?) question by making a play on words: while
Loki is
trickster and the god of mischief, he is not
trickster in terms of the Monomyth. The trickster in the Hero’s Journey is meant to provide comedic relief by tricking others, but also to be a friend and sidekick to the hero; Loki’s manner of trickery is meant to deceive and hurt the Hero, which means that he would be classified as the Shadow, but you have seen through this deception!
Finish Your Journey

• Darth Vader is, to many, the high standard for great villains, in any medium. He is, no doubt, the Shadow of the original
movie trilogy. There isn’t really much else to say here, but do not give up hope! Gather the Force, and try again!
Return to the Trial of
Strength

• Ahhhh, Indy… When that classic theme song starts playing, you
you’re watching a Hero in action! But I can see why you may have chosen this answer:
Indy is one of the more… imperfect heroes, but he is a Hero nonetheless. Don’t worry though, you’ll get it! Just try again; no big deal!
Return to the Trial of
Strength

• Gandalf is the Herald of
and
series. He may also be a
Mentor to Bilbo and Frodo, but remember: some characters can take on multiple roles; neither of Gandalf’s roles are any less true than the other. This one was a little tricky, but try again. You’ll get it!
Return to the Trial of
Strength

• Congratulations, you have overcome your trials, defeated the Shadow, and have completed your Hero’s Journey!
Now, watch this short video, which will give you further insight into the Hero’s Journey and allow you to lead future generations to success!
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