Lessonpills

1

Think about these questions before watching the video. Share your ideas with a partner.

Think about a significant challenge you've overcome in your life. In what ways did this experience feel like a personal 'journey' with obstacles and a final resolution?
Why do you believe certain story structures, like a hero facing trials and returning changed, appear so frequently across different cultures and time periods?
Describe a character from a book or movie who you consider a hero. What specific qualities or actions made them heroic, beyond just having special powers or fighting monsters?

2

Watch the video carefully. Pay attention to the main ideas and key details.

Video script98 segments · click a timestamp to jump

Translator: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

What do Harry Potter,

Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo

all have in common with the heroes of ancient myths?

(Roar)

What if I told you they are all variants of the same hero?

Do you believe that?

Joseph Campbell did.

He studied myths from all over the world and published a book called

"The Hero with a Thousand Faces,"

retelling dozens of stories

and explaining how each represents the mono-myth,

or Hero's Journey.

So, what is the "hero's journey"?

Think of it as a cycle.

The journey begins and ends in a hero's ordinary world,

but the quest passes through an unfamiliar, special world.

Along the way, there are some key events.

Think about your favorite book or movie.

Does it follow this pattern?

Status quo, that's where we start.

1:00: Call to Adventure.

The hero receives a mysterious message.

An invitation, a challenge?

2:00: Assistance

The hero needs some help, probably from someone older, wiser.

3:00: Departure

The hero crosses the threshold from his normal, safe home,

and enters the special world and adventure.

We're not in Kansas anymore.

4:00: Trials

Being a hero is hard work:

our hero solves a riddle,

slays a monster,

escapes from a trap.

5:00: Approach

It's time to face the biggest ordeal, the hero's worst fear.

(Roar)

6:00: Crisis

This is the hero's darkest hour.

He faces death and possibly even dies,

only to be reborn.

7:00: Treasure

(Roar)

As a result, the hero claims some treasure,

special recognition, or power.

8:00: Result

This can vary between stories.

Do the monsters bow down before the hero,

or do they chase him as he flees from the special world?

9:00: Return

After all that adventure, the hero returns to his ordinary world.

10:00: New Life

This quest has changed the hero; he has outgrown his old life.

11:00: Resolution

All the tangled plot lines get straightened out.

12:00: Status Quo,

but upgraded to a new level.

Nothing is quite the same once you are a hero.

Many popular books and movies

follow this ancient formula pretty closely.

But let's see how well "The Hunger Games" fits the hero's journey template.

When does Katniss Everdeen hear her call to adventure

that gets the story moving?

When her sister's name is called from the lottery.

How about assistance?

Is anyone going to help her on her adventure?

Haymitch.

What about departure?

Does she leave her ordinary world?

She gets on a train to the capital.

OK, so you get the idea.

What do you have in common with Harry Potter,

Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo?

Well, you're human, just like them.

The Hero's Journey myth exists in all human cultures

and keeps getting updated,

because we humans reflect on our world

through symbolic stories of our own lives.

You leave your comfort zone,

have an experience that transforms you,

and then you recover and do it again.

You don't literally slay dragons or fight Voldemort,

but you face problems just as scary.

Joseph Campbell said,

"In the cave you fear to enter lies the treasure you seek."

What is the symbolic cave you fear to enter?

Auditions for the school play?

Baseball tryouts?

Love?

Watch for this formula in books, movies, and TV shows you come across.

You will certainly see it again.

But also be sensitive to it in your own life.

Listen for your call to adventure.

Accept the challenge.

Conquer your fear and claim the treasure you seek.

And then,

do it all over again.

3

Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the video.

01According to the video, what is the 'mono-myth' and who developed this concept?

Sample answerThe mono-myth is another name for the Hero's Journey. It's the idea that many famous stories, both ancient and modern, follow the same basic structure. The concept was developed by a man named Joseph Campbell, who studied myths from around the world.

02What typically happens to the hero during the 'Crisis' stage of the journey?

Sample answerThe video describes the 'Crisis' as the hero's darkest hour. During this stage, the hero faces death and might even seem to die, only to be reborn in some way. It's the ultimate challenge they have to overcome.

03Why does the video suggest that the Hero's Journey pattern is so common across different cultures?

Sample answerIt suggests the pattern is common because humans use stories to reflect on their own lives. The journey of leaving a comfort zone, facing a challenge that changes you, and then returning is a universal human experience, so the story gets retold and updated everywhere.

04How does the video relate the idea of a 'symbolic cave' to the viewer's own life?

Sample answerThe video uses the quote 'In the cave you fear to enter lies the treasure you seek' to connect the hero's journey to our lives. The 'symbolic cave' represents personal challenges or fears we might have, like auditioning for a play or trying out for a team. The video encourages us to face these fears to gain a reward, like personal growth.

4

Key vocabulary for discussing stories

Vocabulary

These expressions will help you analyze and discuss plots and characters more effectively.

Examples

Character arc — the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story.

Usage note: This is a key term for literary and film analysis. You can describe an arc as 'flat' (no change), 'positive' (the character improves), or 'negative' (the character gets worse).

To come full circle — to return to the place or situation where you started, after a long and transformative journey.

Usage note: This idiom perfectly describes the cyclical structure of the Hero's Journey. Example: 'The plot comes full circle when the protagonist uses a skill from their old life to solve the final problem.'

To rise to the occasion — to perform successfully when faced with a difficult situation or challenge.

Usage note: This is a common collocation to describe a hero's response to trials. You can also say 'rise to the challenge'. Example: 'When the main villain appeared, the young hero rose to the occasion.'

Plot device — an object, character, or event whose main purpose is to advance the story.

Usage note: This is a useful term for analyzing stories. The 'wise mentor' who gives the hero a magic sword is a classic plot device. It can sometimes have a slightly negative meaning if the device feels too convenient or unrealistic.

To foreshadow something — to give a hint or warning of a future event in a story.

Usage note: Writers use this technique to build suspense. For example: 'The storm in the first chapter foreshadows the difficult times the characters will face later on.'

5

Read the statements about the video. Decide if they are true or false and correct the false ones.

01The journey is described as a cycle that begins in a special, unfamiliar world and ends in the hero's home.

02The video suggests that ordinary people can apply the hero's journey concept to challenges in their own lives.

03The video uses the story of Harry Potter to walk through the different stages of the hero's journey template.

04The 'Result' stage is always the same in every story, with the hero being celebrated by everyone.

05During the 'Assistance' stage, the hero typically gets help from someone older and more experienced.

6

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank

01The most compelling part of the story wasn't the action, but the protagonist's from a selfish teenager into a selfless leader.

02The strange storm on the first page the turbulent events that the characters will face later in the novel.

03Despite her initial fear, the young heroine managed to and confront the dragon when no one else would.

04The mysterious, ancient map served as a convenient to get the characters from their home to the hidden treasure.

05After years of adventure, the hero's journey had as he finally returned to the quiet village where he grew up.

7

Choose the best answer based on the concepts discussed in the video.

01What is the ultimate purpose of the 'New Life' and 'Resolution' stages at the end of the hero's journey?

02The video mentions the 'Call to Adventure' as the event that 'gets the story moving'. Which of the following best describes the nature of this call?

03The video applies the hero's journey to real life, mentioning challenges like 'auditions for the school play'. What underlying principle does this comparison illustrate?

04According to the video's description of the mono-myth, which of the following is NOT a necessary component of a hero's journey?

8

The Hero's Journey: Stages and Concepts

Test your understanding of the classic Hero's Journey narrative structure.

Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right.

A

B

9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

Think of a famous hero from your country's folklore or literature. Does their story follow the 'hero's journey' structure? Describe their character arc, how early events might foreshadow their destiny, and how they rise to the occasion during their trials.
Some critics argue that modern stories rely too heavily on the 'hero's journey' as a formula, using predictable plot devices and making the hero's character arc feel unoriginal. Do you agree with this, or do you think it's a timeless structure that always works?
Can the 'hero's journey' apply to characters who aren't traditional heroes, like a scientist making a discovery or an entrepreneur starting a business? Discuss an example where a non-traditional 'hero' follows this pattern, eventually coming full circle but as a changed person.