The hero chart

The Hero’s Journey

I can’t stress this enough:  your charts should be full of specific and relevant evidence.  Mere “Yes” or “No” answers or an unexplained list are not acceptable.  Demonstrate a clear understanding of how Campbell’s ideology is reflected in the film text.

The Departure

Call to Adventure:   How does the character receive the call to adventure?

Refusal of the Call: Does the character accept the call immediately?  What are the hero’s circumstances?

Answering the Call: What motivates the character to accept the call?

Supernatural Aid:  who or what helps the hero on his journey?  Why? What is so special about the hero?

Guide/Mentor: Is there a specific character that helps the hero understand the life situation or provides the hero with special training?  What specific training do they provide?

Talisman: Is there a particular item that has special significance to the hero?  Explain the significance.

Companions: Who is with the hero on his journey? How does each companion help the hero face the challenges?

Crossing the Threshold: At what point in the story does the hero leave the familiar world and move into a new, unfamiliar circumstance?

Threshold Guardians: Are there characters that try to prevent the hero from crossing over into the unfamiliar territory or circumstance?

Initiation

Road of Trials: What specific challenges does the hero face?  How does the hero face them? These are all the major plot points in the film.

Brother Battle: Does the hero battle physically or mentally with someone who is a relative or close friend?  What is the outcome of this battle?

Meeting with the Goddess: Does the hero meet with a character with special beauty and power?

Abduction:  Is the character kidnapped, or is someone close to the hero kidnapped?

Night or Sea Journey: Where do the hero’s travels take him (a flow chart of places)?

Dragon Battle: Does the hero battle some kind of monster? Does the hero have to face some inner demon?

Ritual Death or Dismemberment: Is the hero injured and thought to be dead? Does the hero mistakenly believe someone close to him is dead? Does the hero suffer an injury in which he loses a limb or use of some other body part?

Sacred Marriage: Does the hero have a special emotional bond (it could literally be a marriage) with another character?

Atonement (“at one with”) with or Recognition by the Father: Is the hero reunited with his father in some way?

Entering the Belly of the Whale: Is there some point in the story where the hero must face his deepest fear or the darkest evil in the story? Describe this point and how it effects the hero.

Apotheosis (Deification): Is there a point in the story where the hero is held up as an ideal or where the hero is worshipped as a god?

Ultimate Boon / Magic Elixir: Does the hero find some special solution to the problem he is attempting to resolve? This might be a magic potion or a key to something.

The Return

Refusal of the Return: Does the hero initially refuse to return to the homeland or the place that he began the journey?

Magic Flight / Pursuit: Is there some point (generally toward the end) where the hero is being chased or is otherwise trying to escape something?

Rescue from Without: Is there some point in the story when all seems hopeless, when it looks like the hero is going to die—then suddenly he is rescued unexpectedly?

Master of Two Worlds: Does it appear that the hero has conquered life in both the familiar and unfamiliar worlds?  Explain why or why not.

Freedom to Live: Since the hero typically begins the journey to resolve a problem, does it appear the problem is at last resolved so that all can live freely?

OVERALL: on a scale of 1-10 (ten is totally Joseph Campbell), how well does this episode align with Campbell’s ideology?  WHY?  Use additional paper for this.