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Comparing The Hero's Journey In The Hero With A Thousand Faces By Joseph Campbell

460 Words2 Pages

Myths, legends, and other stories are told throughout the world, in different cultures, and are passed down from generation to generation. All of these stories involve a hero; although, every hero’s story may be shaped or formed in a different way, his/her story shares similarities with those of other heroes. In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell argues that the stories and myths of every hero follow the same pattern and relate to the same monomyth. Any hero’s adventure follows a central pattern of one myth that all stories relate to: separation from the typical world, initiation into the new world (and the adventure itself), and the return to his/her original world. Additionally, the hero’s journey is destined by fate, and the hero’s best qualities are rediscovered and brought out …show more content…

Although the adventure changes form depending on the hero, every story has all of the components previously mentioned, making them all related through a central pattern. In separation, the hero experiences a call to adventure where an event occurs that draws him/her out from the familiarities of every-day life into the new adventure that is destined for him/her. The occurrence that lures the hero to the adventure may be different, but all heroes are similar in having the courage to take on the dangers that lie ahead. Following this transition, the hero comes into contact with a mentor (could be human, divine, or supernatural) that assists him/her throughout the journey. In initiation, after the hero crosses into his/her new world, he/she must face certain obstacles and tests that he/she may pass with help from the guide. After the action, the hero returns to his/her original world, where he/she may safely return or be chased for what he/she has done. Either way, the hero returns with something that will result in a positive outcome for the society in

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