The Hero's Journey Summary

Joseph Campbell, the author of The Hero With A Thousand Faces, writes, “The crossing first of the open sewer, then of the perfectly clear river flowing over grass, the appearance of the willing helper at the critical moment, and the high, firm ground beyond the final stream. These are the everlastingly recurrent themes of the wonderful song of the soul 's high adventure.” (Campbell 20). These themes presented by Joseph Campbell illustrate what has become known as the “The Hero’s Journey” or “Monomyth”. The Monomyth structure has grown to become the most widespread form of storytelling and writing throughout all forms of media. However, before writing The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell was a curious child infatuated with the idea

Before crossing the threshold, the hero may have to overcome a threshold guardian, who tests his or her worthiness for the journey ahead.” (Holmes 20). The threshold stage occurs when the person or idea holding the hero back exits and allows the hero to break free. (Holmes). One afternoon at the cabin, Pap, who could be considered Huck’s threshold guardian, leaves to go into town for the day. Huck is tired of the way he has been treated and constructs a plan to finally escape the clasp that Pap held him in. Huck escapes the cabin by sawing a hole through the wall of the cabin, taking all of the food, supplies, and tools that he needs, and placing them all in his canoe. Before he leaves, however, Huck takes a dead pig 's body, places its blood throughout the cabin, and dumps the pig 's body in the river to make Pap believe that Huck did not escape, rather, he has been killed. Huck then leaves in his canoe and sets a course for Jackson Island. This stage can be considered Huck’s first adventurous and dangerous move that propels him into his new journey, leaving behind his old world.