All heroes start from somewhere, as they are first discovered in their ordinary world. In Christopher Vogler’s “A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell acknowledges this step as, “If you're going to tell a story about a fish out of his customary element, you first have to create a contrast by showing him in his mundane, ordinary world”(1). This is true with Terry Fox, as the first sector of his life did not portray him as an inspirational runner. Fox was not even interested in running, as his passion was basketball. When Terry was turned down from the middle school basketball team, his physical education recommended running cross country. Clarice writes, “Fox had no desire for cross-country running, …show more content…
This supports the fact that Fox was nothing special growing up, as he was a persistent teen who faced challenges. This is Fox in his normal world, as he is determined to accomplish his goals, but is yet to prove himself as a hero who will go on to make a difference in the world. Fox’s call to adventure came in the most unexpected way possible. In Vogler’s work, Campbell writes how the hero is present with a tough challenge that they must overcome. This is especially true with Fox, as his challenge came during his cross country season when he was conditioning for basketball. He noticed sharp pains in his leg that were restricting. Janice Smith wrote that “By March 1977, the pain had intensified and he finally went to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of cancer that often starts near the knees.”(5) As he was known to be stubborn about any kind of injury of possible setback, Fox ignored the pain as long as he could. A family friend recommended he get checked out, and this is where the turning point in Fox’s life