The document outlines the stages of the hero's journey, beginning with the ordinary world setting and the hero receiving a call to adventure. It then discusses the potential for refusal of the call and the role of a mentor in guiding the hero. The mentor provides supernatural aid to assist the hero, such as advice, gifts or weapons. The next stage involves encountering a threshold guardian that must be bypassed to enter the supernatural world. Examples are given from stories like Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings to illustrate the concepts.

1. The Hero’s Journey
THE SEPARATION

2. The Hero’s Journey
Call to Adventure/Extraordinary Birth
Ordinary World

3. The Call to Adventure
 The Hero(ine) is:
 Challenged to go on a quest or solve a
problem
 Judged by relations with others
 Must be willing to sacrifice for ideals
 Usually male of lowly birth, absent parents
OR set apart (extraordinary birth)
 More than one “call” is possible: Hero
might not accept at first.

4. The Ordinary World
 The Ordinary World is:




Thrown off balance
Missing or in need of something
Within the hero’s comfort zone
Can be a physical place or a
mental/emotional state

5. Harry Potter

6. Luke Skywalker

7. Take a Minute
 Explain the problems involved in
these heroes’ adventures.
 Do you think the two “ordinary
worlds” are both physical
places? Why or why not?
 What is your “ordinary world”? Is
it physical, mental, or
emotional?

8. The Hero’s Journey
Call to Adventure/Extraordinary Birth
Refusal of the Call
Ordinary World

9. Refusal of the Call
 The Hero(ine) can accept OR refuse the
call
 When he/she refuses:
 Express hesitation or fear
 Afraid to leave life behind
 Not willing to change
 Not ready to accept
 Too selfish

10. Luke Skywalker

11. Take a Minute
How is Luke’s attitude about
the journey different than ObiWan Kenobi’s?
How does Obi-Wan Kenobi’s
attitude tie back into the idea
of “community”?

12. The Hero’s Journey
Call to Adventure/Extraordinary Birth
Refusal of the Call
Mentor
Ordinary World

13. Mentor
 The mentor:







Guides the hero(ine)
Motivates
Gives insight
“All-knowing”
Training/lessons
(Magical) gifts
Seeks to
empower the hero

14. Take a Minute
What mentors have you had
in your life?
Do you have a “mentor” that
guides you or seeks to
empower you? How do they
do this?

15. Gandalf

16. Take a Minute
How does Gandalf giving
advice influence Frodo
differently than giving him a
physical gift?
Do you personally find gifts or
advice more important? Why?

17. The Hero’s Journey
Call to Adventure/Extraordinary Birth
Refusal of the Call
Mentor
Supernatural Aid
Ordinary World

18. Supernatural Aid
 Usually given by the mentor to help the
hero(ine)
 The mentor knows what’s coming
 The Aid may be:






Advice
Gift
Weapon
Magic
Person
Map

19. The Fellowship

20. Take a Minute
How do Galadriel’s gifts to the
Fellowship reveal information
about her?
How is Galadriel’s aid
different than Gandalf’s?

22. The Hero’s Journey
Call to Adventure/Extraordinary Birth
Refusal of the Call
Mentor
Supernatural Aid
Ordinary World
Threshold Guardian

23. The Threshold Guardian
 The Threshold Guardian:
 Guards the way into the Supernatural World
 Protects the Supernatural World
 Tests the hero(ine)
 The Hero(ine):
 Must bypass obstacles
 Prove him/herself to pass

24. The Gatekeeper