The senior project dealing with archetypal criticism and Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey

2. • According to noted American mythologist
and historian Joseph Campbell, this is
not at all a coincidence. Campbell
believes that nearly all heroic stories have
certain things in common that help us
understand truths about the human
experience.

3. Part 1: The Hero’s Adventure
• Watch Campbell’s interview with journalist
Bill Moyers entitled “The Hero’s
Adventure” wherein Campbell explains his
beliefs in detail. A transcript of the
interview is available on Blackboard to
refresh your memory. After you have
finished reading, you will participate in the
blog discussion entitled “The Hero’s
Journey” on the class Blackboard site.
Post a response that includes the
following:

4. • Your thoughts on at least one aspect that
Campbell states is universal to heroic stories
• Your opinion on the theory in general. Do you see
where Campbell is coming from, or do you think it’s
a stretch and why?
• After you have posted an initial response,
comment on at least two of your classmate’s
responses.
• This assignment is worth 20 points. See the
attached rubric for details on how this assignment
will be graded.
• This part is due at midnight on Monday,
September 30th.

5. Part 2: Hero Presentation
• After reading “The Hero’s Adventure” and
discussing it on the blog, you are now
ready to analyze how Campbell’s theories
apply in other stories. In small groups of
three to four students, you are to now to
choose a heroic story from anywhere in
the world, any time, and in any medium
that you feel typifies the hero’s journey.
You will familiarize yourselves with the
story and then pick out aspects of it that
align with the elements of Campbell’s
“monomyth.”

6. • Your group will then create a
multimedia show to present your
findings to the rest of the class.
• This will be due in class on Monday,
October 14th.
• This presentation should be at least
seven to ten minutes in length, and
should include the following:

7. • Oral narration (live or recorded) with
participation by all members of the group.
• A description of the known origins of the
story (time period, part of the world, medium
in which it was originally told, etc.)
• A fairly comprehensive summary of the
story from beginning to end.
• Explanations of the elements in the story
that align with the elements of the hero’s
journey.
• Explanation of the value of the story. What
does it tell the modern audience about the
values of the period and society of its origin?