The Epic Hero: The Journey

1. The Epic Hero: The Journey

2. Prepare for Notes • Take a sheet of notebook paper out. • Fold the paper in half vertically (like a “hotdog”). • Label the left column “NOTES ON HEROES” • Label the right column “MY THOUGHTS, EXAMPLES, OR CONNECTIONS”

3. A Call to Adventure“You must go with me to Alderaan.” -Obi-Wan Kenobi • The hero starts out living an ordinary life. • He or she is called to go on a quest, often by a “mentor.” • Glinda the Good Witch tells Dorothy she must visit the Wizard of Oz • Obi-Wan Kenobi asks Luke Skywalker to help destroy the Empire • Gandalf enlists Frodo’s help to destroy the One Ring. • The hero might doubt that he or she is capable of completing a quest, and “refuse the call.” • However, the mentor encourages the hero or even gives magical items to help.

4. The Hero’s Journey“We’re off to see the Wizard.” -Dorothy • The hero goes through many trials on his or her way to achieving the quest. • “Threshold guardians” will block their way to new places. The hero must either outsmart or defeat them. • Allies join the hero to help. • The Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion help Dorothy • Luke and Obi-Wan hire Han Solo and Chewbacca • The Fellowship of the Ring journey with Frodo

5. Claiming the Prize“What have you learned, Dorothy?” -The Tin Man • The hero defeats the shadow and is able to finish his or her quest. • The hero returns back home as a different person then when the quest started. • Sometimes the mentor or the allies leave the hero, knowing that the quest is completed.

6. There and Back Again“There’s no place like home.” -Dorothy • Others may not recognize the hero when he or she returns home because the hero has changed. • Sometimes the hero has to clean up or fix something that happened to his or her hometown when the hero was on the quest. • The hero has help along the way from magical items, mentors, and allies, but it is ultimately what’s inside the hero that helps the hero win.

7. Hero Characteristics • The hero is introduced in the middle of the story’s action; previous events will be recounted in flashbacks. • The hero is not only a warrior and a leader, but also a polished speaker. • The hero, often a demi-god, possesses weapons of great size and power, which are often presents from the gods. • Odysseus’ bow • The hero must undertake a long, perilous journey, often involving a descent into the Underworld, which tests his endurance, courage, and craftiness.

8. Characteristics of Epic Poetry (Will be tested!) • Epic poetry often begins with an “invocation,” which is when the narrator calls on creative help to tell the story. • Epic poems often begin “in media res,” which is Latin for “in the middle of the action (story).” This means a good part of the story has already happened and the narrator begins the poem by catching the reader up on what’s happened.

9. Characteristics of Epic Poetry (Will be tested!) • The Epic or Homeric Simile is an extended comparison beginning with "like" or "as" • The simile is loaded with description, often holds up the action at a crucial point to produce suspense, and continues for several lines. • Epithets are short phrases that refer to the character’s traits. • “rosy-fingered Dawn” to describe the sunrise, “swift-footed Achilles” to describe the qualities of Achilles