2. Campbell’s paradigme
• Joseph Campbell saw three distinct section in any tale
» The beginning
» The trials
» The conclusion
• He claimed that all myths follow the same structure
The monomyth (mono = one)
3. Campbell’s paradigme
• He then saw that this also applied to Hero stories… They all follow the
same basic principal idea
• The idea is that all heroes:
»
»
»
»
Leave their mundane lives to go on some journey
Are tested and they go through hardships
Find a cause and meet with the ultimate evil
Return as masters
• Campbell’s theory was welcomed by many,
one of them was George Lucas
4. Campbell’s paradigme
Freedom to live
The call to adventure
Master of two worlds
Refusal of the call
The crossing of the
return threshold
Supernatural aid
Conclusion
Rescue from
without
Beginning
Crossing of the first
threshold
The magical flight
Belly of the whale
Refusal of the
return
The Trials
The road of trials
Meeting with the
godess
The ultimate boon
Apotheosis
Atonement with
the father
Woman as the
temptess
5. Leaving
• Sometimes our hero really, really wants to leave but is
stuck some how.
• Our hero discovers a problem! (Siddhartha understands that his
world is sheltered)
• Leaving is never easy: our hero doubt him/her own
abilities
• The guide urges the hero on.
Because…
•
•
•
•
He/She is too old
He/She is not the one who can do anything
He/She is not strong enough
He/She might not even be human
6. The Threshold
• Our hero meet a new and darker world
• He isn’t in control and might be a bit scared
7. The unknown
• Our hero is flung in into a dark and hostile world
• He is faced with the problem that led him into the adventure
8. The first fight
Lucas tosses his hero into a fierce
battle he might not be ready for.
Then again faced with his first
obsticle: no hero manages to get it
right the first time around…just
look at Neo
This is where the ”belly of the
whale” step comes in and our hero
seemes lost
9. Learning
Luke then faces the difficult road of trials, which includes:
•
•
•
•
getting to know the ”godess” he helped save,
be tempted by her
having to take charge (grow up a bit)
Kill people
… This results in a bigger battle
between our hero’s mentor and the
ultimate villain, in this case
10. Final battle
…which makes the hero go into Atonement
and Apoteosis. Learning that Ben was more
than a firend or a mentor. He was a father.
He is a bit angry with Ben but he has to let that
anger go = Atonement
Obi Wan Kenobi comes to luke in spirit
form and tells him that he is ready
And thus is a hero
born, taught and fully
made
11. Returning
Some Heroes find returning problematic but Luke has no problem
coming back because he is now a pilot and a hero to many
… much he has to learn, still
12. Can we see this journey in any book?
The Spy who Came in from the Cold?
• Let me help you:
• Yes we do have a beginning of some sort. Leamas wants
out, we do meet a mentor of some sort
• No, he does not really follow the trials and does not
have some close father figure. We do not get to know
that much about his physical journey
• Perhaps Leamas’ journey is more psychological. Does
he struggle with conflicts in his mind?
13. Can we see this journey in any book?
Pride and Prejudice?
• Let me help you:
• Yes, Elizabeth is annoyed with her situation, hell – she
is annoyed with womens situation and wish for
something else – to marry out of love.
• No she does not go on a journey like Luke but she does
travel to Bingley’s house and a new and different way
of life. She is tempted in a way as well
• Perhaps we have to dig deeper into her emotional side
and her pride. Maybe it is a journey of letting go?
