A Hero's Journey - Commonalities and Relevance of the Rubric of Heroic Action - Essay Example

Section/# A Heroes Journey: Commonalities and Relevance of the Rubric of Heroic Action For purposes of clarity, the heroes journey will be herein defined to exhibit the following 12 traits: 1)the heroes are introduced in the ordinary world, 2) they receive the call to action or adventure, 3) they are reluctant at first or refuse the call, 4) they are encouraged by a mentor, 5) they cross the threshold and enter the “special world”, 6) the encounter a series of tests, allies and enemies 7) they approach the in-most cave and cross a second threshold, 8) within this second cave they endure the ordeal, 9) they take possession of their reward, 10) they are pursued on the road back to the ordinary world, 11)they cross the third threshold and experience a resurrection/transformation, 12) they return with the elixir or treasure to benefit the ordinary world (Vogler 2). In this way, the reader can understand the way in which a writer or individual interacts with his chosen topic, works to force it into a reality, and hones the acumen of its message follows precisely the same steps as that the heroes journey represents. What is particularly interesting about this “mythological” approach to any given subject matter is that it nearly perfectly applies to the way that almost every story can be told. Evidence of this process can of course be seen with regards to the story of Odysseus. The author begins by recounting how the “ordinary world” presents the known reality and easy confines within Odysseus’ life will develop. In this way, the hero is presented as an entity that is uncomfortable and/or unaware of the underlying tension and struggle that brews beneath the surface. This develops the action into the secondary stage or “call to adventure”; represented by Odysseus choosing to “take the plunge” and embark upon his journey. This call to adventure is the impetus and or need that is exhibited by the deficiencies of the “ordinary world”. As a result of this imperfection this “call to adventure” exists as a means to answer this inequality. An interesting component of this call to adventure/action is the fact that Odysseus is reticent to heed its direction. This hearkens back to the first item with the “ordinary world”; acting as a type of buffer and constraint against the unknown dangers that very well exist within the confines of the unknown. This refusal is interesting in that it follows a spiritual undertone that often requires Odysseus to undergo a spiritual reassessment of morality in order to form a more realistic opinion with respect to the anticipated action that is awaiting him. In the fourth stage, the Odysseus receives mentorship; a fundamental aspect of the heroic development that he receives. The fifth stage revolves around the character stepping over the threshold which has thus far been the barrier for undertaking such an endeavor. This is of course a figurative and literal step in that it helps to define the way in which the character views their own circumstances as a function of the “mission” in which they are about to undertake. It is also not until this juncture that, according to the author, the character is fully committed to undergoing the demands and hardships that such a course of action necessarily implies. Similarly, the sixth step implies the character development that takes place once the character has stepped across the threshold. These developments are generally concentric around the tests, allies and enemies that the character encounters a function of endeavoring to complete his/her quest (Russel et al 22). Similarly, stages seven and eight refer to the lead up to and confrontation with the ordeal that has necessarily defined the struggle up until this point. As with any story and/or character revelation, the lead up to the action is oftentimes as intriguing to the audience as the action itself. In this manner, the author devotes some time to discussing the means by which screenwriters can further develop upon the themes that have been listed within the preceding steps within this contentious and exciting mechanism. Likewise, the ninth stage refers to the special reward that the character has received by virtue of facing their fear and conquering the entity or idea that originally spurred them to undertake such a quest. The author stipulates that within this stage, many wrongly believe that the battle is won; however, a certain pervasive fear is generally presented to the audience that there is a legitimate threat of losing the treasure that was gained. This threat to lost treasure comes as a function of the tenth stage of character development – the road back (Twining 93). This road back presents the alternative to the threshold that was mentioned previously. As the threshold denotes the barrier between the world of conflict and the “ordinary world”, so too does the road back represent the link between the ordinary world and the world of conflict that has been described. Dangers naturally exist on such a road; however, they are much less than those that have previously been developed upon. This idea of threshold is tested yet again in the second to last stage of character development, stage 11. Within this stage, near the very resolution of the plot, the hero is tested yet again. This final test is ultimately a function of testing to determine if the lessons that have been learned as a result of the previous steps will be headed and have been taken to heart. In this way, the writer is able to determine the merits of the hero as a function of the life lessons they will likely take away from the experience. Once the hero returns home, the author refers to this twelfth and final stage as the “return of the elixir”. Such an understanding can of course be literally and figuratively understood. The elixir can mean the actual measurable gain or treasure that has been returned as a function of the adventure, or the moral lessons and ideas which can be transferred to fellow mankind as a way to bring a better understanding to future generations concerning the plight and hardships that have been endured. In this way, both the literal and figurative meanings of such an “elixir” can have profound and powerful change mechanisms not only for the life of the hero but of those friends and loved ones he bequeaths such knowledge and treasure to (Kurland 34). The very same process that has been described can of course be seen with regards to my own personal life. For instance, upon turning 14 years of age, my brother came to me with the proposal that I should take a backpacking trip with him to the Grand Tetons. This proposal integrated the first determinant of the heroes journey in that is provide an introduction to the ordinary world; at least the world according to my brother. Secondly, it provided a call to action and an encouragement to engage with what was proposed. Thirdly, I was reluctant to accept as I knew that I was not in shape like he was and such a trip would be difficult to say the least. Fourthly, my brother acted as my mentor in that he was able to provide the proposal as well as provide continual encouragement for me to engage in this quest as I remained indecisive. Fifthly, crossing the threshold took place when I agreed to accompany him on this trip. The sixth step involved the series of trials and tests that I faced, both in preparation for it (physically and mentally) as well as the different trials and hardships that I experienced during the trip itself. Steps seven and eight were exhibited with regards to the many junctures in time that I considered the fact that my choice to go on this trip was poor and I should merely give up and turn around. Steps nine, ten, eleven, and twelve cannot be considered to have taken place in the same way that the heroic journey does as the following section will discuss. Understanding this “heroes” journey in a new light can be seen as a function of the fact that the return to the ordinary world, the retention of the “reward” and the life development that took place as a result were far diminished as compared to the way in which they are represented within heroic storytelling. Although my success in reaching the top of many peaks within the Grand Teton mountain range was a highlight of the trip, the reward in and of itself cannot have been said to have benefitted me and/or ultimately changed my worldview. In tying this personal experience into some of the course material that has been studied thus far this semester, it can definitively be stated that “Story Telling in the Digital Age” helps to shed a level of focus with regards to the amount of time and level of attention that the individual reader can or will devote to the traditional heroic journey or story. Whereas the writers of old, Homer included, could expand upon their topics and present a well defined explanation of how the hero integrated with the challenges and trials of their ordeal, the current era demands that rapid needs fulfillment and development is presented to the reader; something that the heroic process and journey does not readily lend itself towards. Works Cited Kurland, Michael. "Developing Minor Characters: How Small Parts Can Make A Significant Impact In Your Fiction." Writer 119.10 (2006): 33-36. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. Russell, William Benedict, III, and Stewart Waters. "Cinematic Citizenship: Developing Citizens Of Character With Film." Action In Teacher Education 32.2 (2010): 12-23. ERIC. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. Twining, James E. Active Participation In The Literary Encounter. n.p.: 1976. ERIC. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. Vogler, Christopher. The writer's journey : mythic structure for writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. Read More