Thursday, December 9, 2010

J.C.'s Hero's Journey Pattern Analysis

What is the Hero’s Journey Pattern?
By: J.C.

The Hero’s Journey Pattern, is the way many ancient stories go. There are eight steps to this pattern and they are:

1. Hero’s mother is of royal decent or a virgin, and the hero’s birth is unusual and possibly a gods conception.
2. Hero is in danger at young age, and hidden away, or raised by another family.
3. Hero gets a call to adventure.
4. Hero is trained by a special trainer and receives a special weapon, ability, or skill.
5. Hero makes a journey to the underworld and almost dies.
6. Hero fights a villain, giant, himself (self conflict), or any magical creature.
7. Marries a princess or somehow becomes exalted.
8. End result of the story is order is restored, something of importance is found out, someone is saved, or there is a great reward.

I think the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, is a great example of the Hero’s Journey Pattern. Percy Jackson, The main character of the story is a troubled twelve-year-old boy who lives with him mom and step father in an apartment in New York City. Percy, who is a half-blood which means the same thing as a demigod (half human, half god). So Percy was hidden at a young age from things that could be a danger to him. After a series of unusual events happen, Percy is accused of a holy crime by the gods, he then goes to a camp for kids like him called Camp Half Blood. There he is taught to be a hero by the trainer of heroes. When Percy sets out on his quest he receives a special item. Percy journeys across the country to Los Angeles, California, where the entrance to the Underworld is. Percy then fights a god to help restore order. Once the god is defeated, Percy journeys to the six-hundredth floor of the Empire State Building to return what was stolen. The item is returned and order is restored. I recommend this book to the teenage reader who likes adventure and mystery. Personally I found the book a bit cheesy but all in all it was a good read.

In the book, Percy fulfils the eight steps in the following ways.
STEP 1. Hero is born to a royal virgin, possible god conception.
Example. Percy's mom is mortal and his dad is a Greek god.

STEP 2. Hero is in danger at a very young age and hidden away.
Example. Percy's mom marries Percy's step father and is sent off to boarding schools to keep him safe.

STEP 3. Hero gets his call to adventure or quest.
Example. Percy gets sent away to a summer camp where he talks to an oracle that tells him what he must do.

STEP 4. Hero is trained by a hero trainer and acquires a special weapon, power, or skill to help on the hero's quest.
Example. Percy is trained by the hero trainer Chiron at Camp Half Blood and is given a special sword to help Percy with his journey.

STEP 5. Hero makes journey to the Underworld, almost dies, but then makes it out alive.
Example. Percy and his friends set off to find the Underworld in L.A. California, they find it after going through many obstacles as they make their way through, and make their way out.

STEP 6. Hero fights villain, giant, dragon, self, or any other kind of creature.
Example. Percy fights a long battle with a god and defeats him with his special powers.

STEP 7. Hero marries a princess or becomes exalted in some way.
Example. Percy returns what was stolen from the gods and gains their respect.

STEP 8. Hero restores order, something of importance is found out, somebody is saved, or hero receives a great reward.

Example. Percy returns to camp as a hero, and is respected by his peers and elders. The war between the gods ends, Percy's mother is saved from a terrible fate, and Percy is saved from his step father.
I believe the Hero’s Journey can be applied to anybodies life, some things may not fit, but chances are that you will find a way to apply them to your life in the future. The Heroes Journey is simple to apply, things don't have to be perfect to apply them, if anything somehow resembles to the pattern, and it is just as good as if it fits to a tee. If you apply these things to your life, it will make your life more interesting!!!

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