The Hero's Journey: Exploring Archetypes and Narrative Structures
An 8th-grade ELA worksheet exploring the stages and archetypes of the Hero's Journey narrative structure.
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The Hero's Journey: Exploring Archetypes and Narrative Structures
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Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful answers. This worksheet explores the concept of the Hero's Journey, a common narrative pattern found in myths, legends, and modern stories.
The Hero's Journey, also known as the monomyth, is a common narrative pattern identified by scholar Joseph Campbell. It describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero, the person who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of the group, society, or civilization. The journey typically involves a series of stages: The Call to Adventure, Refusal of the Call, Meeting the Mentor, Crossing the Threshold, Tests, Allies, and Enemies, Approach to the Inmost Cave, Ordeal, Reward, The Road Back, Resurrection, and Return with the Elixir. This universal pattern suggests that all heroic tales, regardless of culture or time period, share fundamental structural elements.
1. Who identified the common narrative pattern known as the Hero's Journey?
J.R.R. Tolkien
Joseph Campbell
George Lucas
William Shakespeare
2. Which of the following is NOT typically a stage in the Hero's Journey?
The Call to Adventure
Refusal of the Call
The Daily Commute
Return with the Elixir
3. The Hero's Journey is also known as the .
4. A common figure who aids the hero at the beginning of their journey is called the .
5. Briefly explain what the 'Call to Adventure' stage entails in the Hero's Journey.
Match each Hero's Journey stage with its description.
6. Crossing the Threshold
a. The hero faces their greatest fear or a life-or-death crisis.
7. Ordeal
b. The hero leaves the known world and enters the special world.
8. Return with the Elixir
c. The hero brings back a boon or treasure to benefit their community.
9. Think of a favorite book, movie, or video game character. Describe how their story follows at least three stages of the Hero's Journey. Be specific with examples from their narrative.
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