What makes a hero? - Matthew Winkler

TED-Ed

4 Dec 201204:34

Summary

TLDRThe video script explores the universal 'Hero's Journey' narrative, as introduced by Joseph Campbell in 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces.' It outlines the 12 stages of this mythic structure, from the hero's ordinary world to their transformation and return, exemplified by characters like Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo. The script encourages viewers to recognize and embrace the hero's journey in their own lives, facing challenges and growing from the experiences.

Takeaways

🌟 The 'Hero's Journey' is a common narrative structure found in myths and stories across different cultures, as identified by Joseph Campbell.
📚 Campbell's book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' explores this universal pattern and its manifestations in various myths.
🔄 The Hero's Journey is a cycle that starts and ends in the hero's ordinary world but includes a transformative journey through a special world.
🏠 The journey begins with the 'Status Quo', where the hero receives a 'Call to Adventure' that disrupts their normal life.
👴 Assistance often comes from a mentor figure who helps the hero prepare for the challenges ahead.
🚪 The 'Departure' marks the hero's crossing into a new, unfamiliar world filled with trials and adventures.
🤔 'Trials' involve the hero overcoming obstacles, solving riddles, or defeating enemies to progress on their journey.
😨 The 'Crisis' is the darkest moment for the hero, where they face death or a significant loss, leading to a rebirth.
💎 'Treasure' is the reward or power the hero gains after overcoming their greatest challenge.
🔄 The 'Return' sees the hero coming back to their ordinary world, often with a new perspective or status.
🛑 The 'New Life' and 'Resolution' indicate that the hero's life has been irreversibly changed by their journey, leading to a new status quo.
🎥 Popular books and movies often follow the Hero's Journey template, such as 'The Hunger Games' with Katniss Everdeen's story.
🧗‍♂️ The Hero's Journey is not just a story template but also a reflection of the human experience, encouraging us to face our fears and grow from our experiences.
🔍 Joseph Campbell's quote suggests that the challenges we fear may hold the answers or growth we seek.

Q & A

What is the 'Hero with a Thousand Faces'?
-It is a book by Joseph Campbell that studies myths from around the world and explains how they represent the mono-myth or Hero's Journey.
What is the 'Hero's Journey'?
-It is a narrative pattern that describes the stages that a hero goes through in a story, starting and ending in the hero's ordinary world but passing through an unfamiliar, special world.
What are the key events in the Hero's Journey cycle?
-The key events include the hero's status quo, call to adventure, assistance, departure, trials, approach, crisis, treasure, result, return, new life, resolution, and the upgraded status quo.
What does 'Call to Adventure' signify in the Hero's Journey?
-It is the point in the story where the hero receives a mysterious message, invitation, or challenge that sets the plot in motion.
Who is the character that provides 'Assistance' to the hero in their journey?
-In many stories, the assistance comes from a character who is older or wiser, providing guidance or support to the hero.
What does 'Departure' entail in the Hero's Journey?
-It is the moment when the hero crosses the threshold from their normal, safe home and enters the special world of adventure.
What challenges does the hero face during the 'Trials' stage?
-The hero faces various challenges such as solving riddles, slaying monsters, or escaping from traps during the trials stage.
What is the significance of the 'Crisis' in the Hero's Journey?
-The crisis is the hero's darkest hour where they face death or a near-death experience, leading to a rebirth or transformation.
What does the hero 'Claim' as a result of overcoming the 'Crisis'?
-The hero claims a treasure, special recognition, or power as a result of overcoming the crisis.
How does the 'Return' stage differ from the 'Departure' in the Hero's Journey?
-The return stage is about the hero coming back to their ordinary world after the adventure, often changed or transformed by their experiences.
How does the 'New Life' stage relate to the hero's personal growth?
-The new life stage signifies that the hero has outgrown their old life due to the experiences and transformations they underwent during their journey.
How does Joseph Campbell's concept of the Hero's Journey apply to modern stories like 'The Hunger Games'?
-Modern stories like 'The Hunger Games' follow the Hero's Journey template, with characters like Katniss Everdeen experiencing the call to adventure, receiving assistance, and going through various stages of the journey.
What is the symbolic meaning of 'In the cave you fear to enter lies the treasure you seek'?
-This quote by Joseph Campbell suggests that the most significant personal growth and rewards come from facing and overcoming our deepest fears and challenges.
How can the Hero's Journey be reflected in our own lives?
-The Hero's Journey can be seen in our own lives as we leave our comfort zones, face transformative experiences, recover, and then face new challenges, much like the hero in stories.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Hero's Journey: Myths and Modern Stories

This paragraph introduces the concept of the 'Hero's Journey' as described by Joseph Campbell in his book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces.' It suggests that various heroes from modern literature and ancient myths, such as Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo, follow a similar narrative structure. The paragraph outlines the stages of this journey, which includes a call to adventure, receiving assistance, departure into a special world, facing trials, approaching and overcoming the main crisis, claiming a treasure, and returning home transformed. It also invites the audience to consider how popular books and movies, like 'The Hunger Games,' adhere to this formula and encourages them to reflect on the hero's journey in their own lives.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Hero's Journey

The 'Hero's Journey' is a narrative framework identified by Joseph Campbell in his book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces.' It describes the common structure found in myths and stories from various cultures, where a hero embarks on an adventure, faces and overcomes a crisis, and returns home transformed. In the video, this concept is central, as it is used to analyze the commonalities between modern characters like Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo, and heroes from ancient myths.

💡Mono-myth

The term 'mono-myth' refers to the underlying, universal myth that Campbell believed was present across all cultures and stories. It is the singular narrative pattern that the 'Hero's Journey' represents. In the script, the mono-myth is the foundation for understanding how different stories, despite their unique details, follow a similar structure, reflecting a shared human experience.

💡Call to Adventure

A 'Call to Adventure' is the pivotal moment when a hero receives a challenge or invitation that disrupts their ordinary world and sets them on the path of the adventure. In the video, this is exemplified by Katniss Everdeen when her sister's name is called in the lottery, compelling her to enter the Hunger Games, thus beginning her journey.

💡Assistance

'Assistance' in the context of the Hero's Journey refers to the support or guidance the hero receives, often from a mentor figure. It is crucial for the hero's development and success in their quest. In the script, Haymitch provides this assistance to Katniss, helping her navigate the challenges of the Hunger Games.

💡Departure

The 'Departure' is a stage in the Hero's Journey where the hero leaves their familiar surroundings and enters a new, often dangerous, world. This act signifies the hero's commitment to their quest. In the video, Katniss's departure is marked by her boarding a train to the capital, symbolizing her transition from her ordinary life to the extraordinary world of the Games.

💡Trials

'Trials' are the challenges and obstacles the hero must face and overcome during their journey. These tests of strength, wit, or character are essential for the hero's growth. In the script, the trials are implied in the various challenges that heroes like Katniss must face in the Hunger Games.

💡Crisis

The 'Crisis' is the climax of the Hero's Journey, where the hero confronts their greatest fear or foe, often resulting in a near-death experience. This is a transformative moment that leads to rebirth or a significant change in the hero. The script refers to this as the hero's darkest hour, where they face death and are reborn.

💡Treasure

'Treasure' in the Hero's Journey is the reward or prize that the hero gains as a result of overcoming the crisis. It can be a physical object, special recognition, or newfound power. The script uses the roar to symbolize the treasure that the hero claims after their transformative experience.

💡Return

The 'Return' stage signifies the hero's journey back to their ordinary world, often with a newfound wisdom or power. It is a crucial part of the cycle, as it shows the hero's transformation and how they bring back their experiences to their original context. In the video, the return is mentioned as the hero's return to their ordinary world after the adventure.

💡New Life

'New Life' represents the changes in the hero after their journey, indicating that they have grown and evolved, often to the point where their old life no longer fits. The script suggests that the quest changes the hero, and they must adapt to this new reality, which is a higher level of the status quo.

💡Resolution

'Resolution' is the final stage of the Hero's Journey where all the plotlines are resolved, and the story reaches its conclusion. It is the point where the hero's transformation is complete, and the impact of their journey is fully realized. In the script, resolution is mentioned as the point where all tangled plot lines get straightened out.

💡Status Quo

'Status Quo' refers to the original state of equilibrium or normality from which the hero starts their journey and to which they may return, albeit changed. The script uses 'Status Quo' to bookend the Hero's Journey, indicating both the starting point and the endpoint of the cycle, with the latter being an upgraded version due to the hero's experiences.

Highlights

Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo share a commonality with the heroes of ancient myths, all being variants of the same hero.

Joseph Campbell's book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' explores the concept of the mono-myth or Hero's Journey.

The Hero's Journey is a cycle that begins and ends in the hero's ordinary world, with a quest through a special world.

Key events in the Hero's Journey include receiving a call to adventure, receiving assistance, and departure from the normal world.

Trials involve the hero solving riddles, slaying monsters, and escaping traps.

The Approach stage is where the hero faces their biggest ordeal and worst fear.

In the Crisis stage, the hero faces death, potentially dies, and is reborn.

The Treasure stage sees the hero claiming a treasure, special recognition, or power.

The Result stage varies, with outcomes ranging from monsters bowing down to the hero or chasing him away.

The Return stage marks the hero's return to his ordinary world after the adventure.

In the New Life stage, the quest changes the hero, who has outgrown his old life.

Resolution involves untangling all the plot lines of the story.

The Status Quo is restored at a new level, signifying that nothing is the same after becoming a hero.

Many popular books and movies closely follow the ancient Hero's Journey formula.

The Hunger Games is used as an example to demonstrate how well it fits the Hero's Journey template.

The Hero's Journey myth exists in all human cultures and is continually updated through symbolic stories of our lives.

Joseph Campbell's quote encourages individuals to face their fears and seek the treasure within the symbolic cave.

The transcript encourages viewers to be sensitive to the Hero's Journey formula in their own lives and to embrace their call to adventure.