The Hero Quest

1
The Hero Quest

• Stages hero enters into and completes throughout
  a story
• Quest common to all myths, legends, fairytales

2
Introduced in His Ordinary World

• Must see how hero acts in his ordinary world
  before he is thrown into an unknown environment.
• Ex- farmboy at farm before farmboy into city

3
The Call to Adventure

• Presented with a problem, challenge, or
  adventure.

4
Reluctant to Call

• Facing the greatest of all fears- the fear of the
  unknown.
• Often refuses the call to adventure the first time

5
Encouraged By a Wise Character

• Needs a mentor to get over his fear and begins
  the adventure
• Mentor role
• Give knowledge or
  
  advice
• Give magical weapons
  or tools
• Mentor limitations can only go so far with the
  hero because eventually the hero must face the
  unknown alone.

6
Passes the First Threshold

• First enters the special world of his story
• Now committed to his journey and theres no
  turning back!

7
Encounters Tests and Helpers

• Forced to make allies and enemies in special
  world
• Forced to pass tests and challenges.

8
Reaches the Innermost Cave

• Comes to a dangerous place where the object of
  his quest is hidden.

9
Endures the Supreme Ordeal

• Faces the possibility of death or engages in
  fight with enemy
• Climax of story- will good triumph over evil?

10
Seizes the Treasure

• Survived death
• Focusing on treasure he/ shes been seeking.

11
The Road Back

• Hero pursued by vengeful force from whom he stole
  the treasure

12
Resurrection

• Leaves special world transformed by his
  experience.

13
Return with Treasure

• Returns to ordinary world and brings back
  treasure from special world.

14
Character Archetypes

• Common character models that are found in
  different stories throughout different cultures
  spanning throughout time.
• Rooted in myths and legends

15
Hero

• Protagonist
• Concentration self-sacrifice
• Must separate from home/ family
• Character tested through journey
• Returns wiser

16
Mentor

• Character who aids or trains hero
• Usually wise old man or woman
• Often has godlike qualities
• Equips hero by giving gifts

17
Threshold Guardian

• First obstacle hero will encounter
• Can be potential enemy or ally

18
The Herald

• Not always a person sometimes information.
• Disrupts the ordinary world (stage 1 of hero
  quest)

19
The Shapeshifter

• Distraction- keeps hero off guard
• Often opposite sex
• Sometimes romantic interest
• Can be a friend or ally
• Changing nature influences hero to transform
  himself/ herself

20
The Trickster

• Clown or mischief maker
• Comic relief- helps balance out serious quest
• Can work for villain or hero
• Weaker character

21
The Shadow

• Negative figure
• Usually the antagonist or villain
• Worthy opponent
• See himself as a hero on a quest