The Hero's Journey By Joseph Campbell

Seeing my sister and mother work independently and not knowing the way life would play out quickly became my drive. I took this downfall and this sadness and I invested it into school. I needed to be the best I could be so my father would be able to open a report card mailed to him for Christmas with straight A’s. I had to work triple the amount of what I was already doing. It was this moment in life that I knew that no factor in life would hold me back from becoming educated and independent in order to be able to give back to my family.

Heroism Paper Angela Steele Atlantic Cape Community College Technical Communication Professor Barbieri December 5, 2015 Heroism Paper Would most people put their lives at risk to save others or even those they had never met? According to Campbell (“The Hero’s Adventure https://www.youtube.com”) a hero is someone who has given his/her life to something bigger than himself or other than himself. Someone who has found, achieve or done something beyond the normal range of achievement or experience. This person possesses courage and has the ability to contain and overcome their fears. They are dedicated and focused on the outcome and achievements of the task at hand.

A question often addressed in literature, media, and art, as well as by people themselves. The typical idea of “heroism” tends to bring to mind an image of a superhero or someone who saves many lives, but does being heroic always involve having superpowers or putting yourself in danger to save others? Exploring what makes someone a “hero” in others’ eyes could just mean looking at people who do things that no one else would think or care to. Evaluating what defines a hero in the most basic sense can help to show what being a hero actually

What is a hero? Is it a being or idea classified by tights and capes or is it something more? A hero can be anything their society makes them out to be, which is the case in Etheridge Knight’s short story, “Hard Rock Returns to Prison.” A hero can also be a reassuring mother of a frightened child, as shown beautifully in John Hope Franklin’s short story, “The Train from Hate.” In both stories, the theme heroism plays important roles in their respective plots.

When one hears the word hero he or she would most likely think of the fictional, comic book superheroes. However, heroes are not limited to just comic books and actually do exist in real life. They may not have laser-vision or shape-shifting abilities; but instead they possess valuable assets that label them as both inspirational and influential. Yet, overall, there is no clear-cut definition of a hero and, the definition varies for each individual. In actuality, heroes come in countless forms and generally speaking, have a positive impact in either one or numerous lives, and, A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, demonstrates how everyone has the opportunity to be a hero.

What makes a hero? Is a hero someone who commits a sacrifice for something greater than himself? A person who does what is right, no matter the cost? In his work The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell lays the groundwork of the monomyth; a similar hero's journey or cycle that is present in almost every myth, in every culture. Campbell’s “The Power of Myth” and the hero wheel both add further criteria to define just what it is to be a hero.

A heroes journey To be a hero. No more does it take a brave knight draped in armor raving his sword at a fire breathing dragons to be a hero. To be a hero can be as simple as changing up from something you've been use to struggle a little bit but then rock it afterwards. Hero’s live amounts us everywhere. Here I will take you through one of my favorite hero journey stories.

When I reflect over the 23 years I have spent on this earth, I can pick many instances in which my life resembled that of Campbell's definition of a hero's journey, but I think the events of the past four years have by far, been the most defining. Growing up I was always a bit of a wild-child. I was (and still am) impulsive, I

A hero can be identified in any form of literature. A hero for each person differs in every way, shape, and form. Even though they all are physically and mentally different, they all go through the same process: separation - initiation - return. In Joseph Campbell’s piece, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, he explains why all heros are actually the same behind all the differences we see.

After careful examination of the article, “Where I Find My Heroes” authored by Oliver Stone, it became apparent that Stone uses the rhetorical devices of examples and imagery to help convey his definition of a hero. To help portray his image of a hero, Stone provides examples of heroes all throughout his lifetime. For example, he later stated that as a child, “My heroes were always people like George Washington and General Custer and Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. Men, generally, and doers” (Stone 1). Then as he talks about what he believes fits the definition of a hero now, one can see that he has mentally evolved to that of someone who should be honored for sacrifices made, not actions that led them to fame.

Scott LaBarge’s essay “Heroes: Why Heroes are Important” is well written because he effectively uses pathos, logos, and karios when explaining heroes to his audience. When something goes wrong or we feel like we cannot continue, we could all use someone to step in and change our situation. Everyone needs a hero. LaBarge gives an excellent example from his high school days; Thoreau inspired him and became his hero. The high school period of one’s life is a difficult period.

Ever since I graduated High school they kept pushing me like if I was one a swing, to keep going and I did, I attended Heritage University. I did not want to be far away from my parents and sister, so Heritage was the best option I had. My parents have been my every day inspiration because every day they work so hard to bring food and keep a roof under our heads and I am very thankful for that. That’s why I’m here going to school and trying my best to graduate and become someone later, so they can be glad that I achieved and didn’t back out. We have to follow the path because that path never ends it might have rough edges and bumps, but as long as you believe you will soon get to your destination.

The term “hero” can be interpreted in numerous ways between different cultures. A hero varies according to gender, race, religion, and what he or she has accomplished that has given him or her the title of a hero. Joseph Campbell in “The Hero’s Journey” sets up a criteria for heroes. One of the qualities a hero must have is that he or she must have gone beyond “normal”achievement. Moreover, a hero must have given one’s self up to something “bigger.”

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. ”- Christopher Reeves. This represents how in life a regular person can turn into a hero just being able to find strength within themselves and “endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” The author is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

His life was not always as easy as if may seem. When he was young, he had a growth hormone deficiency and his parents were unable to for the medical help he needed. He needed 900 dollars a month for his treatment and his family did not have that kind of money. He never let this stop him. He worked hard and longer than the other people he was around and it paid off for him.