My Hero's Journey

Part 1: I have always loved superheroes. From Marvel to the DC comics, I have always enjoyed the comics and movies. In my private time, I obsessed over the classics; Captain America, Iron Man and The Flash. Although I had a burning passion for these characters, I never felt comfortable showing my interest. I was afraid of being made fun of, for believing in superheroes. As I watched the movies over and over, I noticed a pattern in all of them. All of them stepped out of their comfort zone, they became who they are because they took a chance of losing what they had. So starting from winter break, I decided to do the same.

“Joy! Come over here quickly before getting in the car!” My father beckoned me over as I shoved the last suitcase into
A good example of this is Harry Potter. The first step of a “Hero’s Journey” is starting from the ordinary world. This means that the story starts in everyday life, where the hero is going about everyday existence, oblivious of the adventures to come. This confirms the character as a human, before it also becomes a human. When anchored as a human, it confirms that it is just like you and me, and hence we can associate ourselves with the character. Harry Potter (also known as The Chosen One or The Boy Who Lived) was raised by his ordinary human (muggle) Aunt and Uncle in the suburbs of London. The second step is the call to adventure, meaning that the character is presented with a problem or a challenge which they feel it is their duty to solve. The call to adventure in Harry Potter’s case is when he is informed that he is in fact a wizard, and that he has to go to Wizarding school where he will learn many things about the world he is set to live in, and of himself. The third step is the refusal to the call. The character may hesitate at jumping into the task that has been presented to them, perhaps even refusing the challenge or having second thoughts about it. The character may feel scared, and would be more comfortable at home than chasing the villain. That is another way that we would bond further with the character. Harry Potter never intended to become a hero. He just stumbled into many situations where he had to be one. Although he never refused, it was never his intention. The fourth step is meeting the mentor. The mentor helps the character prepare for what is coming, or what to expect. Harry Potter’s teachers taught him many things that he would use often to defeat his enemies in the future. Although he had several mentors, the one that had the most impact on his life was Professor Dumbledore. As the journey goes on, the