Joseph Campbell and The Hero’s Journey In 2009
I am an absolute Joseph Campbell groupie and proud of it! Some girls chase rock stars. I chase deceased mythology professors. But he just makes so much sense about why great storytelling resonates so with people. It’s called the Hero’s Journey.
The Call To Adventure/The Refusal of the CallThe Reluctant Hero is who we all identify with.
Acceptance/Supernatural Aid
Finally our hero says enough is enough. There’s always a guide, a helper, someone to aid our hero.
Trials and Tribulations/Belly of The Whale
Fear, doubt, failure, until the make or break. The hero is strengthened or transformed, like a sword by fire and hammer.
Enlightenment/Change
Hero realizes the greater truth of situation, becomes more aware and wiser.
Success in Outer Quest/Forever Changed Inwardly
Hero accomplishes what they set out to do and return to their former world, but are no longer who they once were.
The greatest stories are the ones with the highest stakes, the insurmountable odds, the characters changed forever. Only with the change does the story stay with us.Duality is at heart a Cinderella story, a peasant healer becomes a half-dragon fire mage, falls for an elven prince against the wishes of both their families and has to rid her world of a demon. Insurmountable odds? Not if you believe!
Hedda’s Sword is a woman who deals with a horrific trauma by burying her heart from the world under an assassin’s icy façade. When she meets the perfect man, can she find the courage to free the inner woman and embrace living again? Can love really conquer all? If you only believe.
My motto is Believing Is Seeing. Have it on my website http://www.reneewildes.com
I think Joseph Campbell is alive and well in 2009! Come see for yourself.
May you always BELIEVE…
11 comments:
Renee, ever since I read excerpts of these two books, they have gone on my tbr pile. Talk about insurmountable odds! I need 24 hours a day more to read all the fabulous books that are coming out now! Good luck with your books!
Margay
Hi Renee, thanks for visiting today! I've actually read some of Campbell's work on mythology and I think his phrase "follow your bliss" sums up my experience of writing quite aptly.
Both of your books sound awesome and I can't wait to read them. Duality is right there at the top of my tbr pile right now, because when I saw "dragon" I went, ooooohh!
What else are you working on this year? Do you write full time, or do you have a day job?
Renee, you make me laugh!
I love folks who are unashamed about being fangirls of... well... odd 'superstars.'
Shows you're not shy about being different
and I LOVE different reads.
Morning, everybody!
I', still trying to get kids ready for school. Thanks for the well-wishes! I love using universal truths to go deeper - challenging to write but rewarding to read. I love Joseph Campbell's interview w/Bill Moyers - have on DVD and watch a lot. Even make the kids watch it. (My son's a Star Wars fan, and they use that as one of their examples.)
Guess I'll have to read Joseph Campbell and you! Thanks for the thoughtful post.
I am a fangirl of Joseph Campbell too. And here I thought I was alone. LOL!
Great post Renee. I love insurmountable odds. That's the whole point of reading.
Nope, you're not alone! My friend Kristen and I both worked for B&N for years - she writes straight fantasy and got me hooked on JC. She's also responsible for me owning a copy of the Kalevala - all you mythologist and epic poetry fans should try that on for size! It's awesome!
What I'm working on this year are actually holdovers from last year - I'm just finishing up Lycan Tides, which is Duality & Hedda's sequel. And I sold a contemporary paranormal novella to TWRP via their Got Wolf? contest, entitled "Marek's New World" that I'm working on.
I have a full-time day job w/OT and two grade-school kids, so my writing is more sporadic than I would like, but I really am aiming for a book a year!
I know how it feels to do the juggling thing, Renee! I was lucky enough to have Mondays off this last year, but that's changing as of this week--I'm back to a five day work week and I'm thinking it's going to take a long time to get used to it.
Congratulations on your awesome books and I look forward to seeing many more!
Holy Hannah - am I slow! I accidentally clicked on my name thinking it would show a profile or something and it popped me over to my own blog at Wordpress! Had no idea Blogger and Wordpress were linked like that!
Wow! Cool! Anyone want to check it out, come on over. I also have a website http://www.reneewildes.com. Stop by and drop me a note!
THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME, JK!
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