The Hero's Journey


The Keeper 2008
The Hero's Journey

While the fictional Star Wars universe had proven both facinating and inspiring. It was the mastermind's and influances that were used in the Star Wars creation that had ultimatly captured the Jediism/Realism Community most. Philosophiers, Religious practices, historic figures, people and beliefs of this earth all taken, reviewed and brought into a new reality that so many were able to relate to without the ties from which they came from.

One such Mastermind that George Lucas drew from the most was a Philosopher named Joseph Campbell and his book "The Hero With a Thousand Faces" published in 1949 which look's into the archetypal hero and mythologies of our own world history.

Joseph Campbell delved into a theory that the world myth's and stories of hero's all had a similar fundamental structure regardless of time and culture. He called this the Monomyth and it became an integral part of the creation of many novels, movies and modern TV shows since. Including, Star Wars.

The belief of this Monomyth, or later phrased "The Hero's journey" was a series of way point's that an individual faces before becoming a Hero. This Journey went along the lines of

The start of an Adventure -> Faces a crisis -> Emerges victoriously -> Comes home transformed from what he was before.





This basic structure of the Hero's Joruney then expands into a 17 step process that ultimate challenges and prepares the hero to not only become a better person, but one worthy of the honorable label.

This Monomyth captured the heart of many Jediism/realist Community members and became a foundation that Jedi could adhere to and be much closer to non fictional (And possibly illegal) Ties with the Star Wars sources that first inspired them.

It also encouraged other questions. If Joseph Campbell had inspired George Lucas....what other practices had a play in the development of our beloved space monks?



Journal Entry

  • Research the Hero's Journey and write about the 17 step's of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth
  • Break down each step and write about them in your own words. Does it apply to you? What are some positive and negative thoughts that comes from researching the Hero's Journey?
  • Bonus!! Write about another novel, movie, series that you enjoy that also follows this Monomyth structure. (That isn't Star Wars)
  • Bonus!! Purchase a copy of the "The Hero With a Thousand Faces" and write a report about your thoughts.



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