Directions:
As individuals, we each can have a different definition or interpretation of what makes someone a “hero.” What is your own personal definition of “hero?” Do you think of yourself as a hero? Why or why not?
Joseph Campbell has devoted much of his life’s work to studying the mythology that surrounds and forms our concept of what a “hero” is and should be. Explain the most notable or interesting characteristics that Campbell attributes to a “hero.” What are the similarities between these Campbell’s definition of “heroism” and your own? What are the differences?
What parts of the video were most interesting to you, and why? What concepts were most difficult to understand? What are you still trying to figure out?
In thinking about that “quest for something more” that which we began the semester focusing on, how does Campbell explain that we do, in fact, find ourselves in the middle of different quests throughout our lives? How does Campbell show us that life is like a series of quests or adventures?
What does Campbell show us about the conflicts we have to go through to find our true selves, our individuality, our calling in life: what he would call “follow[ing] your bliss?” Do you agree that that commonality makes all of us heroes?
How do the concepts about heroism provided by Campbell apply to your own life and your own experience, or do they?
Offer examples and details from the video and from your own personal experience to support your answers.
Create one original post and respond in-depth to a minimum of two other students’ posts. This discussion is worth 15 points.
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Examining Heroism
Unlocked: Saturday, June 26, 2021 12:01 AM CDT – Thursday, July 1, 2021 11:59 PM CDT. Must post first.
NOTE: Review Course Calendar or Checklist for this unit regarding original post due date.
Directions:
As individuals, we all face challenges in our lives that shape the kinds of people that we become. In some cases, we might be described as “heroic” for the way that we face these challenges or for the actions we take when we encounter a difficult situation. Joseph Campbell describes two types of heroic deeds: the physical and the spiritual. The physical, he says, focuses on the hero saving a life or sacrificing him/herself for another person. The spiritual, on the other hand, happens when a hero “learn[s] or [finds] a way to experience the super-normal and [comes] back to share his/her revelations.”
In this section, we are reading two stories that deal with these two types of heroic deeds: “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor. As you answer these questions, offer examples and quotes from one of the stories to support your answers.
Who is the hero, or protagonist, in one of these stories? What does this character do that seems heroic in terms of the way that Campbell describes the two types of heroic deeds? (Keep in mind that there may be some element of both the physical AND the spiritual in each of these characters. Analyze the protagonist in both ways if it seems appropriate.)
Do you consider the individual presented as the protagonist in this work to be a hero? Why or why not? Explain. Consider the flaws that are evident in each of these protagonists: what effect does it have on your perception of the character to see that the hero/protagonist is not perfect, that he/she makes mistakes as well? Does a character have to be flawless to be a hero?
Which of the three types of hero journeys do these characters find themselves in: being lured into the journey, intentionally setting out on the journey, or being pitched/thrown into the journey? Support your answer with evidence from the stories.
What internal and/or external conflicts does the hero face? How is this character’s conflict representative of a conflict that readers may encounter in their own lives? Review your lesson notes for information on internal and external conflicts if you need more information.
What enlightenment, or knowledge, comes to light as a result of the conflicts the character faces? (Note: the enlightenment may not happen in the story but may be, instead, the enlightenment that the reader comes to understand as a result of reading the story.) How does that make the protagonist who is described in the work to be a “heroic” individual?
In one sentence, then, state what you think the theme of each of these works might be. Look to the title for a clue about the message that the writer is trying to communicate, and focus on that idea as you write your statement of theme.
