The Hero's Journey
What does Campbell’s theory help writers understand about storytelling across cultures?
That stories share common plot structures, and writers can use these patterns to shape new narratives.
In the poem Ramayana, what major hardship first pushes Rama onto his journey?
His banishment caused by Kaikeyi’s interference.
Which sentence is the BEST example of a strong analytical claim?
A. The story has a character who faces problems.
B. The author uses events to show how a character grows.
C. The character changes in interesting ways.
D. Many things happen that affect the plot.
B. The author uses events to show how a character grows.
What profession did Santiago’s parents want him to pursue?
Priesthood.
A person “orients” themselves when they…
Identify their position relative to direction or surroundings.
Katniss volunteers for Prim, skipping a major step of the hero’s journey. What step does she bypass?
The Refusal of the Call.
How does recounting the slaying of Kabandha and other monsters shape our understanding of the poem’s tone?
It highlights the epic nature and the scale of Rama’s heroic challenges.
Which sentence integrates a quotation MOST smoothly into academic writing?
A. The character said, “I’m leaving,” and this shows he is upset.
B. “I’m leaving.” This shows he is upset.
C. The quote “I’m leaving” shows stuff about how he feels.
D. He is upset and then he said “I’m leaving” so that’s why.
A — The character said, “I’m leaving,” and this shows he is upset.
What theme is represented by the idea of a Personal Legend?
Pursuing one’s destiny or life purpose.
Which situation best demonstrates “purification”?
A filter removing contaminants from water.
In most stories, why does the hero hesitate before accepting the call to adventure?
Because change is frightening and the familiar world feels safer.
According to Wiesel in his speech "The Perils of Indifference," why is indifference worse than hatred?
Because it creates no response and helps the oppressor.
This method of blending a quote into your own sentence uses a lead-in phrase and follows the quote with explanation.
What is proper quote integration?
After being robbed in Tangiers, what perspective shift helps Santiago continue?
Seeing himself not as a victim but as someone on an adventure.
When might someone feel “agitated”?
When they are running late for an important meeting.
Who is typically fully supportive of the hero— the mentor or the threshold guardian?
The mentor.
Why does Wiesel claim indifference “is an end”?
Because it stops moral action and disconnects people from their humanity.
When a paragraph jumps topics or includes ideas in the wrong order, this element has broken down. Writers repair it by reorganizing sentences to follow a logical flow.
Organization
When Santiago digs for treasure and is beaten, what realization does he reach?
The treasure was back where his journey started.
What is an “omen”?
A sign that predicts or foreshadows a future event.
According to typical hero’s-journey structure, how many different “worlds” must the hero navigate?
Two — the ordinary world and the special world.
In "A Civil Peace," what does Jonathan mean when he repeats “Nothing puzzles God”?
He accepts that some events are beyond his control.
This sentence type often comes right after the claim and explains how the evidence supports your argument.
reasoning
The alchemist’s point that the desert was once a sea expresses what theme?
The inevitability of transformation and the cyclical nature of change.
Which scenario best shows what it means to demonstrate something?
A. A student quietly thinking about how a machine works
B. A scientist explaining a new device while showing how it operates
C. A writer imagining a scene for a story
D. A traveler packing items for a long trip
B. A scientist explaining a new device while showing how it operates