The Hero's Journey
In Spirited Away, which part could be considered the first step of The Hero's Journey, "The Ordinary World and why?"
The Ordinary World would be the beginning of the movie when Chihiro and her family are in the car driving to their new home because this is when we meet the protagonist and learn about her world pre-adventure
What's the difference between a simile and metaphor
While both create comparisons, similes do so through using "like" or "as", such as "my throat is as dry as a desert". Metaphors say something is something else, such as "my throat is a desert"
What is a falling action?
The falling action is the moment after the climax where things start to calm down and get easier for the main character
write a haiku
Answers can vary but the first line must have 5 syllables, then 7, then 5:
I am writing a
haiku and it's not so hard.
I think I did well.
Who is the newest teacher to join the Qualia faculty?
Davin
What happens in the 7th step of The Hero's Journey, "Approaching the Inner Cave?"
The hero sees a terrible problem ahead (the ordeal) and plans/prepares to face that problem.
what does "show, don't tell" mean?
It means that in writing, rather than stating something, try thoroughly describing it. Rather than telling the reader what is happening, show it to them. For example, instead of telling the reader that a character is a kind person, instead show that character is kind but describing the kind acts they perform
Name 2 of the rising actions from the Pixar short, Paperman.
1. the man briefly meets the woman but she leaves on a train
2. the man sees the woman in the building across the street but cannot get her attention with the paper airplanes
3. The man, desperate to find her, flees from his job and runs down to the street to find her. But she is already gone… He curses his wasted airplane and throws it into an alley. But then, a magical force blows the airplanes. He fights against the planes pushing him.
make up an example of a simple poem with the following rhyme scheme: ABABCC
Answers can vary:
If you were to go,
And I were to stay,
I would not say no,
But then you would say,
I never loved you at all,
And again, in love, you’d never fall.
Which staff member frequently goes backpacking?
Brian
list the 12 steps of The Hero's Journey in order. Extra points if you can explain each step
The Ordinary World
The hero is in a world they are used to and understand. But then…
Call of Adventure
Something changes, and now the hero needs to do something.
Refusal of the Call
At first, the hero may refuse the adventure. But this will only cause more suffering.
Meeting the Mentor
Someone or something guides and teaches the hero. They offer important knowledge and often help the hero cross the threshold
Crossing the Threshold
The hero commits to the adventure and enters a new, strange world.
Tests, Allies, Enemies
The hero is tested by new enemies and problems, helping them learn about the new world they’re in. They find new allies and help along the way.
Approaching the Inner Cave
The hero sees a terrible problem ahead, but they must continue. They may plan/ prepare to face the problem
The Ordeal (Death and Rebirth)
The hero will have to confront what’s in their inner cave- their most painful, difficult experience yet. But through this, they grow and become strong.
Reward
The hero survived the ordeal and has earned knowledge, power, confidence, etc
The Road Back
The hero takes that reward and prepares to return home, possibly encountering new obstacles along the way.
Resurrection
The hero confronts their one final test to see if they are truly worthy of victory. Have they sacrificed enough?
Return with Elixir
The hero has returned. Before, they were weak, but now they are strong and able to solve their own problems.
Give an example "showing" silence
answers can very but would likely be about what you can hear in the lack of noise
What question can one ask to help them determine the climax of a story?
What has the story been leading to or what have the rising actions been leading to?
What are 3 poetic devices that might be used in a spoken word poem? Why are these devices especially helpful to spoken word?
Performance, body language, tone of voice, alliteration, rhyming, internal rhyme, rhythm
Spoken word is meant to be heard and performed. These devices are used because they are pleasing to the eyes and ears, which cannot be picked up on when reading a poem on paper.
Which staff member has finished multiple half marathons?
Michelle
What is one theory as to why The Hero's Journey has shown up in cultures around the world before those cultures could easily communicate with each other?
It has shown up around the world because it is a storyline that reflects the internal conflicts that all people face in their everyday lives, drawing all people to this structure. It is both a physical, literal journey into a new world facing new threats (external conflicts that capture your attention) and an emotional journey to confront pain, fear, and weakness (internal conflicts that are more personally relatable)
Give an example of how would you "show" anger when describing an angry character
furrowed brow, tense lips, a protruding jaw or a clenched jaw, red in the face or sweating, yelling, maybe throwing items, large gestures such as flailing arms, posture may be a protruding chest
What are the common plot chart points for a horror story and how are these points used to further convey horror?
exposition, rising action, and climax. This is because horror stories typically end on a cliffhanger and so do not resolve the climax. Ending on a cliffhanger leaves the reader with an unresolved feeling that can feed into the fear from the story
Name 5 different poetic devices we discussed in class and give an example of each
simile, metaphor, personification, rhyming, internal rhyming, rhyme scheme, rhythm, alliteration, performance, tone, grammar, structure, hyperbole, show don't tell
Which staff member has been accepted to perform with a clown troupe recently?
JC
Pick a movie of your choice and explain how it follows The Hero's Journey. Steps include:
The Ordinary World
The hero is in a world they are used to and understand. But then…
Call of Adventure
Something changes, and now the hero needs to do something.
Refusal of the Call
At first, the hero may refuse the adventure. But this will only cause more suffering.
Meeting the Mentor
Someone or something guides and teaches the hero. They offer important knowledge and often help the hero cross the threshold
Crossing the Threshold
The hero commits to the adventure and enters a new, strange world.
Tests, Allies, Enemies
The hero is tested by new enemies and problems, helping them learn about the new world they’re in. They find new allies and help along the way.
Approaching the Inner Cave
The hero sees a terrible problem ahead, but they must continue. They may plan/ prepare to face the problem
The Ordeal (Death and Rebirth)
The hero will have to confront what’s in their inner cave- their most painful, difficult experience yet. But through this, they grow and become strong.
Reward
The hero survived the ordeal and has earned knowledge, power, confidence, etc
The Road Back
The hero takes that reward and prepares to return home, possibly encountering new obstacles along the way.
Resurrection
The hero confronts their one final test to see if they are truly worthy of victory. Have they sacrificed enough?
Return with Elixir
The hero has returned. Before, they were weak, but now they are strong and able to solve their own problems.
Answers vary
Describe the color blue to someone who has never seen it. You cannot use other colors within your description. For example, you cannot say blue is like a deep purple.
answers vary
what are the 6 different parts in a standard plot chart and an explanation of each part
1. exposition-introduce protagonist and setting
2. inciting incident-the main conflict has begun
3. rising action-things get harder
4. climax-the moment that the rising actions have been leading to is confronted
5. falling action-things get easier
6. resolution-how has the protagonist and their world changed?
In the poem, [i carry your heart with me (i carry it in], give 2 examples of how the poem plays with grammar and explain how those examples help convey the theme.
Answers can vary. Some examples include:
lowercase i's to show the speaker is not more important than the subject, parenthesis to portray embracing hugs, lack of spaces to show the speaker wants no space between them and their love.
4 staff at this school have, at some point, all attended the same college. Who are they and what is the college?
Katie, Ethan, JC, Jon
UMass Amherst