McBirney Text
Which of the following is NOT something that the hero necessarily encounters on their journey?
potential failure
new friends
difficult obstacles
romantic love
What is "romantic love" ?
What happens when the hero “crosses the threshold”?
1. The hero decides to stay in their ordinary world.
2. The hero meets their family again after the journey.
3. The hero enters a new and unfamiliar world where the adventure begins.
4. The hero receives their final reward for completing the journey.
What is "The hero enters a new and unfamiliar world where the adventure begins" ?
What is the duckling’s life like at the beginning of the story?
1. He is respected by all the other animals
2. He is ignored but happy
3. He is teased and treated like he doesn’t belong
4. He travels freely from place to place
What is "He is teased and treated like he doesn’t belong" ?
What is Piper’s “ordinary world” at the start of the story?
1. Living safely with the other birds in the nest
2. Flying far away from the ocean
3. Playing with other animals on the beach
4. Searching for shells in the deep water
What is "Living safely with the other birds in the nest" ?
Pick an example of your choice: What was the “ordinary world”?
Answers vary...
What is the main difference between the Ordeal and the Supreme Ordeal in the Hero’s Journey?
1. The Ordeal happens at the start of the story, while the Supreme Ordeal happens at the end.
2. The Ordeal is an early test of strength, while the Supreme Ordeal is the hero’s greatest and final challenge.
3. The Ordeal focuses on the hero’s reward, while the Supreme Ordeal focuses on the hero’s fear.
4. The Ordeal takes place after the hero returns home, while the Supreme Ordeal happens before the journey begins.
What is "The Ordeal is an early test of strength, while the Supreme Ordeal is the hero’s greatest and final challenge" ?
Which of the following describes the author's main purpose in the text?
1. to encourage authors to move away from the structure of the Hero's Journey
2. to show how common the structure of the Hero's Journey is in literature
3. to prove that essentially every story follows the Hero's Journey
4. to help readers understand how Campbell came to identify the Hero's Journey
What is "to show how common the structure of the Hero's Journey is in literature" ?
How does the duckling feel about leaving at first?
1. Excited and confident
2. Angry and ready for revenge
3. Scared to leave the only home he knows
4. Proud of his differences
What is "Scared to leave the only home he knows" ?
What event becomes Piper’s “Call to Adventure”?
1. Her mother leaves her alone on the beach
2. She sees crabs running by
3. She must learn to find her own food at the edge of the water
4. She loses a shell to the tide
What is "She must learn to find her own food at the edge of the water" ?
Pick an example of your choice. What is the character's greatest challenge or “Ordeal” in the story?
Answers vary...
Which of the following describes the beginning of the hero's journey?
The hero starts in an unfamiliar world and is confused.
The hero establishes a group of friends or allies who help them.
The hero's typical life is disturbed by some kind of event.
The hero realizes that they have a higher purpose than others.
What is "The hero's typical life is disturbed by some kind of event" ?
Which sentence best expresses the central idea of the text?
1. While different genres of literature exist, all of them follow the Hero's Journey.
2. When authors are writing novels, they intentionally adhere to the Hero's Journey.
3. The Hero's Journey establishes the structure of a story that countless stories follow.
4. The Hero's Journey is a helpful outline for authors to follow when writing.
What is "The Hero's Journey establishes the structure of a story that countless stories follow" ?
Reward: What does the duckling learn in the end?
1. He must pretend to fit in
2. He was wrong to leave the farm
3. He was actually a swan all along
4. He should stay alone forever
What is "He was actually a swan all along" ?
What deeper lesson does Piper’s journey reveal about growth and fear?
1. Real courage means avoiding situations that cause fear.
2. True growth happens when you face your fears and learn from them.
3. Confidence comes only from being the strongest in a group.
4. Change is impossible without help from others.
What is "True growth happens when you face your fears and learn from them" ?
Pick an example of your choice. What is the character's reward and journey home stage like?
Answers vary...
Why does the hero eventually accept the adventure?
They are anxious to experience new things with a new friend.
They are punished for initially refusing the adventure and receive help.
They must accept the adventure to save someone they care for.
They realize it's important to their personal growth to accept the adventure
What is "They are punished for initially refusing the adventure and receive help" ?
The structure of the Hero's Journey is…
not often used anymore.
beginning to bore readers.
only used in books of fiction.
present across genres.
What is "present across genres" ?
What is the duckling’s lowest moment?
1. When he gets lost
2. When he believes he will never belong anywhere
3. When he finds food in winter
4. When he sees birds flying south
What is "When he believes he will never belong anywhere” ?
Which ally helps Piper face her fear and continue her journey?
1. Her mother, who protects her from the water
2. Another baby bird who gives her food
3. A fish that brings her shells
4. A crab who shows her how to dive below the waves
What is "A crab who shows her how to dive below the waves" ?
Pick an example of your choice. How is the character transformed from the beginning of the story to the end?
Answers vary...
Which of the following describes Joseph Campbell's book?
It shows how a lot of stories follow the same plot structure.
It reveals the different kinds of hero stories that can exist.
It explores how every hero story is special in its own way.
It discusses how the typical hero story has become boring and overdone.
What is "It shows how a lot of stories follow the same plot structure" ?
What is the main purpose of the “Reward and Journey Home” stage in the Hero’s Journey?
1. To show that the hero’s adventure was a dream and nothing has really changed.
2. To reveal how the hero’s experiences have changed them and what they bring back to their ordinary world.
3. To introduce new enemies that keep the hero from returning home.
4. To restart the cycle of the Hero’s Journey with a new call to adventure.
What is "To reveal how the hero’s experiences have changed them and what they bring back to their ordinary world" ?
Reward / Realization: When the duckling sees the swans and realizes who he truly is, what deeper lesson does he learn about identity?
A. Identity is fixed and cannot change, no matter what happens
B. The way others treat you always defines your worth
C. Sometimes you must leave where you started to understand who you truly are
D. Belonging only matters if everyone likes you
What is "Sometimes you must leave where you started to understand who you truly are" ?
In what way is Piper’s transformation similar to the transformation of other heroes in the Hero’s Journey?
1. Like other heroes, Piper moves from fear to mastery, using her new skills to improve life for her community.
2. Piper’s change is unique because she remains afraid even after success.
3. Unlike most heroes, Piper never receives guidance from a mentor figure.
4. Piper’s transformation focuses only on survival, not personal growth or wisdom.
What is "Like other heroes, Piper moves from fear to mastery, using her new skills to improve life for her community" ?
Pick an example of a story. What is one ally and one enemy that the character has?
Answers vary...