Michael Yadon
Professor Solso
HRS 151
17 September 2014
Reading Response 1 The book is broken up into two main parts. The first is called The Adventure of the Hero and has four chapters. In Departure the chosen hero is called on a quest. At first the hero is reluctant to leave his old life behind, but otherworldly forces push him forward, usually in the shape of a wise one who gives aid or advice. The journey to the magical realm is secure and the gate is usually protected by a monster. After traversing the gate into the new realm, the hero is plagued by adversity. In Initiation the hero must overcome a series of dangerous trials in order to prove himself. He meets with the leaders of the world, such as Earth Mother and Temptress, and is then granted knowledge and powers of his own. In Return the hero goes back to his world in order to share his new gift to others. In the last chapter, The Keys, the author tries to identify the nature of the treasure the hero brought back from his journey. The second part takes a different approach and instead of concentrating on the details of the hero’s journey, he chooses a alternative perspective and looks at the oppositions of existence, like creating something from nothing. Joseph Campbell wrote a wonderful book about the human journey. He depicts the process of a “hero” and the trials and difficulties that they go through every day in order to become that person that they want to be. Campbell uses examples from numerous myths,