and the Quest Pattern

Trustworthy
Motivated
Adventurous
Confident

Brave
Inspirational

Characteristics
of a Hero
Honest

Courageous

Good Role Model

Intelligent

Extraordinary

Characteristics of a Hero:
Brave

High values

Strong leader

Honest

Courageous

Trustworthy
Good communicator
Motivated
Inspirational
Confident

Extraordinary Talent
Strength

Hopeful
Adventurous

Responsible to others
Positive

Good Role Model

Intelligent

The answer is as different as you

are...

Real-life heroes from history

Hatred paralyzes life; love
releases it. Hatred confuses
life; love harmonizes it. Hatred
darkens life; love illuminates it.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Real-life heroes from history

Houston, Tranquility Base here. The eagle has landed.

Thats one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.
Neil Armstrong,
Upon landing on the Moon,
July 20, 1969

Superheroes

I'm here to fight for

truth and justice.

Superheroes

All women can do

wonders if theyre
put to the test.

Real-life heroes from today

"Firemen are going to get killed. When they
join the department they face that fact.
When a man becomes a fireman his
greatest act of bravery has been
accomplished. What he does after that is
all in the line of duty. They were not
thinking of getting killed when they
went where death lurked. They went there
to put the fire out, and got killed.
Firefighters do not regard themselves as
heroes because they do what the business
requires."
Edward Croker
Source: Chief, FDNY 1899-1911

Real-life heroes from today

I have missed more than 9000
shots in my career. I have lost
almost 300 games. On 26
occasions I have been
entrusted to take the game
winning shot . . . and missed.
And I have failed over and over
and over again in my life. And
that is why . . . I succeed.
Michael Jordan

Who are your heroes?

Real-life heroes from today

Mother

Uncle

Aunt

Father

Grandparents

Friends

In stories or films, what is a

hero?
A person who has demonstrated
courage or has done something
particularly noble, especially one
who has risked or sacrificed his
or her life for the greater good.

In mythology and legend,

what is a hero?

A man, often of divine ancestry (one or more

parents is a god or has special powers)

He is endowed with great courage and strength

He is celebrated for his bold exploits

He is favoured by the gods (ie. Good luck seems

to follow him)

Can the word hero mean

anything else?
Hero can also mean the main male
character in a novel, poem, or
dramatic presentation.
Note: The word hero is considered to be a gender-neutral
term. It is used to refer to admired women as well as men.

 In legends and myths, no matter what

country or era they are from, quite often the
heros story follows a pattern.
That means that a hero story written two
thousand years ago in China will be similar
to a hero story from Greece and even
similar to many hero stories written today.

Birth
Fabulous circumstances surrounding
conception, birth and childhood mark
the hero as different.
Eg. One of the parents is immortal, or
the hero comes from mysterious
circumstances.

Call to Adventure
Something big happens so that the
hero knows he or she has to do
something.
Eg. Someone dies and the hero has to
avenge the crime, something bad is
going to happen and only the hero can
stop it.

Helpers/Amulet
The hero gets help from someone or
something else (eg. a wizard, an old
man, a dwarf, a crone, or a fairy
godmother).
The helper commonly gives the hero a
protective amulet (charm worn against
evil) or weapon for the journey.

Crossing the Threshold

The hero starts on the adventure. Often
there is some sort of ordeal or a
threshold to cross.
This shows that the hero is not just some
ordinary person.
Eg. goes on a journey, crosses an ocean,
enters a dream, travels through time etc.

Tests
Hero travels through the world of adventure
where he must undergo a series of tests.
Tests are often violent encounters with
monsters, sorcerers, warriors, or forces of
nature.

Each successful test further proves the

heros ability and advances the journey
towards its climax or final battle.

Final Battle
The critical moment in the heros journey.
Often a final battle with a monster, wizard
or warrior.
Final battle allows for resolution of the
adventure.

Flight
After accomplishing the mission:

Hero must return to the threshold of adventure

and prepare for a return to the everyday world.

The flight stage may be quick (because the

hero is being chased by something crazy) or
relaxed (because nothing is chasing him).

Return
Hero again crosses the threshold of
adventure and returns to the everyday
world

Eg. an awakening, a rebirth, a

resurrection, or a simple emergence from
a cave or forest.

Home
Hero comes back from the adventure
changed and able to make his or her
world better.

The End