The Archetype of the Hero's Journey

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George Lucas and the Power of Myth
Students explore the archetype of the hero's journey, myths of good and evil and their impact in the modern world, and the impact of George Lucas in modern myth. Students read, research, write, debate, and produce projects. This set of standards-based lessons is from the PBS American Masters series.

Hero: The Hero Archetype in Literature, Religion, and Popular Culture
An outline of characteristics with illustrations from Star Wars, Braveheart, The Lion King, and other stories.

Heroes are Made of This: Studying the Character of Heroes
Students explore the concept of heroism in life and in literature. Most of the 6 sessions of this unit plan can be used consecutively or individually. This lesson is designed for grades 9-12.

The Hero's Journey
Students use this interactive site to create a hero and journey, guided by the archetype.

The Hero's Journey
An environment to explore the classic mythical story structure, sometimes called the monomyth, and to create your own stories.

The Hero's Adventure
Questions to support Joseph Campbell's work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Scroll down for a biography of George Lucas. This handout requires MS-Word or compatible application for access.

How have the qualities of heroes changed over time?
In this WebQuest, students compare the qualities of ancient Greek heroes with modern heroes.

Preparing for the Journey: An Introduction to the Hero Myth
Before reading a challenging narrative such as The Odyssey, it is useful to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the myth and structure behind the literary concept of the hero and the hero’s journey. This lesson engages students in an exploration of the journey through picture books and an online interactive tool. After analyzing the picture books and presenting their findings to the class, students are better equipped to embark on the study of a more substantial text. Designed for grades 9-12.

A Story of Epic Proportions: What makes a Poem an Epic?
Students learn about the epic poem form and to its roots in oral tradition. They study the epic hero cycle and will learn how to recognize this pattern of events and elements in both ancient and modern texts, including Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter.

Tracking the Ways Writers Develop Heroes and Villains
After examining how moviemakers communicate the villainy of Darth Vader, students examine a passage from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that describes the villain Voldemort, noting how Rowling communicates details about the character. Students then read novels in small groups, with each group member tracking a character in a reading log. When they finish their novels, students design posters and present details on their novels to the class. Designed for grades 9-12.