9. The Return with the Elixir

Recap of the Hero's Journey

Heroes are introduced in the Ordinary World where they receive the Call to Adventure. They are reluctant at first or Refuse the Call, but are encouraged by a Mentor to Cross the First Threshold and enter the Special World where they encounter Tests, Allies, and Enemies. They Approach the Inmost Cave, crossing a second threshold where they endure the Ordeal. They take possession of the Reward and are pursued on the Road Back to the Ordinary World. They cross the third threshold, experience a Resurrection, and are transformed by the experience. They Return with the Elixir, a treasure that benefits the Ordinary World.

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In this LAST blog post I want you to complete it from a personal perspective, while connecting to the novels you have read this semester.

The final stage of the journey is the RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR - it is the time when the hero returns to his or her ordinary world a changed person. At this stage, the hero has learned much from the challenges they have faced on the journey that will help as they face new challenges and go on subsequent journeys.

Identify and explain three lessons (about yourself, others or the world around you) you have learned from three different novels read this year. What have you brought back to your ordinary world that is new and different and will maybe cause you to think about things differently as you move into the special world of grade 10 English next year? Write specifically about HOW these lessons have been taught to you from the characters you have come to know.  WHAT IS YOUR ELIXIR??

Just as your characters have gone on an inner journey - so have you this semester.

8. The Reward

8. The Reward

Once the hero has moved beyond the ordeal after careful preparations, they are rewarded with something that they truly need. The hero can be rewarded with love from another, a new appreciation of their home or family, or a newfound respect for themselves. The reward can also be something more tangible: money, material goods or other such 'valuable' items. In either case, the hero gets 'paid' in some way for accepting the journey and seeing it through regardless of the doubts, tests, and enemies he or she has faced.

YOUR TASK TODAY IS TO . . . Write a short organized paragraph response with textual support in which you make a connection between this book and the reward stage of the journey.  

HERE IS YOUR PROMPT: In a book you have read this semester, try to figure out what the character's reward has been as they reach the end of their journey. (Sometimes the reward is something that the character needs rather than wants - so watch for this).  Identify and describe the reward the character receives and then make a comment on whether you believe the reward is appropriate for the journey the character has undergone.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave to face the Ordeal

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave to face the Ordeal

We have now reached the special world of the hero and will focus our attention on the final stages of the journey. Today, you will connect specifically to The Approach to the Inmost Cave and the Ordeal.

The stage, Approach to the Inmost Cave, is described as a time when the hero makes the preparations needed to approach the dark place that leads to the central crisis (the ordeal). Maps may be reviewed, lists made, attacks planned, a spy plan launched, and possibly the enemy's force whittled down before the hero can face his greatest fear, or the supreme danger lurking ahead.  

The Ordeal can be described as the central life-or-death crisis, during which the hero faces their greatest fear, or confronts their most difficult challenge.

Think about what you would do to prepare for an imminent natural disaster, like a hurricane.


YOUR TASK TODAY:
In your novel, identify and describe the preparations (approach to the inmost cave) that your main character does in order to face and eventually resolve his or her crisis (ordeal). If a character does not prepare to face and solve his/her crisis, how does this impact his or her success at the ordeal stage?

**Include at least one direct quotation from your novel to support each of these two stages of the journey. Build a quotation sandwich by introducing the quotation, inserting the quotation and then explaining the quotation's significance to the stage of the journey.  Include a proper in-text citation (Author, Title page) following each quotation.

As a sample, take a look at this youtube clip. How does this showcase the qualities of one or both of the journey stages you will write about today?

Each of you should have FIVE blog posts complete as of today. If you do not have this done, it needs to become a priority to get caught up!!

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This week, instead of creating your own blog post, you will continue commenting  on your peers' blogs. Everyone will write ONE comment on one of the first five posts written by six of your classmates this week (6 peers x 1 post = 6 comments in total). 

Which BLOGS do I post comments to? Select the blogs that belong to the six students whose names are listed BELOW your name on the 'Our Class Blogs' list found in the sidebar to your right.

How do I do this? Click on the names of six of your peers below your name. Read the posts they have written so far, and then scroll to the bottom of each where you will find a comment box. Choose one post on which to comment, then go to the next peer's blog. NOTE: If you do not have six peers' names below your name,  go to the top of the list to make up your six peers. 

What do I do if the peer that I am supposed to make comments to doesn't have all of their posts done? You have 6 comments to make, so move to the next peer down the list. 

Which kinds of comments should I make? You need to comment on what the person has said in the blog post you are commenting on. Read the rules below before proceeding:

DO NOT . . . 

Do not be rude.

Do not be sarcastic.

Do not just tell the blogger they are awesome or that it is the best blog post you have ever read. 

Do not make an inside joke.

Do not insult or otherwise demean the writer.

Do not leave an empty comment (I really liked your picture; I enjoyed this post; I think I might read this book too - these can be much better through added detail)

DO. . .

Genuinely look at what they have said about their books and respond accordingly.

Make an intelligent comment on the book, the topic or the ideas presented by the blogger.

Extend the blogger's thinking by linking their ideas to something else (another text, your personal experiences or the world).

Ask the blogger a question about what they have read or what they have said.

Offer a suggestion for another book they might like based on what they have read and the themes and ideas presented in the blog post.

Give the blogger tips for improvement based upon the expectations for each post (including correct citations for their novels; using quotations with proper in-text citations; checking for punctuation, spelling or sentence structure; adding depth of analysis through further detail, description or support from the text; organizing elements on the blog itself).

You may also comment on the style or form of the blog itself (the design of it; the visual elements: colour, organization, font style and size; use of gadgets; readability; title and description etc.).

NOTE:  As a blogger, you should read these comments and respond accordingly to what your peers have posted. Fix what they have suggested, and start a dialogue.

There are some samples of typical peer comments below:

GOOD! 

You were very descriptive about the two elements you wrote about. I am now really interested in reading Modelland, would you recommend it?

Good post. You chose great literary elements to describe and had good support from the novel for both of them. For next time I would start by saying what book you are reading to make the post easier to understand.

Very well written Laura!! Just to make it a bit better maybe you need to add more visual components to your blog. maybe add more colour or the book cover in each post :)

BETTER!!
This was interesting, however it lead me to a a question: Who was it that brushed aside Tookie? If it was her family then it would be a long hard journey for Tookie to gain confidence considering she grew up thinking she was always second to her sister. If Tookie stepped outside of her comfort zone she would gain confidence and fit into the stereo-typical world you talked about (how beauty is everything), because confidence is beauty. Maybe extend your post to include comments about the cause as well as the effect.

I like how you used such specific elements to the book and had solid support to your answers. I understood what you were talking about, because I've read this book, but anyone who hasn't read it might find it hard to understand. Like Lynne and Nathan (other students who commented) already mentioned, you could introduce your book at the beginning of the post to help those who haven't read it. Maybe add a bit of a summary about key information to lead up to your quotation to give your reader a sense of what has gone on so far. You could even use your quotation to help you do that.

BEST!!!

Foreshadowing is for sure an important quality for a book to have, and by reading your description of Uglies, the author seems to do an excellent job at including it. Great post, very descriptive. You were even able to talk about the significance of the device to the story when you said: "The foreshadowing used in Uglies allows you to uncover more about the characters. For instance, as the reader, we barely know Peris. But when Tally flashes back to memories with Peris, you start to discover certain things about him. In all of Tally's flashbacks, she went to Peris for advice, and from that I got that he was a good friend to talk to, and that he has good advice." I might consider reading this book sometime! 

     FYI - If you liked this book you might want to try a book called Feed by M.T Anderson, it is really similar in theme and character to Uglies. 

5. Test, Enemies and Allies

"Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going." Chantal Sutherland

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Once the hero crosses the threshold into the new, special world of the journey, the adventure really begins. It is here in the special world that the hero faces their biggest tests, forms essential allies and tries to defeat their enemies. 

Focus your attention on ONE of these as they connect to the main character in your novel by answering the prompt associated with this stage of the journey. Start your response with the quotation given to you in the prompt. 

Make sure that you provide a direct quotation to help you support your thinking. Always include an in text citation following every direct quotation. (Author, Title page)

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TESTS 

"Our ability to handle life's challenges is a 

measure of our strength of character." 

Les Brown. 

The hardest challenges are yet to come for the hero once they have accepted the call to adventure and crossed the threshold into the new and special world of the journey  Tests can come in a physical (man vs man), mental or emotional (man vs self) form. Each test creates a conflict or complication for the hero in that many of the tests have to be overcome in order for the hero to progress (physically and emotionally).  Which specific test has been the most challenging to overcome for your character so far in the novel? What have you learned about your character's 'strength' from how they have overcome this test?

ENEMIES 

"When somebody challenges you, fight back. 

Be brutal, be tough." 

Donald Trump. 

On the journey, there are many people who will get in the way of the hero meeting their goals. They might be jealous, spiteful or just plain bad. Regardless of their motivation, the 'enemy' or antagonist works against the hero and makes life challenging for them. Who in your novel has challenged your main character? How? How has your character displayed their 'toughness' in fighting against this person or this force?

ALLIES

"Together we can face any challenges as 

deep as the ocean and as high as the sky." 

Sonia Gandhi. 

An important step in the journey is to find a good mentor who will lift you up and help guide you through the challenges of the journey. The mentor is not the only person who helps the hero conquer their fears or find the strength of character to meet the challenges they will face on the journey. Many other people can become important allies on the hero's journey. Who is one person that your main character depends upon? How has this person helped to guide your character through the challenges they have faced on their journey?

4. Crossing the Threshold

The stage of the journey that represents the hero's commitment to the journey is the CROSSING THE THRESHOLD. It is at this moment in the hero's story where the hero is compelled to physically, emotionally or spiritually leave the comfort of their ordinary world and start their journey.

To open your response, find an image or symbol that you believe represents the hero's commitment to the call to adventure. (You may also want to put an image of the cover of the novel you wish to use for this post as well.)

LATER: Your response this week can go right into your summative essay, if you are choosing this stage on which to focus. More information to come on this next week.

YOUR TASK:

Which positive qualities were necessary for your character (or their mentor) to have in order to accept the call to adventure and cross the threshold into a new and special world successfully?

Be sure that you use at least one direct quotation in your response. Follow each direct quotation with an in text citation (Author, Novel Title page) that tells your reader WHERE it came from.

Choose a direct quotation that helps to show your reader that the character has crossed a threshold into a new world, or a quotation that helps to reveal the lesson you have learned about human characteristics, human nature or behaviour from the character successfully or unsuccessfully navigating the stage.

HERE IS A STUDENT SAMPLE:

            I will be writing about the threshold that Seraphina crosses in the white pine novel Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.  The moment that I believe Seraphina crossed the threshold happened even before the book started. I believe that Seraphina crossed the threshold when she accepted he job of Assistant Music Mistress and entered the castle on her first day of work. She left behind her ordinary world and took a risk to enter a new world.  The following quotation was said by Seraphina’s father to Seraphina, “Under no circumstances are you to draw attention to yourself. If you won’t think of your own safety, at least remember all I have to lose“ (Hartman, Seraphina 8).  It shows both components of her ordinary world and her new world. Her ordinary world was too confining to stay in but these reasons for being confined still exist, she still can’t totally be free to do as she wishes. 

             This shows the lesson that if someone feels to confined and like they aren’t as free as they want to be, they will take chances to change that. Seraphina was unhappy with her ordinary world and decided that it was time to cross the threshold, despite the risks she knew that she would face everyday. This proves the theory that if someone is unhappy somewhere, they are often willing to take the risks necessary to gain the world they want to live in.  The character realizes that living in the world that they want to live in is worth the risk. - A. McP. 2016

3. Meeting the Mentor

Today you will concentrate on the stage of the journey: MEETING THE MENTOR

Start by finding a SYMBOL for the mentor online. What is a symbol?  A symbol is an image or sign that represents something of greater value.  For example, what is a dove a symbol for?  What does the image of an owl often represent?  The symbol you choose should represent the role or the purpose of the mentor. Place this image somewhere in your post. Be sure to add a link to the original source of the image. Do not select a hand as your symbol.  We will be using this on our own class mural.  

This week's blog post is meant to help you further connect to this stage of the journey: 

Start your entry by describing the role of the mentor in general. Go back to your handout for the stages of the journey to help you with this description. (Remember that a mentor can be willing or unwilling.) 

THEN: As the body of your blog post answer the following questions:

1.  Who plays the role of the mentor to your main character (pick one character to discuss)? Which three important characteristics does their mentor have? What specifically does this character help your protagonist do or achieve? Ultimately - HOW significant is the mentor in the journey of your character?

(IF YOUR CHARACTER DOES NOT HAVE A MENTOR . . . yet - you can also discuss why they might NEED a mentor and discuss the qualities that their mentor would need to have to help the character do or achieve something...)

2.  Make sure that you use at least ONE DIRECT quotation from your novel to help you support your thinking. Following the direct quotation, be sure to add an in-text citation (Author, Title page).