Activity Overview
Related to both plot diagram and types of literary conflict, the ”Hero’s Journey” is a recurring pattern of stages many heroes undergo over the course of their stories. Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer, articulated this cycle after researching and reviewing numerous myths and stories from a variety of time periods and regions of the world. He found that they all share fundamental principles. This spawned the Hero’s Journey, also known as the Monomyth. The most basic version has 12 steps, while more detailed versions can have up to 17.
As students read To Kill a Mockingbird, they'll be able to see each step in the Monomyth unfold for certain characters, like Atticus or Scout. It can be helpful to introduce students to the steps prior to reading so they can log them as they make their way through the story. When students have finished, they can complete a storyboard detailing the Hero's Journey of a selected character.
Example: My Interpretation of the Finches' Heroic Journey
| STAGE | SUMMARY |
|---|---|
| Ordinary World | Sleepy Maycomb Alabama, 1930s |
| Call to Adventure | Atticus is asked to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape. |
| Refusal | He realizes the attention that this case will bring, and that it will expose his family to the cruelty of society. The psychological journey of Atticus and his family begins as they battle morals vs. prejudice in the South. |
| Mentor / Helper | Calpurnia is often Atticus’ helper. She is his black cook and disciplinarian for the children. She acts as the passage for the Finches into the black community. The Mentor of the novel is Miss Maudie, who, like Atticus, believes in Justice and becomes friends with the children. |
| Crossing the Threshold | As the trial begins, hostility towards the Finches grows. Although Atticus knows what the verdict will be, he promises to do everything he can for Tom. |
| Test / Allies / Enemies | Many of the townspeople become enemies during the trial. They allow their racism to cloud their judgment and morality:
|
| Approach | The trial ends with a guilty verdict, but Scout's journey has not ended. She still faces hardships brought on by her father’s involvement in the trial. |
| Ordeal | Sometime after the trial, Scout and Jem are walking home. Bob Ewell attacks them. Boo Radley, who is agoraphobic, leaves his home to save the children and kills Ewell in a fight. |
| Reward | Scout and Jem’s lives are spared. |
| Road Back | Scout gains a moral education, their lives are saved, and her faith in the goodness of humanity is somewhat restored by Boo, who risked his life for them. |
| Atonement | The Sheriff rules Ewell’s death accidental, saying that he fell on his own knife. “Let the dead bury the dead.” |
| Return | The Sheriff’s decision not to convict Boo restores Scout and Jem’s faith in justice and humanity. While Atticus does not think this is right at first, Scout explains to him that sending Boo to jail would be like killing a mockingbird. These words prove Scout has learned a valuable lesson, and has come full circle in her journey. |
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Use the story of To Kill a Mockingbird and map it to the narrative structure of the Hero's Journey.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Depict and describe how the chosen character's story fits (or does not fit ) into each of the stages of the Hero's Journey.
- Finalize images, edit, and proofread your work.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Exemplary 20 Points | Proficient 17 Points | Commendable 13 Points | Try Again 10 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content | | | | |
| Organization | | | | |
| Visual Elements | All pictures demonstrate effort, are attention-grabbing, and clearly communicate visually the corresponding element of the hero's journey. | Many pictures show effort and clearly communicate how an element of the hero's journey is present in the story. | Some pictures appear rushed, or are uninteresting. Connections to elements of the hero's journey are non-obvious, or unclear. | Few pictures appear. The storyboard appears rushed, or unfinished. The connections and elements are very unclear. |
| Conventions | There are only minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage, if any. | There are few errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage. | There are many errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage. | There are abundant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or usage that detract from the work. |
| Creativity/Effort | This Storyboard could be used as an exemplary model, and is one of the most outstanding projects produced. | Creativity is evident, and the finished product is admirable. | Creativity and effort are lacking. Extra help was needed. | Creativity and effort are lacking. Extra help was needed. |
How To Compare Hero’s Journey With Three-Act Structure
Introduce the Concepts
Give brief definitions and explanations of the Hero’s journey and the Three-Act Structure. Teachers can give examples and explain different stages in both concepts. Clarify that Hero’s Journey is focused on the struggles of the main character and the Three-Act structure is focused on the progression of the story itself.
Give Examples
In order to help students differentiate between the two concepts, teachers can provide them with examples where the difference is clear. These examples can be from literature or daily life.
Encourage Reading
Recommend the students some books that fall into these categories. Students can read the books one by one and dissect which concept applies the best and how they will summarize the stories to fit into the stages of the Hero’s Journey or the Three-Act structure.
Re-enact the Stories
Students can pick a book of their own choice and try to re-enact the events of that book according to the above mentioned concepts. The rest of the class will have to guess the events and the concept being applied. This activity will sharpen their critical thinking skills.
Discuss and Reflect
Encourage the students to examine and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each structure as well as how various stories can benefit from each method. Students can also reflect upon some of the similarities and differences of each concept and which one they think works the best.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Hero's Journey in To Kill a Mockingbird
Which stage of the Hero's Journey most closely resembles Scout's journey?
Scout's development from an innocent youngster to a wiser adult can be compared to the "Road of Trials" portion of the Hero's Journey. The experiences she has with racism, empathy, and moral complexity make her question how she sees the world.
Who in the Hero's Journey may be regarded as Scout's mentor?
We can consider Scout's mentor to be Atticus Finch. He helps her develop morally, imparts important life lessons, and inspires her to consider other people's viewpoints. Atticus is also the one who told Scout about defenseless and powerless Mockingbirds who are killed just because they can not fight back. This revelation opened Scout’s eyes to the injustices of the world.
How does the Hero's Journey plot structure in "To Kill a Mockingbird" differ from the typical structure?
By concentrating more on societal and moral development than on a conventional hero's adventure, the book subverts the structure. Understanding empathy, bigotry, and social challenges are major themes of Scout's journey.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
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