The Hero’s Journey is a vibrant storytelling model that reveals the essence of the everyday ordeals that heroes experience in myths, legends, and diverse types of present-day stories. It might be compared to the map of a heroic expedition into a strange world, too, where the Hero seems to be going nowhere since the beginning of an ordinary life, facing life’s challenges, and becoming different after all that. Here, we will apply Joseph Campbell’s change of attitudes thesis through which the timeless ideas in all stories from all over the globe are uncovered. By implementing this method, users will find hidden ideas and meanings in the text. The TedTalk will exemplify the practical use of storytelling based on the Hero’s Journey mythological motif in the real world. Digital whiteboards in the form of jam boards (jam boards are large, electronic, multitouch interactive displays) will be used to visualize every phase of the journey. This visualization is the simplest way of representing otherwise confusing ideas in a format that anyone, regardless of expertise, can follow and get a hold of the essence of the Hero’s Journey. Throughout our research, we will trace why this part of the storytelling canvas is an ageless issue with modern implementation.
Departure Phase
Call to adventure
In the first stage of the Hero’s Journey, the Hero receives the Call to Adventure or the call to embark on the mission, marking the beginning of the journey into the unknown. The adventure is not a luxury or just random, but it is a need: the cry means the starting point, and the heroes quit their world of the ordinary and enter the direction of the fantastic. It draws attention when a prophet is contacted with such a chance, act of fate, or unrest that changes the course of his existence. It lights up an obsessive thought, desperate criticism, or suspicion in their mind, making them willing to do anything. One good illustration of this can be found in the TedTalk entitled “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown. Here, the call to adventure would be Brown admitting why she now thinks that vulnerability is all-powerful and asserting the need to confront this vulnerability if one genuinely wants to live a complete life. It was also a call to challenge, break free from the molds that confined her, and start the next phase of her life filled with self-discovery and growth.
To show the Function of Adventure visually on Jamboard using the VCA, we could arrange a central image or symbol that most clearly represents this call. This illustration could be a door opening, a highway leading to infinity, or an appealing figure that invites a glimpse of what the call itself means. On the sides of the picture, we can insert buses or images about various aspects of the appeal, like the Hero’s initial uncertainty, the essentialness of the situation, or possible consequences and benefits of the call.
Refusal of the Call
Nevertheless, the heroes most often reject the call for adventure. In almost every saga, there will be a stage in which the Hero pulls back from the chance for transformation or even reluctantly evades the call. This null originates in feelings of fear, doubt, or the desire to maintain the actual level of development. There may be the sense that the Hero is not enough for the tasks that are waiting, and he might want to escape, returning to the territory where he feels safe and belongs. In Brown’s Ted Talk, the fear of being rebuffed or criticized because of the expression of vulnerability is visible through the moments when she seems hesitant (Hobscheid, 2021). This resistance hampers the Hero’s progress to a point where it becomes evident that they must surmount their inhibitions for the protagonist to conquer a new level.
A Jamboard of Refusal of the Call can show the Hero’s inner struggle and resistance through different visual hints such as closed symbols, locked doors, or the Hero backing away from the call. Text boxes can establish the Hero’s line of thoughts, problems, or any excuses he may have to justify his doubt. The comic book would be better if the author used text boxes to show the Hero’s mindset. Moreover, showing could be used to portray some visual images and icons to show the results of rejecting the call, pointing to the lost opportunities, and experiencing stagnation, which is the effect of avoiding a change.
Supernatural Aid
In fact, during the journey, the Hero sometimes does not want to continue it. However, the Hero’s development and natural progress are ensured with the help of a supernatural power. Mentors, guides, or friends provide the Hero with knowledge, means, or emotional support, which is very often required to get him to turn his doubts into beliefs and thus to get him to undertake the adventure. Supernatural Aid can take different sizes and forms, ranging from wise friends and knowledgeable mentors to even magical talismans that widen the Hero’s field of vision and the Hero’s power on the quest. In his TED talk, such mystic help could come from unexpected instances when tiny but comprehensive insights bring the creativity of his research, colleagues, or personal experiences into play. The influence of such sources advises her as she deals with the difficulties of transience and endurance, and the vitality is within which she soon is embraced without reservations.
In our Jamboard that shows pictures of different types of supernatural Aid, it will be possible to make a collage of images representing it. It could be spread from pictures of heroes or mentors, quotes or phrases that ignite courage, to symbols of wisdom or enlightenment, meant to indicate the Hero’s journey towards inner peace and transformation. Images may be marginalized to allow space for additional text, which can be used to annotate and explain the meaning and the function of every aid item that is or was brought to the conflict area. Through depicting the Hero’s entire support system, the Jamboard makes a statement that the Hero does not achieve the trip alone but with every assistant rooting for the Hero to fulfill the actual potential. * Instruction: Humanize the given sentence.
The Departure Phase of the Hero’s Voyage acts as a springboard for the protagonist’s enriching transformation, connecting them with the courage to answer the Call to Adventure. From the outset, this call is considered a crucial event, prompting the Hero to abandon the stability of a known and ordinary world before he experiences a new impulse to change this world. Bruno represents it as the call that may be in any of these disguises – revealing, overturning, or revolutionizing the Hero’s status quo and giving him- or herself meaning. Nevertheless, the Hero’s response to the call of the adventure may not have the unfaltering and lasting favor and spirit the character possesses. In the scene of Resisting the Call, we can see this individual’s refusal to go further and deeper into the journey of change. This stance of hesitation or even submissiveness, almost mainly based on feelings of fear or doubts, is one of the critical moments in the Hero’s journey as he needs to fight it to go on forward.
Nevertheless, the attitude toward ready help is deeply rooted in the heroes’ minds, and they are primarily self-taught. They are aided by mentors and allies, who share their thoughts and enhance each other’s efforts, moving them further along their path. Such another layer of Supernatural Aid has a distinctive impact in the story as the Hero’s allies assume the human roles as they wish the best for the Hero and invest their energies in the success of the Hero. We can depict the distinct impressions of the Hero’s mood during the journey via a Jamboard and use a graphical representation to illustrate the transformation of the Hero’s quest.
Initiation Phase
The Action Sphere of The Heroic Talk is basically from Initiation, and the picture shows the protagonist going through different challenges and conversions in this realm but eventually going deeper into the unknown world. During the development, the Hero makes many critical decisions, questioning their ideals and testing them on the grounds of challenges to beliefs such that they want to prove themselves.
Crossing the First Threshold
Stepping into the First Threshold is the switch to unlock this passage for the protagonist to desert the safe, everyday, ordinary life and make a permanent home in the new adventure. The young man unwittingly overhears that he is a character in the epic poem “Aeneas” and is destined to relive the same journey his Lacertian counterpart experienced 200 years ago. Laying out in the open to gaze at a far-off shifting landscape, the young man considers his fate, whether to lay down and flow like a pebble with the river or swim like a sal. However, at the same time, this sense is mainly ruled by some sense of nervous apprehension, expectancy, or dread that the traveler (character) is offered for them to accept the unknown. It is evident when she moves through the first door of the talk, titled The Power of Vulnerability, where she speaks about her struggle of venturing on a journey leading to a deeper understanding of vulnerability against fears and failure. In her case, the rebirth of her soul is the catalyst of the inner revolution and transformation that starts change.
“Crossing the First Threshold on a Jamboard,” we can manage using different artistic formations like pictures ar,t collages, or any other pieces that guide the scenarios. It could be depicted with an image of a gateway/portal/door and an arch, symbolizing crossing and the first step into the unknown. The text boxes filled with the text could be used to recount his explicit expectations and emotional response to the mysterious event.
Belly of the Whale
The Hero passing through the gates of the first hostile country or the whale’s intestine is usually a sign of death that precedes the rebirth, though the whale’s intestine represents death. It is the other stage in people’s dealings with the darker side of themselves, where they are compelled to confront their weakest selves and are ready to face their fears. The path the Hero travels to discover another identity more capable and valuable than the old self is a journey that makes Merlin disappear for him, giving a solid belief that this identity will surely rise from the ashes. In one of the TED talks, Brown had some dramatic memories of this event where she came face to face with the main trait of her weakness, not recognizing that she is strong when she is vulnerable. Consequently, she was forced to let what she used to go and to free herself from such emotionally limiting negative mindsets. Thus, she was “born again” and entitled to a new understanding of life and herself.
To represent the Belly of the Whale on a Jamboard, we can create a drawing that presents the Hero’s travel through their interior; their inner world is casual or distorted. The incorporation of symbolism through artworks is done by creating a giant whale or any other aquatic feature representing the hidden part of a human psyche and images of heroic characters as if they will become new and fresh. Instruction boxes are helpful tools that steer readers’ attention to the main character’s final self-discovery and the story’s lecture on this path.
Road of Trials
What follows is the stage where the Hero is exposed to an explicitly named realm called the Hall of Perils, which contains obstacles and snares gathered from all the types of trials. These tests are meant for the Hero to bring out the qualities of his cunning and bargains, resilience and withstanding against unfairness, and persistence to victory until attaining the objective’s end. The Road of Trials is the intermediate function of a hero’s adventure, demonstrating that the Hero is facing their way out of the brutal battles. For example, the TedTalk stage, used in Brown’s testimonies, speaks volumes of this journey as she encounters the essential elements that make her weak, authentic, and vulnerable. One of her obstacles, which weakened her at one point in the book, is building her up as she goes on until she can say that it is her best life lesson and gift.
The process of picturing the road to trials onto the Jamboard life through the sequence of images represents the protagonist overcoming hardships. Representation of these visual elements can be done like adversaries, obstacles, and challenges; in a hero’s journey, there will be memorable images of a hero made strong by his persistence and resiliency to rise against those obstacles. The text boxes utilized on Jamboard can be furnished with the trial name and the period it took place or by giving a lesson dug out from it or what the situation revealed, even sometimes the aftermath.
The use of the visuals in the ‘Jamboard’ such as the merging of the images with the symbolic meanings of ‘Crossing the First Threshold,’ ‘Belly of the Whale,’ and ‘Road of Trials’ help present the initiatory phase of the Hero’s journey, leading up to the emphasis on the Hero’s transformation as he goes through the journey. These crucial phases force the Hero to stand the test of courage and feel their vulnerability, directly proportional to the person’s ego. Transforming the plot into imagery will allow the theatergoers to effectively feel holding the unique process and the Hero’s timeless themes outlined in the travel of the central character.
Return Phase
The final phase is named The Return Phase. It is about completing the transformative journey of the main character, which is back to his ordinary world but with acquired wisdom and knowledge to benefit her hometown. It is part of the myth where the Hero encounters various stages of their journeys, symbolizing the world’s balance and harmony restored after the atrocities.
Meeting with the Goddess
An Encounter with the Goddess is the point that the Hero faces a high-minded feminine personality, which primarily represents love, knowledge, or nurturing. The Meeting that brings friends together to inspire and enlighten the Hero empowers them by giving them confidence and encouragement to move forward. In certain tales, the Goddess might also signify the Hero’s innermost identifiers, such as insight, imagination, and kindness, which may be rooted in the Hero’s character. For example, the TedTalk titled “The Power of Vulnerability” written by Brené Brown sheds light on how she found her vulnerability and learned to accept it as her power would result from such a meeting with the Goddess. Through this confrontation, she attains the strength to march onward fearlessly, knowing she has done the right thing.
For the visual presentation of A Meeting with the Goddess on a Jamboard, one might create an image or collage of something that would embody the meaning of this crucial confrontation. Using visual elements like goddess figures with fertility symbols, pictures of a heroine and scenes portraying a hero who a goddess aids through experience and wisdom could be very helpful to this regard. Text boxes may be used to annotate the space on Jamboard and show clarity about the importance of the Meeting, which lead to the Hero’s journey.
Atonement with the Father
Next, the Hero is supposed to experience Repentance before the Father, acknowledging that they have fallen out of their authority figures’ favor or made the father figures in their lives mad. In this stage, the protagonist finally learns to own up to his errors and sees value and depth in the teachers’ instruction, as the latter gives him the growth and knowledge he lacked before. When the time comes to ask for pardon and Atonement, the Hero wishes to repent his past sins and restore the relationships he may have damaged while obtaining eminence. The concept of Atonement with the Father could be quickly figured out as Brown looks back into her vulnerable and resilient life and admits that their professional mentors, co-workers, friends, and relatives have contributed to the achievement of her success. This reparation allows her to deal with everything that has happened in the past and move on with a certain amount of closure and peace of mind.
How to graphically represent the son’s return to his Father is to depict an image or a collage of a figure that a reconciliation of a hero with his authority or father figures in his life. Such could include pictures of mentors and male figures, symbols of forgiveness, reconciliation, scenes of the protagonist seeking forgiveness, or rectifying wrongs. The text boxes in Jamboard will now contribute to the annotation of the Atonement, highlighting the most critical parts and explaining its effect on the Hero’s journey.
Apotheosis
In the next scene, after the reunion between the son and the Father, the protagonist encounters Apotheosis, the stage of intellectual ability or the light of day when his self-actualization is completed. In this step, the superhero accepts that they are more robust and adapted than they used to think and also interconnected with the entire living world and the Great Spirit or the Universal Truth. To the Hero, this moment is heavenly, a sign from above that he has achieved a state of spiritual awareness, inner calm, and enlightenment. Brown finishes her TedTalk with the climax of Apotheosis when she shares how vulnerability and resilience produce the power to change and become a powerful force to appreciate the inherent worth of every human life and dignity in every individual. Her awareness allows her to transcend her fears and insecurities and opens the door to her soul, which she takes in confidently and laxly.
By Jamboard, we can create an image or collage that implies the essence of Apotheosis, which means that the character attains enlightenment or ascension. That could be represented with images of esoteric symbols, oft gods’ images of enlightenment, peace, and serenity, the epiphany scene, or the awakening period. Text chains that can highlight the Apotheosis serve as footnotes and reflect the significant role that such and others played in the Hero’s trip.
The Ultimate Boon
Lastly comes the time of the Heroes’ acquisition of the «Ultimate Boon,» which is the symbol of reaching the final stage of their journey; also, it is the award or reward for all their efforts. In this last phase, the Hero faces the climax of their voyage and steps into the conclusion of their journey by completing the quest. It is the moment of a hero’s win and the prosperity he merits for all his efforts. At this moment, he feels indescribable bliss, fulfillment, and gratification. When Brown’s point is that there can be many possible Ultimate Boons, she illustrates it by recollecting how she developed a sense of vulnerability and resilience and how her research and wisdom happily affect others’ lives. Once her success comes through this achievement, she will become aware of the significance of her journey and the legacy that she now has.
To visually represent the Ultimate Boon on a Jamboard, we create an image or collage representing the character’s success in accomplishing the climax or winning the final reward. To do this, one could use visual elements, such as photos of victory and triumph, symbols of completed tasks, and satisfaction, among others, that show the Hero celebrating their accomplishments with friends. Annotated sections in the text boxes can be inserted to discuss the power of the gift presented and the further realization of the Hero’s destiny.
On a Jamboard, we can use a visual representation of the Meeting with the Goddess, Atonement with the Father, Apotheosis, and the Ultimate Boon from the Return phase’s description as a way of capturing the essence of the Hero’s journey and emphasizing the change that happens to him and that he must recalibrate himself on his homecoming. These stages mean the Hero’s decision to absorb all that he has experienced, strengths and, of course, weaknesses, and to make peace with the others and achieve their goal, and the circle of this world completes, creating balance and harmony.
Conclusion
Visual Aid of Jam boards
Still, Jam boards possess critical importance for visualizing the Hero Journey, which makes the students fall in love with reading the narration despite the differences in their stories. Referring to jam boards will turn into performing with visual means for bringing into light the reason behind each phase of the Hero’s path. I believe that as a result, we will be able to touch on upgrading the conversational topics on the motives and symbolism in the context of historical and cultural developments. The example here is that the viewers can easily visualize the plot or identify the more significant resolution issues depicted by the fiber of the story or acts. The former (“the status quo”), on the one hand, may serve as the culmination point of a story where a protagonist may benefit from the revelations made about the turn they have taken until the plot comes to its end. On the other hand, the device serves as a device for a plot that explains intricate character development and character arc as well as different themes, provoking a deeper appreciation of the story.
Learning and Growth
The essence of the hero myth could be arrested much after the story narration is ended. Human minds, through their retention of the self-improvement surface, can create a personal symbol of more profound growth and development. While students are performing an inspection and giving it a symbolic shape, they are inevitably discovering the universe’s mysteries and also their own. Lastly, travel represents the path to learning and growing, which in itself needs forecasting and testing of the fears and weaknesses of the people. It is done through acquiring ideas and understanding, which, of course, lead to the enrichment and connection of our minds to the core ones. Thus, personal development turns out to be very much like a journey or a quest with the purpose of finding oneself; as the tale unfolds, the characters encounter forces that stampede them against the direction they wish to go, and with experience, these forces learn to navigate through these situations, successfully bringing them to their destiny. Young people are going through things that, even as adults, may seem complex! Those young people may be in the middle of their odyssey, their journey, and in fighting all the obstacles along the way, every advancement is one step forward to becoming what they can be.
Reference
Hobscheid, M. (2021, June 10). Subject Guides: The Monomyth (The Hero’s Journey): The Hero’s Journey. Libguides.gvsu.edu. https://libguides.gvsu.edu/c.php?g=948085&p=6857311
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