Applying the Monomyth to "Warrior Heir"

I thought I’d begin this post by giving you a sneak preview of Warrior Heir:

     “One March day, Jack Swift, a high school student in a small college town, forgets to take the medicine he’s taken daily since he was an infant. There ensues a cascade of events that puts him in mortal danger.

     Jack discovers he carries a secret within him that has made him a target of the ruthless wizards of the Red and White Rose. Jack is a Warrior Heir, the last of a dying breed, sought after by the Roses to fight in the tournaments that are used to allocate power among the Wizard Houses. Unknown to him, Jack has lived all his life surrounded by members of the Magical Guilds: wizards, enchanters, soothsayers, and sorcerers. They are determined to save him from the Roses.

     With the aid of his aunt, a beautiful enchanter, Jack desperately tries to acquire the skills that might save his life. Jack and his friends, Will and Fitch, unearth a magical sword from a cemetery and fight off the wizards who would take it from them. Jack begins training with the dark and dangerous Leander Hastings, a wizard with a mysterious past.

     Meanwhile, Jack is torn between his attraction to Ellen Stephenson, a new student at Trinity High School, and Leesha Middleton, his former girlfriend, who decides she wants him back.

     Discovered and besieged by treachery at home, he flees to the Lake District of England. There he is confronted by the greatest challenge of all...”

    Click here to go to Cinda Williams Chima's website: http://www.cindachima.com/Warrior_Heir/Warrior_Heir.htm

            Now, let’s get back to the Hero’s Journey Monomyth, and how it can be applied to Jack in Warrior Heir...

            1. Call to Adventure: A discovery, an event, or danger of some sort starts the hero on their quest.  Jack’s Call to Adventure begins when he forgets to take his medicine. He discovers that instead of feeling ill, he feels better than he’s ever felt before; stronger, faster, and things are in sharper focus.

            2. Acceptance or Refusal of the Call: Once the hero accepts the call, the hero advances to the next stage of the journey. Jack’s Acceptance of the Call begins in the graveyard, where he begins to adapt his behavior by stepping into the protective role of a warrior without conscious thought.

            3. Crossing the Threshold: The hero leaves their familiar world behind, and enters a new, unknown world. Jack’s Crossing the Threshold occurs when he begins warrior and wizard training with Leander Hastings.

            4. Supernatural Aid / Talisman: Sometimes appears in the form of a little old man or woman. Supernatural Aid doesn’t have to mean magical, but sometimes...it does. The hero is sometimes given a talisman of some sort to assist the hero on their quest. Jack’s Supernatural Aid comes from Nickolas Snowbeard, the family caretaker, and Jack’s Aunt Linda, both of whom have watched over and taught Jack his whole life. After Jack’s Call to Adventure, Nick and Linda are joined by Leander Hastings in filling this step. Jack’s Talisman is his sword, Shadowslayer, inherited from his great-great grandmother, Susannah Downey, who was also a warrior.

            5. Allies / Helpers: Most heroes are more successful with a bit of help. In fact, they would probably fail miserably without it.  Jack’s allies are his good friends, Will and Fitch.

            6. Tests / Trials: The hero will go through a set of obstacles, or a series of tests meant to refine him, make him stronger, and get him ready for the ultimate showdown. Jack’s Series of tests and trials begin on the soccer field that first day, and mainly consist of trying to stay out of the clutches of the Red and White Wizard Houses. The test that almost kills Jack is when he is struck by Jessamine Longbranch’s wizard’s graffe.

            7. The Belly of the Whale: Also known as The Supreme Ordeal. This is what all the training has been geared toward; this is the trial of all trials. Jack’s Belly of the Whale ordeal occurs when he arrives at the tournament at Raven’s Ghyll and discovers that the warrior he must battle to the death is his girlfriend, Ellen Stephenson.  

            8. Reward / Journey Home: Usually, there is a reward given to heroes for completing the Supreme Ordeal, for making it out of the Belly of the Whale. Jack’s rewards are living through a tournament that was supposed to be fought to the death, a stronger relationship with Ellen, a new set of Rules of Engagement that toppled wizard dominance over the rest of the Weir, and as he returns home, it is to a home town that has been turned into a sanctuary.

            The Hero’s Journey is a tool that can be used to help us better understand the movies we watch, the books we read—even our own lives—because aren’t we the hero of our own life story? Try applying these eight steps to your favorite fairytale or story; I think you’ll be amazed at what you find!

Happy Reading!

Tru