ESL WORKSHEET - Heroes

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

LinguaHouse
Nov. 30, 2023

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Literature and Books; Describing People; Storytelling; Prefixes and Suffixes; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; Video Talk; Vocabulary and Grammar
Publication date: 11/30/2023

In this lesson, students will watch a video showing how many famous stories follow the same pattern: the Hero’s Journey. They will first discuss some beloved book and movie heroes, then watch the video and do some comprehension tasks on it. They will also study different types of prefixes, discuss their impressions of the video, and apply the theory to other stories, as well as to their own lives (by Edward Alden).

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• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Narrator: What do Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo all have in common with the heroes of ancient myths? (Roar) What if I told you they are all variants of the same hero? Do you believe that? Joseph Campbell did. He studied myths from all over the world and published a book called "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," retelling dozens of stories and explaining how each represents the mono myth, or Hero’s Journey.
So, what is the "hero’s journey"? Think of it as a cycle. The journey begins and ends in a hero’s ordinary world, but the quest passes through an unfamiliar, special world. Along the way, there are some key events. Think about your favorite book or movie. Does it follow this pattern?
Status quo, that’s where we start. 1:00: Call to Adventure. The hero receives a mysterious message. An invitation, a challenge? 2:00: Assistance. The hero needs some help, probably from someone older, wiser. 3:00: Departure. The hero crosses the threshold from his normal, safe home, and enters the special world and adventure. We’re not in Kansas anymore. 4:00: Trials. Being a hero is hard work: our hero solves a riddle, slays a monster, escapes from a trap. 5:00: Approach. It’s time to face the biggest ordeal, the hero’s worst fear. 6:00: Crisis. This is the hero’s darkest hour. He faces death and possibly even dies, only to be reborn. 7:00: Treasure. As a result, the hero claims some treasure, special recognition, or power. 8:00: Result. This can vary between stories. Do the monsters bow down before the hero, or do they chase him as he flees from the special world? 9:00: Return. After all that adventure, the hero returns to his ordinary world. 10:00: New Life. This quest has changed the hero; he has outgrown his old life. 11:00: Resolution. All the tangled plot lines get straightened out. 12:00: Status Quo, but upgraded to a new level. Nothing is quite the same once you are a hero.
Many popular books and movies follow this ancient formula pretty closely. But let’s see how well "The Hunger Games" fits the hero’s journey template. When does Katniss Everdeen hear her call to adventure that gets the story moving? When her sister’s name is called from the lottery. How about assistance? Is anyone going to help her on her adventure? Haymitch. What about departure? Does she leave her ordinary world? She gets on a train to the Capitol. OK, so you get the idea.
What do you have in common with Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and Frodo? Well, you’re human, just like them. The Hero’s Journey myth exists in all human cultures and keeps getting updated, because we humans reflect on our world through symbolic stories of our own lives. You leave your comfort zone, have an experience that transforms you, and then you recover and do it again. You don’t literally slay dragons or fight Voldemort, but you face problems just as scary. Joseph Campbell said, "In the cave you fear to enter lies the treasure you seek." What is the symbolic cave you fear to enter? Auditions for the school play? Baseball try-outs? Love?
Watch for this formula in books, movies, and TV shows you come across. You will certainly see it again. But also be sensitive to it in your own life. Listen for your call to adventure. Accept the challenge. Conquer your fear and claim the treasure you seek. And then, do it all over again.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/the-heros-journey. Accessed on December 4, 2023. © 2008–2023 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.