Learning through Movies: The Hero's Journey

Teach with Movies is an educational website based on the philosophy that "carefully selected feature films could supplement curriculum and foster social-emotional learning". 

They have movies and lessons plans that touch on English, social studies, science, math, music, arts, sports, and more.

THE HERO'S JOURNEY

One of the topics in their recent newsletter was "The Hero's Journey" as key theme in stories throughout history and include these resources to use with several movie choices:

• Article: The Hero's Journey and It's Archetypes — Introducing the Monomyth
• Worksheet: The Hero's Journey Worksheet — Explaining the Monomyth

There are some great infographics at The Writing Cafe that help explain and visualize the path and stages of the hero on the journey.

THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY

Fan Girl points out that the traditional Hero's Journey has come out of a male oriented point of view and that the path is not compatible with the Heroine's journey.

In the series, The Heroine's Journey, Fan Girl and company lay out several concepts and features of a female hero as it is seen in several contemporary movies.

Gray Rose also discusses the difference between the male and female monomyth and how the Hero's journey does not fit within some literary traditions either.

So there is much to think about and compare when discussing the Hero's Journey and how storytelling can take a different path in other cultures and settings.