By Maya Zuckerman, Spring | Summer 2016

Breaking Free of The Hero Myth

We humans and the way we interact with narrative, we’ve come a long way. We’ve evolved from the days of stories round a campfire, epic tales of heroes fighting monsters in far away lands, the gods playing tricks with the mortals, the hubris of humanity, and legends of beautiful and scary creatures who filled the oceans, forests, and skies.

Those ancient tales served as teaching tools for elders to explain the wonders and horrors of the world around them, to teach children what it takes to become an adult, and to perpetuate tribal legacy. The Hero’s Journey was a tool for adolescents to learn their role in the community and how to mature through use of metaphors such as quests, gods, monsters, and magic.