Blog Entry: 9

       I will be using Joseph Campbell’s monomyth because fablehaven clearly has separation, adventure and return phase. According to Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces, “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” That’s exactly what happens in Fablehaven. The main characters of the story, Kendra and Seth enter a supernatural world full of danger and they face many challenges before the victory is achieved, and at the end they return to their normal life. I will also be using Carol Pearson’s Heroic Archetype to understand the characters better.

         According to Person Archetypal System, “People everywhere can relate to a Hero who overcomes great obstacles, a Magician who helps make dreams come true, and a Jester who brings out the fun in a situation.” In Fablehaven, Kendra matches the archetype of an innocent as well as an orphan, while Seth matches the archetype of a wanderer and a warrior.  Even though there is just two years difference between Kendra (13) and Seth (11), they act or behave totally differently. So I will be looking closely at their characters and also at some other characters that make the story interesting  and appealing.

Joseph Campbell. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. On the web.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_Faces#cite_ref-2

The Pearson Archetypal System.  On the web.

http://www.herowithin.com/system.html