At the end of the day, The Hero with a Thousand Faces is all about exploration: going somewhere you've never been before and seeing what it has to offer. Again, the mileage may vary depending on the story, but it always involves venturing into new territory and learning from whatever is found there.
Most of the time, that entails some kind of physical exploration, since the hero needs to go to a new place to find the knowledge or other cosmic goodies required by the quest. But it also involves internal exploration: finding the parts of the self that the hero may not be aware of and expanding that knowledge in order to understand just who he or she is.
Questions About Exploration
- What is the purpose of exploration in the Hero's Journey?
- In what ways do physical and spiritual exploration overlap on the Hero's Journey?
- What kinds of symbols or images are used to illustrate the unknown in Campbell?
- Why is exploration more powerful than simply receiving knowledge of the unexplored area from a mentor or guide?
Chew on This
Physical exploration invariably leads to spiritual exploration. The two are intertwined.
Physical and spiritual exploration are separate paths, and the hero must attend to each in order to thrive.