Epic and Adventure Literature Flashcards

Grade 6 · English · Flashcards

Study epic literature terms, the Hero's Journey stages, and story archetypes.

Flashcards

Epic: A long narrative with a heroic protagonist on a high-stakes quest — grand scale, universal themes
Hero's Journey: Universal story pattern: ordinary world → call to adventure → trials → transformation → return
Monomyth: Joseph Campbell's term for the universal hero story structure found in myths worldwide
Archetype: A recurring character type or pattern found across many cultures and time periods
Hero archetype: The protagonist who undertakes the quest and is transformed by it
Mentor archetype: The wise guide who helps the hero — Gandalf, Dumbledore, Yoda, Merlin
Shadow archetype: The villain — represents what the hero must overcome, often a dark mirror of the hero
Trickster archetype: A character who creates chaos, uses cleverness, and challenges the status quo
Threshold guardian: A character who tests the hero before each new stage of the journey
Quest: The hero's goal-driven journey — the object or destination that drives the plot
Call to adventure: The inciting incident that pulls the hero out of their ordinary world
Transformation: The internal change the hero undergoes — the real prize of the journey
Odyssey: Homer's epic poem (c. 800 BCE) about Odysseus's 10-year journey home after the Trojan War
Epic hero traits: Extraordinary ability, noble purpose, faces supernatural forces, actions affect the fate of many