Elizabeth Bowden

English 112B

Dr. Warner

30 November 2005

Annotated Bibliography: The Hero for Young Adults

Hero is defined as: �1. In mythology and legend, a man celebrated for his bold exploits. 2. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility or purpose. 3. A person noted for special achievement in a particular field. 4. The principal male character in a literary work� (Berube 399).

The hero is a character type present in nearly all stories. The works cited here are pieces that would expose the young adult to the hero and to the understanding of what makes a hero. Understanding the hero often leads to understanding the story being told. It is important for young adults to have a complete understanding of who the hero is and why he does what he does, because it is possible for heroes to be great inspiration to young adults.

The works chosen here have been selected on their appeal to young adults. In order for the young adult to understand the hero and the stories before them they must relate to what they are reading, or viewing. The examples here also relate to adventures. The hero of each piece has his/her own adventures that lead to their development as a hero. These pieces can be compiled into a collection of examples of different heroes, with different attributes.

The centerpiece work for this bibliography is The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. This book was selected as the centerpiece because it is a book that contains a female hero, who can be inspirational for both young men and women.

Scholarly Work

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero With a Thousand Faces. New York: Pantheon, 1949.

Joseph Campbell is credited with defining the archetype of the hero and the hero�s journey. His main study was ion mythological stories. He examined the stories available and put together a formula for the story of the hero. The story begins with an ordinary man (or woman) who has a typical life, but something seems to be missing. An event happens that starts this character onto a journey, they must leave home, and this event is the catalyst for their journey. While on this journey the hero experiences a moment of change, a climax. He is no longer ordinary, he is now a hero. The hero then returns home. This formula can be seen in many of the other works cited here.

Literature

Avi. True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. New York: Avon, 1990.

This book is the centerpiece work in this project. It showcases the hero as a young woman put in an extraordinary situation that she must overcome. As she works to find a place in her surprising surroundings Charlotte, the main character, learns more about herself and about what it means to be strong than she could have imagined. This book is a great easy read for adults and an informative choice for youth. The book includes information about life on an ocean crossing journey in the early 1800�s.

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Dover, 1994.

This book is a classic choice when examining American literature. Mark Twain is considered by many to be own of the greatest American novelists. This particular story tells of Huck Finn and his adventures in the rural south at a time of slavery, bigotry, and youth. Huck learns many lessons about the world around him and experiences many adventures. Through these experiences Huck becomes a hero.

Homer. The Odyssey. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998.

The Odyssey is the classic tale of the tragic hero. Originally an oral tale written down in poetic form by Homer. It tells of the hero Odysseus returning to his home from the Tojan War. Odysseus faces many trials set upon him by meddling Gods. His journey home takes him a total of ten years. The trials that Odysseus faces on his journey can be considered major inspiration for other stories of the hero. Odysseus leads his men as a strong, understanding man.

The Harry Potter Series

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer�s Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997.

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, 1999.

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic, 1999.

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic, 2000.

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, 2003.

Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. New York: Scholastic, 2005.

The Harry Potter series is best considered as an example of a hero when viewed all together. It is true that because the final story has not been published it is not complete. Harry lives his life as an ordinary child, actually sub-ordinary when it is considered the treatment he receives at home from his family. On his eleventh birthday Harry learns that his life is about to change, and that he is in fact not as ordinary as he first appears. Harry is a wizard and all other wizards know his name. He instantly has notoriety and an evil enemy, the dark Lord Voldemort. Through out the course of the books Harry continues adventure after adventure to face Voldemort. It will only be known after the seventh and final book is published if Harry is a tragic hero.

Film

Star Wars. Dir. George Lucas. Perf. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher. 20^th Century Fox, 1977.

The original Star Wars trilogy is often related to the work of Joseph Campbell. It is said that George Lucas took the formula for a hero and the journey of a hero that Campbell had developed, and created a story full of adventure, growth, and heart. The film follows a young man, Luke, on his journey to save the world. He is joined by counterparts who have specific purposes in guiding him on this journey. There is a mentor in Obi Wan Kanobi, and arch enemy in Lord Vader, and a sidekick in Han Solo. The story rings true as a classic adventure that is full of action and moves quickly. By the end of the trilogy Luke faces all of his demons and completes his mission.

The Matrix. Dir. Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss. Groucho II Film Partnership, Silver Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, 1999.

This movie, like many other hero tales, starts with an ordinary man, Neo. He is ordinary but something is missing in his life, something he cannot put a finger on. Neo is brought into the adventure of a lifetime, and given an opportunity to save mankind, when he joins a group who believe that the world that Neo has been living in is only a matrix. It is not real, rather fabricated by individuals above the world. The �real� world that Neo joins is much more simplistic in lifestyle, but more sophisticated in philosophy than the world that Neo had always known. This story very closely matches �The Hero�s Journey� as described by Joseph Campbell.

Batman Begins. Dir. Christopher Nolan. Perf. Christian Bale, Katie Holmes and Michael Caine. Warner Bros., 2005.

Batman is a character that has permeated the pop culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His first appearance was in the DC Comic strip in 1940, but the story told in this film showcases Batman (Bruce Wayne) as a true hero. He is no longer a man who saves people, his motives are now understood. The story within in the movie showcases where Batman comes from. He experiences great grief as a child and must overcome this grief to continue. As he works on the grief he gains strength and a drive to protect others against grief like he has felt. This movie really demonstrates what happens when a hero is made.

Music

Tyler, Bonnie. �Holding Out For A Hero�. Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire. Sony. 1986.

This song is produced in a melodramatic and operatic way. The singer asks for a hero, just like Hercules. It gives examples of many archetypal qualities of a hero. The song can be originally heard on the soundtrack to the movie Footloose. This song offers a lighthearted look into the qualities of a hero.

Additional Works Cited

Breube, Margery S., et al. The American Heritage Dictionary, Fourth Edition. New York: Bantom Dell, 2001.

Footloose. Dir. Herbert Ross. Perf. Kevin Bacon, Lori Singe and John Lithgow. Paramount, 1984.