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Jessica S. Garza
Mrs. Mary Petty
English 101
October 18, 2014
Adventures of a Hero
Joseph Campbells monomyth is broken down into three different stages: The Call to
Adventure, The Initiation and The Return. Harry Potter, in Harry Potter and The Sorcerers
Stone, follows Joseph Campbells monomyth of the hero by responding to The Call to Adventure
when he attends Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. He will then enter the Initian
Stage where he encounters and conquers numerous obstacles. Then in the final stage called The
Return he will return home after finishing his first year at Hogwarts where he destroys the
sorcerers stone and defeats Voldermort.
Harrys journey begins when he is called to an adventure by receiving a letter to attend
Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At first his unbearable and evil relatives try to
keep him from attending the school, while also trying to keep the truth of his parents death
under wraps. Fortunately the staff who works for the school is not going to allow them to keep
Harry from attending the school. Once the family is found and persuaded by a very large man
named Hagrid, Harry sets out to attend the school of wizardry. Thats where Hagrid comes in as
a, Supernatural Aid. Campbell states, "For those who have not refused the call, the first
encounter of the heros journey is with a protective figure. Hagrid is that figure and shows him
the way into the world of wizardry. He also informs him of an inheritance that his parents left

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behind for him. He then crosses his first threshold, this is the point where the person actually
crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing
into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are not known. His ticket says
he will need to take the 9 3/4s platform which does not exist but right before his eyes he
witnesses he will have to run straight into and through a wall between platforms nine and ten.
Without any doubt he runs straight through the wall, makes his way onto the train and starts his
journey to Hogwarts. While on the train he makes a couple of friends named Ronald and
Hermoine. Once he has arrived he is informed that they are not allowed to enter a certain hall
way; it is simply forbidden. When the students are headed to their rooms they end up coming
across the forbidden hallway. Intrigued Harry and his new found friends run into a room putting
them in the belly of the whale, which represents the final separation from the hero's known world
and self. They are face to face with a three headed beast. Terrified they run back out and come to
a conclusion that the beast is safeguarding something important which happens to be the
sorcerers stone. After that incident the three of them will later find out that there will be a road
of trials that lie ahead.
Harry encounters many challenges as he continues his journey. They defeat a troll who is
on the loose that comes across and tries to kill Hermione. Harry is then put in danger during his
first Quidditch match when his broom is taken over by a spell that tries to make him lose control
of his broom. He then encounters, The meeting with the Goddess, which according to
Campbell is when the hero experiences a love that has the power and significance of
unconditional love. This is a very important step in the process and is often represented by the
person finding the other person that he or she loves most completely. In Harrys case he
discovers the Mirror of Erised, which displays the deepest desire of whoever looks in it. Harry

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looks in it and sees his parents alive. He is later informed that Voldermort is the person
responsible for killing his parents and also attempted to take Harrys life as well and that was the
day he was declared the chosen one. After being told this information Harry starts to look like he
might be tempted not to continue this journey. He may feel like he is not ready to take on such a
powerful wizard. He then realizes that he must continue on so he will not be known as just the
chosen one. Following Campbells steps he will come across, The Atonement with the Father,
this step is most frequently symbolized by an encounter with a male entity, it does not have to be
a male; just someone or thing with incredible power. He will look to Professor Dumbledore as a
father figure to confide in and look to win his respect as not just the chosen one or the boy who
survived Voldermorts wrath but as a great wizard. Right before the ultimate boon an apotheosis
will happen, sort of a calm before the storm. He will come in contact with Voldermort for the
first time while in the woods looking for a creature that has been drinking the blood of unicorns.
Once hes approached by him he is then scared off by a friendly centaur who tells him that it was
indeed Voldemort. Harry realizes that Voldermort is looking for the stone and he will need to
find it before he does. Then in the ultimate boon, where all the previous steps serve to prepare
and purify the person for this step Harry and his friends make it through the final challenges that
stand in the way of him and the stone. Once he reaches the room where the Mirror of Erised is
now placed he is now face to face with Professor Quirrell who also has Voldermorts face on the
back of his head, Voldermort announces that Harry must die, but first he must look into the
mirror to tell him where the stone is hidden. Harry sees it in his pocket and tries to lie about the
stones whereabouts but Voldermort knows he isnt telling the truth. Now angry he tells
Professor Quirrell to kill Harry but once he becomes in contact with Harry he perishes and turns

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into dust. Harry then passes out and wakes up in the hospital and is told by Professor
Dumbledore that he saved him from Quirrell just in time and destroyed the stone.
Then its the final stage called The Return where he returns home after finishing his first
year at Hogwarts, destroyed the sorcerers stone and defeated Voldermort. He is sent home to
spend the summer with his aunt and uncle. Even though he doesn't want to return, he knows that
it's only temporary. Once he heads home he now has to be cautious of Voldermort and his return.
He knows that once he returns home he can't use his magic. He is leaving the wizard world and
returning to the muggle world where he started. He has conquered life in both worlds. Finally,
Harry Potter has his freedom to live as the wizard he was born to be. Now that he has returned
from Hogwart's he is being treated a little bit better due to his family being afraid of what he is
capable of doing with his new powers.
He embarks on this journey to leave behind his heartless family and unhappy life. He also
sets out to embrace the world of wizardry. The steps used throughout Campbells monomyth
helps Harry to become the hero he needed to be to take down the obstacles that were placed in
front of him and also destroy the stone that Voldermort tried stealing. He was also given the
chance to prove himself as being more than just the chosen one, which he did.

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Work Cited
Campbell, Joseph. Hero with a Thousand Faces. New York: Pantheon Books, 1949. Print.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Dir. Chris Columbus. Perf. Daniel Radcliffe. 2001. DVD.