Response to quote A:
A hero's journey is one that must be taken by oneself. One must dive into unknown water, and find the "treasure." This treasure can be anything from finding personal gain, wealth, etc... It's not just the goal, but how we get there. Not only that, but a hero always learns their true selves which makes them in the end, a true hero.
Next year will be a hero's journey for me. I will be venturing alone to the unknown college life. It will be the first time ever that no one will be telling me how to live my life, and what choices I should make to be successful. What I shall see, and who I will meet will be an all new experience. Sure there are countless stories of people's first college experience, but each one in different. What I choose to do at college will determine if my journey is successful or not.
Through this journey of college I will find out who I am. I will learn my real interest and how to pursue them in a career. I will learn how to deal with the "abysses" in life, and in general be more knowledgeable of my surroundings. Though I will have conquered the journey that was given to me, I will have much more awaiting me whether it's good or bad, and I will be ready to to take it on, even if I have to do it alone.
Bill Moyer's statement, to me, had nothing to do with the individual. No one is alone; everyone is on the same page, trying to make sense and meaning of the world. Your personal journey may be different in detail but in essence it is the same as everyone else’s purpose. We are all, as a group and as individuals, are looking for truth, meaning, connections, anything to explain the meaning of life. And though our conclusions may differ, the search is the same. Therefore we are never alone, even when seemingly alone in college, but forever surrounded by past, present, and future adventurers like ourselves. We are among our pears at all times because are goals are the same.
ReplyDeleteMy personal opinion on Bill Moyer's statement is that it absolutely has everything to do with the individual. One must always learn lessons on their own to be able to survive. Human beings are a group but we are all individuals with our own truth and our own meaning. We will always have people for support surrounding us, but the hero's journey must be one that is taken alone. That is the only way we will get the truth and meaning of our own lives.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree that yes, college can be a hero’s journey, I do not think you can say that it is until the experience is over. When going on a hero’s journey one must not only go into the abysses but return from it. One cannot know that something will be a journey as significant as a hero’s until after it is experienced. Most heroes have a quest before setting out. Once they arrive home they are named hero. The homecoming or return is a key characteristic of the hero’s journey.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Moyer isn't necessarily making a pointabout the individual at all, but rather his quote just naturally leads to this discussion. I personally believe he's saying something about human nature and how we use myths and stories to come to realizations. The story of the hero is all about individuality, and I think college is a prime example of that for most people. It's a completely unknown environment in which we all work to find out what we can become in life. I like your attitude of individuality and I think it will take you far. We need to be able to find the strength within ourselves in order to conquer life.
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