Socratic Seminar – Hero Poems

Critical Thinking, Inquiry and Wonder
The Window Questions:  These should be the primary focus of your discussion and preparation.
Are Heroes/Villains Born or Made?

How has the definition of a hero changed over time?

From where does courage come in trying times?

How do our decisions shape our identity?

What are the differences between “real world heroes” and heroes of lore?

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You can reread the poems here

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Just some of the other ideas you may consider:
What is the most important word in this poem?
How does this poem remind me of other poems/stories?
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Prepare for the seminar by reading the text, preparing your notes, and thinking about connections between this story, other stories we have read in class and other stories you, or your classmates, researched during the project.
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The Setup
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The Rubric

Archetypes, Heroes and Villains


Archetype – Examples and Definition of Archetype: “Archetype Definition

In literature, an archetype is a typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature.

An archetype, also known as universal symbol, may be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting. Many literary critics are of the opinion that archetypes, which have a common and recurring representation in a particular human culture or entire human race, shape the structure and function of a literary work.

Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist, argued that the root of an archetype is in the “collective unconscious” of mankind. The phrase “collective unconscious” refers to experiences shared by a race or culture. This includes love, religion, death, birth, life, struggle, survival etc. These experiences exist in the subconscious of every individual and are recreated in literary works or in other forms of art.”



“[T]he journey of the hero … I consider the pivotal myth that unites the spiritual adventure of ancient heroes with the modern search for meaning. As always, the hero must venture forth from the world of common-sense consciousness into a realm of supernatural wonder. There he encounters fabulous forces–demons and angels, dragons and helping spirits. After a fierce battle he wins a decisive victory over the powers of darkness. Then he returns from his mysterious adventure with the gift of knowledge or of fire, which he bestows on his fellow man.


“Whenever the social structure of the unconscious is dissolved, the individual has to take a heroic journey within to find new forms. The biblical tradition, which provided the structuring myth for Western culture, is largely ineffective … So there must be a new quest.”

Joseph Campbell, interviewed by Sam Keen, in “Man & Myth: A Conversation with Joseph Campbell,” Psychology Today, July 1971