First of all, Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey commences with a departure period which is relatively evident in Fahrenheit 451. The departure of the hero’s journey usually consists of everything prior to the quest and may occasionally include sub-elements such as an anomalous birth, the appeal to adventure, and the crossing of the threshold. The exposition of a novel is typically viewed as a bastion for development of the departure although it sometimes does coincide with the rising action. To begin, the sub-component referred to as an unusual birth/childhood is discernible in the scene of the book where it is revealed that Montag has a natural aversion towards the mechanical hound after approaching it in the firehouse, “Montag touched the
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The initiation portion of the hero’s rite of passage is potentially the most noteworthy segment of the three as it contains numerous challenges and trials that the hero must overcome, the abyss which the hero must approach to encourage his development, and the transformation, where the hero achieves his goal and reveals true courage. First of all, one of the most critical sub-elements of the hero’s journey is the challenges and trials which exists in the form of Montag engaging in a physical confrontation with his mortal enemy, Captain Beatty, just outside his house and ends with Montag successfully burning Beatty alive in a stake to save his own life, “‘Hand it over, Guy,’ said Beatty... and then he was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling gibbering manikin, no longer human… all writhing flame on the lawn as Montag shot one continuous pulse of liquid fire on him” (113). This scene reveals the challenges/trials sub-constituent present in Fahrenheit 451 as Beatty presents Montag with a vital threat to his credibility, reputation, and his health in general. Beatty has repeatedly intimidated Montag and threatened to reveal his most delicate secret: his hoarding of books. Montag has been conflicted with himself on how to handle this matter, whether to kill his opponent or to simply ignore his threatening remarks as bluffs. Montag, as the reader now knows, chooses the former and not only executes the captain but does it in a spectacular manner which may signify Montag’s newfounded ability to prevail over his challenges, a quality that every hero must have. It may also foreshadow Montag’s later rebirth as a phoenix but more on that later. Furthermore, Montag’s challenges will become increasingly more difficult for him to overcome and will continue to pile on until he reaches the greatest of
The initiation portion of the hero’s rite of passage is potentially the most noteworthy segment of the three as it contains numerous challenges and trials that the hero must overcome, the abyss which the hero must approach to encourage his development, and the transformation, where the hero achieves his goal and reveals true courage. First of all, one of the most critical sub-elements of the hero’s journey is the challenges and trials which exists in the form of Montag engaging in a physical confrontation with his mortal enemy, Captain Beatty, just outside his house and ends with Montag successfully burning Beatty alive in a stake to save his own life, “‘Hand it over, Guy,’ said Beatty... and then he was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling gibbering manikin, no longer human… all writhing flame on the lawn as Montag shot one continuous pulse of liquid fire on him” (113). This scene reveals the challenges/trials sub-constituent present in Fahrenheit 451 as Beatty presents Montag with a vital threat to his credibility, reputation, and his health in general. Beatty has repeatedly intimidated Montag and threatened to reveal his most delicate secret: his hoarding of books. Montag has been conflicted with himself on how to handle this matter, whether to kill his opponent or to simply ignore his threatening remarks as bluffs. Montag, as the reader now knows, chooses the former and not only executes the captain but does it in a spectacular manner which may signify Montag’s newfounded ability to prevail over his challenges, a quality that every hero must have. It may also foreshadow Montag’s later rebirth as a phoenix but more on that later. Furthermore, Montag’s challenges will become increasingly more difficult for him to overcome and will continue to pile on until he reaches the greatest of