al1428

Hero

The main hero is Harry Potter.

Plot Summary

Harry Potter is in his fifth year at Hogwarts. With fear that Professor Dumbledore will "steal" his position, Cornelius Fudge appoints Dolores Umbridge as High Inquisitor and Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor in order to keep an eye on the school. With the rising tide of evil swarming Hogwarts, Voldemort's rising tide of power, and Dumbledore nowhere to be found, Harry bands a group of students together called Dumbledore's Army in order to fight against this evil tide. 

Departure

Call to Adventure

The Call to Adventure begins in Chapter One when Dudley Dursley, Harry’s cousin, and Harry himself are attacked by a band of Dementors. This attack forces Harry to use magic outside of Hogwarts (All because Mundungus Fletcher was a twat and needed some stolen cauldrons).

Refusal of the Call

The Refusal of the Call was not as difficult as I expected it to be, but the Refusal occurred when Harry is rushed towards by Mrs. Figg informing him that she spoke with Dumbledore about the attack, that he used magic outside of Hogwarts and soon he will hear back from Dumbledore. The Refusal continues more so with a howler like letter from the Ministry of Magic who informs him that he will not be returning to Hogwarts since he used magic outside of school. Though Harry doesn’t refuse the call, the Ministry informs him they refuse him to return.

Supernatural Aid

It was rather easy to also find the Supernatural Aid in this movie/book. I consider this easy because not only does he have nine aids they are all Supernatural. These aids were Mad-Eye Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, and Hestia Jones. He is ushered to the crossing of the threshold which could be argued the broom ride which would have been abnormal even at this part of the book where magic used where muggles might see it would be surprising as a 15-16-year-old currently. So, in a way, Harry is crossing two thresholds. Thinking back I would argue this happens often in Harry’s journey.

Crossing of the First Threshold

Harry crosses a different threshold in this novel this threshold is more like a muggle house. It is the magical threshold that he later finds will be his house after Sirius’s death. But the crossing of the threshold is the entrance to Grimmauld Place.

Belly of the Whale

Harry crosses from the Threshold in this novel and enters the belly of a muggle house. It is the magical threshold that he later finds will be his house after Sirius’s death. The entrance into Grimmauld Place would be a physical entering of the Order of Phoenix’s Belly of the Whale. (Sirius might even argue his mother’s wailing was the whale)

Initiation

Road of Trials

This was a little more difficult to place since the story carries for a while. I think this book had may trials in itself with Umbridge and her Inquisitor Decree’s and Dumbledore’s Army I wasn’t entirely sure first hand. But I would argue that the trials that he tasks would come from Umbridge. The trials would lead up to the making of Dumbledore’s Army and Harry’s friends suggesting the fact they need a teacher and someone to stand with which would be Harry. But, it could also be argued that there are many tasks that loop throughout the book. So, this portion isn’t as entirely clear as I had hoped like the above sections were.

Meeting with the Goddess

The Meeting of the Goddess funnily enough is with Cho Chang throughout the book. She is in his sights for some time. But, this is not his true love. I think he is merely blinded by lust, but I also shipped Ginny and Harry in the second book. So, I am biased by that regard.

Woman as a Temptress

I believe though this might not be entirely accurate, but I feel like Umbridge’s controversies are what distract Harry but also make him stronger. Arguably, I would say the way in which Umbridge navigates the insistence of traditional education, textbook learning and forcing students into a strict conformative style when they have had ease of the classroom could have been a way in which this stage was established.

Atonement with the Father

This one is interesting to me for it follows in correlation with a slide into Apotheosis. The Atonement is with Harry’s Godfather who calls him through the fireplace and is further enhanced when Harry is given a vision of Sirius at the Department of Mysteries in danger. This is his call to the Ultimate Power. The Ultimate Power, i.e., Voldemort luring him to his “death.”

Apotheosis

Though Harry himself doesn’t ‘die’ until really the last portion of the last book in the series. It can be argued that a part of harry dies when Sirius is taken from him too soon. Sirius enters into the Black Veil and never re-emerges. He forever sees life as a big laugh as if there is more to be gained. I always loved that about Sirius, even at the brink of death he had a smile and a laugh present on his face. 

I also realized when I went back and reread most of the book that Voldemort tries to get Harry murdered by his other 'father' Dumbledore while Voldemort is inside of him and speaking to Dumbledore through him. This seems to be a literal reference to the Apotheosis or overarching ending to the series.

Ultimate Boon

This is the portion where I believe the trials were what strengthen harry with his magical helpers. Here Harry stands alongside his Army as they stand up to the forces of good and evil, standing up to squash the hope to conform them.

Return

Refusal of the Return

His return to Hogwarts comes a return to a transformed harry not wanting to believe that Sirius is actually gone. He is thrust back to Hogwarts not of his own accord especially when Lupin is holding Harry back who is also another inserted father for Harry. A show that he still has loved ones dear to him that are there for him. Whereas Voldemort never will and therefore will never know love, happiness, or friendship as stated during the internal conflicted discussion Harry and Voldemort have between Atonement and Apotheosis. 

Magic Flight

The magic flight could be argued to have occurred the moment that Harry tosses the mirror and it shatters. His belief has transformed and the throwing of the mirror is a metaphorical escape from his pursuers which comes later on that he uses the mirror to stay attached to Sirius for he believes that he is peering in on him.

Rescue from Without

Most of the aids who assisted him in the very beginning after the first attack of Dementors came back to help him return to the mundane world once again. The circle is reunited once more with Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley as the Aurors who assisted him in the beginning of the book and then added on his Army or band of misfits, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Ron.

Crossing of the Return Threshold

Harry crosses the Threshold once more when Dumbledore gives him a Portkey to return to his office and wait for him. He is crossing a threshold with the boot as well as entering a world he has come to know with the added notion that he has transformed. He has entered a new world where people know he is not a liar, that Voldemort has returned, and that he is alone once more without a father to guide him. But, at least, Dumbledore isn’t giving him “space” anymore.

Master of Two Worlds

Harry still has yet to achieve a finalized Master of the Two Worlds. This, as stated previously, will not occur until Voldemort is no more.

Freedom to Live

And much like Master of Two Worlds Harry is not free to live without worry of the past and present. He is probably with more worry and sadness since this enters a present loss of a father who he had just started to know and love. 

Final Thoughts

Ever since I first wrote my paper on Harry Potter and the Journey through the Monomyth and Rowling's Genius (I am still working on the title) I have felt as if every story that I look at in novels whether they are classical literature or just a fun romantic comedy I can see portions if not laid out established Monomyth stages inside the novel. We, I don't believe, realize that the novel we are reading is Joseph Campbell's Monomyth but just about every heroic, journey story has it. It is there. It just takes a little bit of attention. Like Hunger Games, or Percy Jackson, or Hercules, or even Tangled. They all have one thing in common if not some nice humor. They all portray some portion of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth. 

And, I will say what my Milton Professor would say ALL THE TIME: 

HE IS JUST THAT GOOD!  

I have great fun in the class. I learned more to and got a few more points that I can expand on in my novel. I know it won't equal Campbell but maybe I could do him proud.