Summer Reading Assignments from The English Department
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff
Introduction
Your summer reading work for your English class was inspired by a passage in An Invisible
Thread by Laura Schroff. In the chapter entitled “The Dark Forest” toward the end of the book,
Maurice disappears from the narrator’s life. She shares her explanation for his absence.
“Looking back now, the story of what happened to Maurice brings to mind one of the great
themes of mythology –what Joseph Campbell called the hero’s journey. It is a voyage many of
us have had to make in one way or another. It happens on our path to discovering who we are
and what we are made of. When we are young and full of energy but still naïve about the
world, we are lured into a dark, mysterious forest - a forest that seduces us with the promise of
great things. There we face challenges more intense than we could have fathomed, and how we
fare in those challenges determines who we become. If we make it out of the forest alive, we are
wiser and stronger, and the gifts we bring back with us will make the world a better place. The
hero’s journey is a journey of self-discovery.”
You are going to explore this recurring idea of the Hero’s Journey that shows up so often in
short stories, epic poems, novels and films.
You will become familiar with Joseph Campbell’s definition of this Hero’s Journey.
You will discover how Auggie, Maurice and YOU! are all heroes.
In order to complete the written assignments you will have to…..
.
Read both books. Wonder by R.J. Palacio and An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff.
.
Watch the You Tube Videos, read the information and read some internet articles about
The Hero’s Journey as defined by Joseph Campbell. The names of these videos and articles and some of their
major ideas are on pages 2, 3, 4 of this packet.
3.
Then you can complete the assignments outlined on pages 5, 6, 7, 8 of this packet.
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THE YOU TUBE VIDEOS & INTERNET ARTICLES
The Hero’s Journey: The Pattern that Most Stories and Our Own Lives Follow
Joseph Campbell in this book Myth figured out that all stories basically follow the same pattern. He calls this a
“monomyth.”
(The prefix mono means ____________ )
Define myth: _______________________________________________________
Define mundane: _________________________________________
(TYPE THE INFORMATION FOR ‘MONOMYTH,” “MYTH,” and “MUNDANE” AT THE TOP OF
THE FIRST WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT ABOUT AUGGIE.
______________________________________________________________________
Watch these two YOUTUBE videos about the Hero’s Journey.
#1. YOU TUBE Video: The Hero’s Journey
(7:38 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGV1BvnyvGo
This video contains film clips from several films that clearly show the steps in some familiar heroes’ journeys.
(Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Dorothy)
The Hero’s Journey. Every hero story ever told follows the same five steps.
(In a nutshell, the stages are separation, transition, incorporation.)
1. The Mundane World. (Home) The hero begins the story in a place they have no
desire to be..
2. The Call to Adventure: Someone or something tells the hero there is something else
out there.
3. Crossing the Threshold The hero crosses into the new world, leaving the old world
behind.
4. The Path of Trials (Challenges and tests) The hero goes on an adventure meeting
new people, including friends, mentors and enemies, learning
new skills and gaining new knowledge, and overcoming challenges.
5. The Master of Two Worlds: (The hero returns home) Having succeeded in the
new world, the hero returns to the old world as a changed person.
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#2. YOU TUBE Video: “The Hero’s Journey – Your Call to Adventure” (8:15 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqr8aAZX7q0
This video provides another phrasing of the steps in the Hero’s Journey.
Below is a partial transcript from this excellent instructional video.
The Hero’s Journey pattern underlies all human experiences and, consequently, is found in stories about those
experiences.
Every story is really one story, or as Campbell called it “A Monomyth.”
What is a hero? According to Joseph Campbell…a hero is any male or female who leaves (or is given a divine
kick in the rear end) the world of his or her everyday life to undergo a journey to a new and unknown world
where challenges and fears are overcome in order to secure a reward (special knowledge, new talents, inner
strength, etc) which is then shared with other members of the hero’s community.
All heroes, regardless of their personalities, will demonstrate some or all of these characteristics on their
journeys:
- has human flaws
- takes risks
- overcomes obstacles
- makes sacrifices
- learns and grows
Why do we study the stories that follow the pattern of The Hero’s Journey?
The Hero’s Journey is a pattern of human experience, of our experience. We live it, we’re living it now, and we
will live it for the rest of our lives.
If we understand The Journey pattern, we will be better able to face difficulties and use our life
experiences to become stronger, more capable and more complete human beings.
Making our Journeys meaningful helps use become the people we want to be.
We are all Heroes.
We are born.
We will separate from our families.
We will have dark and light times in our lives.
We will have friends that help and guide us
We will be faced with difficult decisions and hurdles.
We will have to prove ourselves
We will triumph
Every challenge or change we face in life is a journey…
Every love found, every love lost, every birth and every death carries the potential of transformation to a new
level of understanding.
Every move to a new school, job, or city opens the chance to stop being what we were and to start being what
we can become.
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The Journey, when seen as a process of self-discovery and self integration is, at times, confusing and
painful, but, as with any process of growth and change, it brings opportunities to develop a deeper sense of
Self, perspective and understanding.
Life is one big Journey. From cradle to grave, we are all searching to discover who we really are, why we are
here and what we are meant to do.
___________________________________________________________________
#3. YOU TUBE Video: from the Campbellfoundation.org show Joseph Campbell himself discussing his
theory about The Hero’s Journey.
Joseph Campbell Hero’s Journey abridged (4:04 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJwPIiUPfK4
Once you get to this video, you’ll find other videos in the right column on You Tube that you may want to
check out to learn more about The Hero’s Journey.
______________________________________________________________
READ some articles about The Hero’s Journey. These will deepen your understanding of the concepts
presents in the You Tube videos.
1. This web site has paragraph length discussions of each of the steps in The Hero’s Journey. It also includes
references to some well-known, contemporary stories that follow the pattern of The Hero’s Journey.
http://mythologyteacher.com/documents/TheHeroJourney.pdf
2. Wikipedia is always a good start for research. Be sure to check sources at the end of every Wikipedia article
for the accuracy of each article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell
3. This web site is compact. The steps in The Hero’s Journey are listed. You click on each
step for a more in depth explanation of these steps.
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/hero_journey/hero_journey.htm
4. This web site has a chart that identifies the steps in The Hero’s Journey in the films
Star Wars and The Matrix.
http://www.moongadget.com/origins/myth.html
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THE THREE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Format Directions
Each of the three assignments should be on their own sheet of paper.
Spread out your work. Leave room for revision and improvements.
Must be typed
Times New Roman 12 point font
Double space (at least) the entire document.
(Repeated direction: spread out your work!)
Label the sections. Example: Auggie
The Mundane World
The Call to Adventure (etc)
Include page #’s and chapter titles that identify where you found the information for your
answers.
Put section titles in bold print. (Example: Auggie, The Mundane World)
Choose specific words. Avoid vagueness. Include details, examples!
Proofread!!!!
ALL OF THE WRITTEN WORK IS DUE ON AUGUST 25. BUT DON’T FORGET TO
BRING BOTH TEXTS WITH YOU TO ENGLISH CLASS ON THE FIRST DAY OF
SCHOOL!
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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #1 Wonder
Auggie, the Hero
The Hero’s Journey. Every hero story ever told follows the same five steps.
1. The Mundane World. (HOME) The hero begins the story in a place they have no
desire to be.
Summarize how Auggie begins his story at “home.” Include why he has “no desire to be there.”
sentences.
_________________________________
Write in
2. The Call to Adventure: Someone or something tells the hero there is something else
out there.
Explain who or what calls Auggie to try something else, to go somewhere else. Where had he been? Where
was he challenged to go? Write in sentences.
________________________________
3. Crossing the Threshold The Hero crosses into the new world, leaving the old world
behind.
List 3 steps Auggie took in his first steps into his new world.
In parentheses after each step, identify how he felt during each of these steps.
Be specific.
Choose words rich in meaning. “Good” and “bad” are not rich in meaning! 
________________________________
4. The Path of Trials (Challenges and Tests) The Hero goes on an adventure meeting new people, including
friends, mentors and enemies, learning new skills and gaining new knowledge, and overcoming challenges.
List with analysis: 3 challenges Auggie faced. Identify who, what, when, where.
After each, include how he felt about each challenge.
List 3 characters and label as: friend, enemy, mentor
______________________________
5. The Master of Two Worlds: (The Hero returns home) Having succeeded in the new world, the hero
returns to the old world as a changed person
Summarize in a paragraph. PROOFREAD. Discuss Auggie’s “return home.”
When and why did he return home?
How had he changed?
What had he learned?
How had he changed the world around him?
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Written Assignment #2
The Invisible Thread
Maurice, the Hero
The Hero’s Journey. Every Hero Story ever told follows the same five steps.
1. The Mundane World. (HOME) The Hero begins the story in a place they have no desire to be.
Summarize how Maurice begins his story at “home.” Include why he has “no desire to be there. Write in
sentences.
_________
2. The Call to Adventure: Someone or something tells the hero there is something else out there.
Explain who or what calls Maurice to try something else, to go somewhere else. Where had he been? Where
was he challenged to go? Write in sentences.
_________
3. Crossing the Threshold The Hero crosses into the new world, leaving the old world behind.
List 3 steps Maurice took in his first steps into his new world.
In parentheses after each step, identify how he felt during each of these steps. Be specific.
Choose words rich in meaning. “Good” and “bad” are not rich in meaning! 
_________
4. The Path of Trials (Challenges and Tests) The Hero goes on an adventure meeting new people, including
friends, mentors and enemies, learning new skills and gaining new knowledge, and overcoming challenges.
List with analysis: 3 challenges Maurice faced. Identify who, what, when, where.
After each, include how he felt about each challenge.
List 3 characters and label as: friend, enemy, mentor
___________
5. The Master of Two Worlds: (The Hero returns home) Having succeeded in the new world, the Hero
returns to the old world as a changed person
Summarize in a paragraph. PROOFREAD. Discuss Maurice’s “return home.”
When/why did he return?
How had he changed?
What had he learned?
How had he changed the world around him?
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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #3
YOU! The Hero!
Think of and write about one journey you’ve had to make in your life.
Begin with a sentence that summarizes your “journey.”
example: My Journey to high school
My Journey after the death/birth of _______
My Journey to overcome (a challenge, an obstacle, reach a goal, etc.)
1. The Mundane World. (Home) The Hero begins the story in a place they have no desire to be.
Summarize how you began your story at “home.” Include why you had “no desire to be there. Write in
sentences.
_________
2. The Call to Adventure: Someone or something tells the Hero there is something else out there.
Explain who or what called you to try something else, to go somewhere else, or to change. Where had you
been? Where were you challenged to go? Write in sentences.
_________
3. Crossing the Threshold The Hero crosses into the new world, leaving the old world
behind.
List 2-3 steps you took into his new world.
In parentheses after each step, identify how you felt during each of these steps. Be specific.
Choose words rich in meaning. “Good” and “bad” are not rich in meaning! 
_________
4. The Path of Trials (Challenges and Tests) The Hero goes on an adventure meeting new people, including
friends, mentors and enemies, learning new skills and gaining new knowledge, and overcoming challenges.
List with details: 3 challenges you faced. Identify who, what, when, where.
After each, include how you felt about each challenge. Write this part in sentences.
List 3 people you met and label them as: friend, enemy, mentor
___________
5. The Master of Two Worlds: (The Hero returns home) Having succeeded in the new world, the Hero
returns to the old world as a changed person
Summarize in a paragraph. PROOFREAD.
When/Why did you return home?
How did you change?
What did you learn?
How did you affect/change the world around you?
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