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Showing posts from October, 2013

A Nontraditional Spin on "The Belly of the Whale"

My critique/blogging group  has decided to focus on the various steps in the hero's journey. I'll be honest -- I know very little about the hero's journey. I'm not much of an epic fantasy writer/reader, though I've become more familiar with the classics over the years. And I'm more focused on writing a good story than following a specific formula. However, there is one step that sorta intrigues me. My take on it may not be exactly accurate, but perhaps it will be refreshing for you to see a different perspective. I'm talking about "The Belly of the Whale." Campbell, the Hero's Journey Oracle, defines this step as: The hero, instead of conquering or conciliating the power of the threshold, is swallowed into the unknown and would appear to have died...Instead of passing outward, beyond the confines of the visible world, the hero goes inward, to be born again. The disappearance corresponds to the passing of a worshipper into a temple—whe...