The “Hero’s Journey”

Abstract

In this article, the author explores philosophically the possibility of a connection between music teacher socialization and the work of Joseph Campbell in comparative mythology. Campbell’s “hero’s journey” provides a way of viewing the life of the apprentice music teacher. The process of ritual, following the general theme of separation–initiation–return, where the protagonist leaves the ordinary world to enter the special world where adventure happens, followed by a return to the ordinary world in an altered—changed—state, is proposed to be akin to the struggles of the apprentice teacher. Christopher Vogler’s 12 subcategories of the hero’s journey are used to frame the journey of the apprentice teacher.