Choose one of the following men, Jacob, Joseph, or Abraham, and trace his story according to the "Hero Quest" model. What was this man's moment of separation or cross over the threshold? His initiations/tests/temptations? His abyss? His transformation or rebirth and return? (P.S. If you use one or two of the Chapter 8 vocabulary words in your response you will have a very happy English teacher!)
Jacob's hero quest begins with his separation which is when he goes off to serve Laban to earn his love. His test was to serve Laban for 7 years to earn Rachel. His descent is, to his chagrin, that he must stay with Rachel's older sister for 7 years before he gets Rachel. He serves 7 more years. His rebirth is when he gets Rachel at last.
ReplyDeleteJacob's hero quest begins when he runs away from his family so that he wouldn't get murdered by his brother. This shows that he is taking responsibility and becoming more or a man by going out on his own. His initiation was when he served 7 years labor so that he could marry Rachel. His abyss is after working for 7 years he has to marry Leah, Rachel's older sister. So his abyss is when he works ANOTHER 7 years. His rebirth/transformation is when he finally gets to marry Rachel. His return is when he returns to his home and is welcomed warmly by his twin brother Issac.
ReplyDeleteJoseph's journey starts when he is called to be the leader of his brothers and be a follower of God. He had dreams that symbolized himself leading his family, and his brother's decided to get ride of him. However, God gave him strength to ignore them and continue to be a leader. This was also part of his challenge. Joseph's brothers decided to take revenge on him. Instead of killing Joseph, they sold him away for money. His was then falsely accused of cheating with his masters wife and sent to jail. This was his descent. Soon the Pharaoh came and was looking for someone to analyze his dreams. God gave Joseph the meaning of the Pharaoh's dream by telling him that there would be plenty of food for seven years then a drought for seven. The Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of saving up food. His was transformed into the leader he was mean to be. His rebirth was when he was able to reunite and win back the love of his brothers by giving him food in the time of the famine.
ReplyDeleteAbraham's heros quest of his 2nd story begins when he is told they will have a son even though they are so old. His separation is when he is told to sacrifice his son, this is a test from God to see if Abraham trusts his in when he tells Abraham. His temptations are to not listen to God's orders because he loves his son very much and he doesn't want to sacrifice him. His abyss is when he is about to kill his son, when god tells his to stop and says this is a test. God tells him to sacrifice livestock instead, this is his rebirth. Abraham did not have to kill his son, so he was able to keep his beloved son and go back to his kingdom.
ReplyDeleteAbraham's second hero's quest is called to adventure when he figures out that he will have a child at an old age. His separation was when he was told to sacrifice his son. This truly was a test of his candid devotion towards god. The abyss would be when he is about to kill his son. The rebirth is when the angel stops him and explains of how he had passed the test of his devotion towards god and how he is ordered to sacrifice livestock (a ram).
ReplyDeleteJACOB:
ReplyDeleteSeparation - fleeing to Haran after Rebekah told him Esau was plotting to kill him.
Initiation - First seven years of service to Laban for (hopefully) Rachel.
Abyss - Sinister realization that his first seven years were only good for Leah, since the oldest must marry first. He finds out, with chagrin, that he must work another seven years for Rachel.
Rebirth - To Jacob's enthrallment, he gets Rachel, and to make things even better, his brother is ready to forgive him when he returns.
Jacob's separation is when he goes into the unknown by pretending to be someone he was not ( his brother). his call to adventure was when his mother told him to go to her brother, Laban. His initiation/ crossing the threshold was when he had to run away to escape his brother who was out for his blood and he went to Haran. His challenges and temptations was his work for Laban and the temptation of Rachel, Labans daughter. The abyss was when he had to work for seven long years, was married to Leah instead of what he had been promised, and then after seven more years his rebirth was the marriage to Rachel. The transformation was when he realized he wanted to go home, the rebirth was when he saw his brother again and he is forgiven (the atonement). the return is him going home with his family.
ReplyDeleteAbraham's second story hero's quest is called to adventure when Sarah and him find out that she will bore Abraham a son despite her old age. His separation was when God requested him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to test his dedication to God. The temptation that he faces is to disobey God's orders and save his son's life. His abyss is the moment when the angel sent from God stops Abraham's hand from stabbing his son to death. Also, the angel tells him that this was just a test and he passed proving his dedication to God. And lastly, his rebirth was when he was ordered to sacrifice a ram in place of Isaac.
ReplyDeleteI think the story of Abraham and Isaac follows the hero's journey very well. Abraham's separation or cross over the threshold is when God tells him to sacrifice his greatly loved son Isaac. The initiation is when Abraham builds the altar and places Isaac on the alter. I agree 100% with John Berdon that Abraham's temptations were to not listen to got and to not sacrifice his son because he loved him so much. I did not even think about that. I think that Abraham's abyss is when Isaac is about to be killed and the angel interrupts the sacrifice. Abraham sees a goat (I think it was a goat; maybe a ram) and he sacrifices the goat instead. I believe that the rebirth is when Abraham sacrifices the goat because Abraham is relieved that he does not have kill his son. In conclusion, I think the whole story was a test because God was seeing if Abraham would follow his commands and if he was going to follow through with the commands.
ReplyDeleteThe story of Abraham and Isaac:
ReplyDeleteAbrahams separation was when God tested him and told Abraham to sacrifice his most beloved son Isaac. The initiation of Abrahams journey was when he built the altar for the sacrifice. John Berdon and Thomas do make a very good point about Abrahams temptations and I can't think of any other temptation so I think that’s the best one. The abyss of the journey would be when Abraham bound his so Isaac and laid him on the altar and nearly killed him then the angel from heaven stopped Abraham. I think Abrahams transformation or return would be when after he sacrifices the ram he names the sight of all this Adonai-yireh which means "the lord will see to".
Abraham's separation was when God told Abraham that he must sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham's initiation was when he built the altar for the sacrifice, and took his son. The abyss would probably be when Abraham is about to kill/sacrifice his son Isaac, when an angel from heaven comes the last moment, and stops him, telling him that he had passed the test, having trust in God. The rebirth would be when Abraham sacrifices the goat, and the realization of God's lesson is made important, especially after Abraham does not have to sacrifice his son.
ReplyDeleteJacob's initiation was when he ran away from home. He ran away so his brother, Isaac, couldn't kill him. His challenges was that he had to work for a man named Laban. He worked for him for seven years in order to get Laban's younger daughter, Rachel. The abyss was when Laban made Jacob wait until his elder daughter got married AND Laban added an additional seven years of work. Finally, at the rebirth, Jacob zealously marries Rachel and goes home to his brother, who accepts him home.
ReplyDeleteAbraham's call to adventure was when the Lord told him, "Leave your country and your people. Leave your father's family. Go to the land I will show you." his initiation in this case was going to the land God told him to go to and then asking God for a son to pass on everything he owns or else it would all be passed on to his servant, Eliezer. His abyss was that he began to grow old with no son, even though God had sent him a message saying he will bring him a son from Abraham's own body. however, Abraham continued to have faith and trust in God. Lastly, Abraham's rebirth or return was God did give him a son, who had his own children causing Abraham to become the, "father of many."
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