Home-Adventure-Home
a technique for
literary analysis
First Let’s Review
Some Vocabulary
External and Internal
Concrete and Abstract
Literal and Figurative
Tangible and Intangible
Starting From HOME
Every single story you’ve ever read is one story:
a quest.
A quest is a journey or adventure in search of
someone or something. (a goal)
The protagonist, the main character, is the hero
or heroine in search of something or someone.
Therefore…all stories have the same pattern or
structure.
It All Begins at HOME
What is home to you?
What does it look like?
What are its external characteristics?
What are its tangible, concrete
characteristics?
The External Home
House
Apartment
Shelter
Cardboard box
Mobile Home
Teepee
Car
Igloo
It All Begins at Home
What qualities do ALL homes have in
common?
Think about some intangible, abstract
characteristics.
What internal characteristics does your
Home have?
The Internal Home
Your internal home comes with you
wherever you go!
Explain why you think that is.
The Internal Home
Known
Loved
Safe
Belong
Abel’s Internal and
External Home
QuickTime™ and a
Sore nson Video 3 decompressor
are neede d to see this picture.
Crossing The Threshold
When the protagonist crosses
over from home.
You are crossing over into your
adventure.
You choose to go over the
threshold or you are ‘thrown’ into
it.
Abel crosses over his
threshold into the unknown.
The Adventure
When you cross your threshold (leave
home), you begin your adventure.
The adventure is:
Unknown
Unpredictable
Uncontrolled
Has no order
The Adventure
On your adventure you are:
Not safe
Not protected
Not loved
Not known
The Adventure
In the adventure, the main
character has his/her own
experience.
Through this experience, he/she
grows and acquires knowledge.
The Adventure
When you begin your adventure, you must go
without a parent or guardian, or it is not your
own adventure.
You can be accompanied by Guides, Friends
and Peers (equals) because you, alone, are
still making the choices and decisions. NO
ONE is ‘taking care’ of you !
Your guides can be physically with you
(external) or emotionally with you (internal).
Abel’s External Guide
QuickTime™ an d a
Sorenson Video 3 decompre ssor
are need ed to see this p icture .
Abel’s Internal Guide
The Climax
The highest point of tension.
The restatement of the protagonist’s
problem.
Occurs right before we find out if the
protagonist will succeed or fail.
The Climax
Everyone always wants to get
back “home”!
Home - The end point!
After the adventure, when the main character
has returned home, his/her problem may NOT
be solved but it is resolved. (the resolution)
He/she has changed internally and externally.
(Transformation)
Changes are physical: he/she is older.
Changes are mental: he/she is wiser and gained
knowledge about:
Self
Others
Society
ABEL FINDS HIS WAY
BACK HOME
ABEL’S
TRANSFORMATION
How has Abel changed externally?
How has Abel changed internally?
What he learned about society.
What he learned about others.
What he learned about himself.
Let’s Review
Let’s Review
Home - Adventure - Home
Climax
External Guide Resolution
Internal Guide
Threshold
Home