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The Wikipedia article about the Hero's Journey explains that a typical story of that genre comprises three main parts -- Departure, Initiation and Return. Each such part typically comprises various subparts. For the Departure and Initiation parts, Wikipedia lists the subparts as follows.
DepartureIn this series of articles, I have finished the Atonement with the Father subpart. There I argued that Baby Houseman was a "Daddy's Girl" who had deceived and disappointed her father. Subsequently she had to redefine her relationship with her father on a more adult level. The process of redefinition required effort and time.
The Call to AdventureInitiation
Refusal of the Call
Supernatural Aid
Crossing the First Threshold
Belly of the Whale
The Road of Trials
The Meeting with the God
The Man As Tempter
Atonement with the Father
Apotheosis
This is the point of realization in which a greater understanding is achieved. Armed with this new knowledge and perception, the hero is resolved and ready for the more difficult part of the adventure
The Ultimate Boon
The ultimate boon is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It is what the person went on the journey to get. All the previous steps serve to prepare and purify the person for this step, since in many myths the boon is something transcendent like the elixir of life itself, or a plant that supplies immortality, or the Holy Grail.
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Now I will discuss the Apotheosis subpart. The word is pronounced as follows:
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The Changing Minds website describes the Apotheosis in a Hero's Journey as follows:
.... The hero transcends, achieving a higher place. This is a point of realization in which a greater understanding is achieved. Armed with this new knowledge and perception, the hero is resolved and ready for the more difficult part of the adventure. ...I like especially the word enlightenment as an alternative to the word apotheosis.
The dictionary describes apotheosisas:
The elevation of a person to the status of a god.The notion is thus one of achieving perfection, reaching enlightenment and nirvana, transcending to another level.
In transcending, the cycle of death and rebirth is repeated as the hero dies as their former self and is reborn into new self, perhaps that of the true hero. ...
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I perceive Baby's stage of enlightenment to take place in the following scene.
Baby is sad to part from Johnny, but she controls her emotions maturely, because she is philosophical about her situation. In other words, she is thoughtful and objective. She has placed her relationship with Johnny into proper perspective. She is ready to go on with her life without Johnny, but much wiser because of her brief experience with him.
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The same Changing Minds website describes the Ultimate Boon in a Hero's Journey as follows.
Eventually through the many trials, the goal of the journey is achieved. This is the ultimate boon.I perceive that Baby Houseman achieves her Ultimate Boon in the final scene, where her dance performance demonstrates that she should no longer be perceived as being a "Baby" -- rather, she should be recognized henceforth as being an adult, capable, confident woman. Also, immediately after her dance performance, she reconciles with her father.
The boon may be finally gained after a battle with the ultimate villain or a particularly difficult last trial.
The ultimate boon is often the climax of the story, where the major tension of the story is resolved. ...
In movies, expensive special effects and large orchestras may be used to enhance the action, creating awe and wonder in the audience.
Baby has accomplished her initiation into adulthood and has become a hero with improved qualities:
WisdomBaby will be able to apply those improved qualities to her future efforts in her life.
Life Experience
Familial Support
Recognition
Adult Authority
Confidence
Performance Ability
Emotional Self-Control
Generosity
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This series will be continued in Part 15.
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