Stage 11 is ‘The Resurrection’, as Rashid and Haroun return home, with Rashid’s imagination safe and Haroun having grown from his experience. Thankfully, the Walrus agrees, and promises Haroun a happy ending. 'The Road Back' is stage 10, as Haroun still has to convince the Walrus to not turn off Rashid’s imagination. Stage 9 is the Reward, and Mali rescues the group and destroys the machines poisoning the Sea. Stage 8, 'The Ordeal', sees everyone except Mali being captured by Khattum-Shud, their plan foiled. Haroun meets back up with his father Rashid, and form a plan to stop Khattum-Shud from poisoning the Sea of Stories. Stage 7 is 'Approaching the Innermost Cave'. Khattum-Shud acts as the villain of this story, wanting to destroy all stories by plugging up the source of all stories and poisoning the sea.

They also meet Prince Bolo, who seeks to rescue Princess Batcheat from the evil Khattum-Shud, who seeks to poison the Sea of Stories.īatcheat acts as the damsel in distress, needing to be rescued for most of the story. Haroun, Iff, and Butt travel to Gup, a city full of people talking constantly, and meet Mali, a floating gardener, who acts as a side character and helper. The 6th stage is the longest stage, as Haroun is introduced to several allies, enemies, and faced with a test. ‘Crossing the Threshold’ is stage 5, as Iff and Haroun fly on a hoopoe named Butt to Kahani, the Earth’s second moon, which houses two cities and the Sea of Stories, which produces all stories ever told. Iff was sent to turn off Rashid’s imagination, and Haroun demands to speak to the Walrus, who would keep Rashid’s imagination on. Stage 4, ‘Meeting the Mentor’ begins when Haroun meets Iff the water genie, who acts as both the mentor figure and also as a bit of comic relief throughout the rest of the novel. Stage 3 is ‘Refusal of the Call.’ Haroun, while traveling with Rashid to another city, believes that his father’s loss of storytelling is his fault. Haroun’s ‘Call to Adventure’, stage 2, would be when his father, Rashid, is hired to tell stories on behalf of local politicians, but fails to do so due to his wife leaving him.

This sad city is Haroun's 'Ordinary World,' stage 1 of the hero's journey.

The main character, Haroun, lives in a sad city that's so sad it forgot its own name.

The Hero's Journey can be described as 'a hero going on a quest, facing enemies, overcoming trials, and returning home a changed person.Ī good example of the Hero's Journey is the novel 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories.' In 1949, academic Joseph Campbell saw this pattern as well, and called it: Throughout history, there has always been stories.īut in a majority of these stories, there is a pattern.

Haroun and the sea of stories