Post #145 – Women’s Memoirs, Writing Prompt – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Memoir Author’s Mythic Journey
Welcome to Day 2 in my brief discussion of Joseph Campbell’s stages of the hero’s journey. I am selecting just five (well actually six as you’ll see below) of his 17 stages — the ones that match best with author Gail Straub’s description of her mythic journey to write and publish her memoir: Returning To My Mother’s House: Taking Back the Wisdom of the Feminine
Gail Straub’s Second Phase, Supernatural Aid and Trail of Trials
In the paragraph above, I said I was investigating five/six of Campbell’s 17 stages. In matching Gail’s description of the five phases of her journey, I found that two of Campbell’s stages — Supernatural Aid and Road of Trials — are a great match for Gail’s second phase of her journey. Click here to read what and who became her guides in the Supernatural Aid and the problems she encountered in her Road of Trials.
Want to know more about Campbell’s Supernatural Aid and Road of Trials phases?
Supernatural Aid is the third phase of a hero’s journey when one considers the complete list of 17 stages. Stories rarely utilize all of the phases. According to Campbell, Supernatural Aid arrives in the form of a guide or even a magical helper.
Following is a video that describes Supernatural Aid and provides examples from multiple sources.
Joseph Campbell and Supernatural Aid
Memoir Writing Prompt
1. As you have worked on your memoir have you found guides or sources of inspiration and help? Do you have journals? Have family members provided you with much needed research? Has the Internet been your Supernatural Aid?
2. Have you been open to these possible guides or helpers? Do you feel you have to do this entirely on your own? If so, why? Be open to those who will offer assistance and guidance.
Write for five or ten minutes about your experiences with The Supernatural Aid phase of your memoir journey.
And What About Campbell’s Road of Trials?
Campbell considers The Road of Trials the sixth phase of a hero’s journey — at least when it is taken from his comprehensive of 17 stages. As I mentioned yesterday, the stories we read, see, listen to, and even write rarely utilize all of the phases. According to Campbell, The Road of Trials is the period when a person undergoes a series of tests or perhaps tasks and even ordeals that begin to transform the person to a new level of understanding.
Following is a video that describes Campbell’s The Road of Trials.
The Road of Trials
Memoir Writing Prompt
I’d like to say that this is a fun phase to think about in our own writing journey. And over time, it certainly can be. I remember many years ago when I was looking for a publisher for my book called Women and the Mass Media: Resources for Research and Action. I had been turned down by a number of publishers when I mailed the manuscript to Donna Allen, founder of the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press. I asked her advice on what I should do. She sent me a letter that I kept for many years. Even now I can quote from it almost word for word: “This reminds me of the company who sent two shoe salesmen to an underdeveloped country. One called back to corporate headquarters and said, ‘No market here, no one wears shoes.’ The other called back to headquarters and said, ‘Great market here, no one wears shoes.'”
Donna’s message was clear. Be true to my vision that there was a market for my book. And later a publisher shared the vision and did a great job of marketing it. The book even won the Media Preceptor Award from San Francisco State University as the Best Media Book of the Year.
Every writer has walked on the Road of Trials.
1. Write about three trials you have endured on this road. What did you do each time?
2. Have you learned from each trial and test so that you are better able to meet the next one? The trials will happen so we might as well use them as opportunities for growth.
Write for five or ten minutes about your experiences with The Road of Trials phase of your memoir journey. Use this as a time to not just list your setbacks, roadblocks and trials, but to get into them and see what you can learn from each one — including how to not keep repeating them.
If you like, you can share your thoughts with us in the Comments section below.
Gail Straub is the co-author of the best selling Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life As You Want It, and the author of the critically acclaimed The Rhythm of Compassion as well as the award winning feminist memoir Returning To My Mother’s House: Taking Back the Wisdom of the Feminine
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