The ordeal in the archetypal journey is the most trying and difficult stage of the journey. The hero will face their biggest fear and a near death experience may occur. The reward is what the hero receives after finishing the ordeal. It is the elixir that the journey was all about. It may be personal gain, knowledge or a deeply coveted item. The hero only receives this after accomplishing his/her journey.
“I was devastated. It was the most incredible of the incredible. I had spent four years recovering from the most devastating injury a human being can incur and lived. It had been the battle of a lifetime, and I had won it. If anyone deserved smooth sailing for the rest of his life, I was the guy.” ( Mitchell’s Story)
In Mitchell’s story he had faced death twice and recovered. After recovering from the motorcycle accident that nearly killed him, Mitchell was a part of a plane accident that left him unable to walk. The reward Mitchell received was a new outlook on life and the title of mayor in his town. Mitchell grew from his accidents and now shares his experiences to motivate and aid people worldwide like Luci is doing with her book.
“I wish I knew then
What I know now
Wouldn’t dive in
Wouldn’t bow down” (Katy Perry)
In the song Wide Awake by Katy Perry her lyrics reflect the reward of knowledge. She says that if she had known what she learnt at the end of the journey at the beginning she would have changed what she had done to finish her journey. Many heroes gain knowledge at the end of the journey and wish the same thing. If Bilbo had known that he would survive his journey and that Thorin accepted him as a burglar he may have reacted differently when Gandalf proposed the adventure. Although knowing this Bilbo also may have made bad decisions that will change what he previously knew. The reward at the end of the journey is only given at the end when the hero is worthy and has completed the journey well enough to acquire it.
Journey Project 