A Long Way Gone Hero's Journey Analysis

There are many differences between the archetypes of the hero’s journey. For instance The Hobbit is about a hobbit that is taken on a journey with dwarves to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. While A Long Way Gone is a story about a boy who is separated from his family and is drafted into the army to do unspeakable things.The hero’s journeys in The Hobbit and A long way gone were very different from each other.

In these books, the Call to Adventure step in the hero’s journey is very different. For instance, in The Hobbit Bilbo is called to adventure by the dwarves and Gandalf, and he willingly partakes in the adventure. In A Long Way Gone Ishmael is practically forced to be on the adventure, being separated from his family in an unforgiving time

For example, in The Hobbit Bilbo received assistance from Gandalf. Gandalf wakes Bilbo and gathers a few things for his journey. Gandalf also repeatedly helps Bilbo and Co. throughout the book. This is apparent when in the text it states, “Then Biblo understood. It was the wizards voice that had kept the trolls bickering and quarrelling, until the light came and made an end of them.” (The Hobbit Chapter 2 page 41) However, in A Long Way Gone Ishmael arguably received no assistance. It was always Ishmael and his friends, whenever they found a new village, they were almost always not trusted and looked down upon. One reason they are different during the departure stage is, in A long way gone Ishmael leaves the ordinary world quite differently compared to Bilbo. For instance, Ishmael is forced out of the ordinary world, separated from his family and in a new world of violence and death. On the other hand, Bilbo leaves his ordinary world prepared, and with friends. These were just a few ways the assistance and departure stages in the hero’s journey was different between these books.

Another way these books were different was in the Trials stage of the hero’s journey. In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael's trials are to overcome the rebels and find his family. Ishmael and his brother are separated from their family and the biggest threat to them is the rebels. On the contrary, in The Hobbit, Bilbo