Finding ForresterThe Hero’s Journey

  1. What do you know about Jamal Wallace? What is his “known world.” Describe the setting in the early part of the film.
  1. Describe Jamal and his friend’s interactions with one another.
  1. What is Jamal’s call to adventure? What news does his teacher give his mother? What is surprising about this news?
  1. What is Jamal’s reaction to his call? What does he tell his brother? Why do you think he says this?
  1. What is Jamal dared to do? What does this show us about Jamal?
  1. What supernatural thing happens to Jamal as he is walking across the street? What tools/knowledge does he find in his journals from this aide?
  1. Describe the first interaction between Jamal and the old man.
  1. How do we know that Jamal has crossed the threshold into an unknown world? Who are the guardians to this world?
  1. How do we know that Jamal is in the unknown world? Compare this new world and his new experiences to his unknown world.
  1. As Jamal makes his way to his new school he meets a goddess. This is defined as a character that our hero meets in the unknown world that supports, guides, and energizes our hero. Who is the goddess of this story? How do you know?
  1. What does Jamal realize about the old man that he has been seeing for help with his writing? What agreement do they make with one-another?
  1. What assumptions does Crawford make about Jamal? What causes him to make these assumptions? What trials must Jamal go through to prove himself to Crawford?
  1. What does he learn from William about writing? What does William have Jamal write? Why does he do this?
  1. Describe the interaction between Jamal and Fly after his first game. Where do he and Claire go afterwards? Why would you potentially refer to this as the belly of the whale?
  1. What gesture does Jamal do for William? What does he learn about William?
  1. What does Jamal do to succumb to temptation? Why do you think he breaks William’s rule?
  1. What is the response from Crawford and the school when they catch him of cheating? During thisconversation Jamal chooses to resist temptation. What does he choose not to tell them? What does this show about Jamal?
  1. What does the board member of the school (Claire’s Dad) tell Jamal just before the championship game? How does this make Jamal feel?
  1. As Jamal is shooting the final free throws, this represents his abyss--he “slays his personal dragon.” Why is this Jamal’s abyss?
  1. What does Jamal say to Claire as he sits in his class for the last time? How does this represent atonement? How is he different than his former self?
  1. When William returns, it is known as the rescue from without. What do you think this stage refers to?
  1. What is Jamal’s ultimate boon? How does that differ from his goals early in his story?
  1. William gives Jamal a gift at the end. What is it and how does Jamal share it?
  1. Why does the film end the way that it does? What part of the hero’s journey does it represent?

When we have finished: On a separate sheet of paper

  1. Track the hero’s journey of Jamal. Draw a circle and map as much of it as you can. Use bold face fonts in the questions to help you.
  1. Write down three potential topics that you could use in a synthesis essay between Gilgamesh and Finding Forrester.