The Heroic Journey is important to literature, as it creates the basis for most, if not all, stories. It is one of the most simple archetypes to follow and it shows many different parts that can be expressed in many, many ways. A Raisin in the Sun follows Walter Younger as he goes through the stages of the Heroic Journey.
In the Heroic Journey, the beginning is known as the Call to Adventure/Action. This is where the soon-to-be hero has something taken from him/her or they must defend something of theirs. The thing taken could be something like their honor, pride, family, or home. Walter’s call is when he starts to feel as if he has no respect at his home or at his work and soon sees an opportunity to invest in a liquor store with Willy Harris, a character who is a very shady business man. Walter sees this as a way to provide for his family and gain their respect again, despite…show more content… This is when the hero-in-making has to face their greatest fears and/or challenges completely alone. It is also where we see the most change in the hero. Walter’s journey through the abyss is during the end of his 3-day drinking binge, where he goes out to the dock. He stands there at night, in the dark, which is symbolic of the Abyss, thinking to himself. This is when he faces his greatest challenge. His drinking problem and how he views himself.
The final steps in the Heroic Journey begin with the Revelation. This is when the hero makes up for their mistakes and is granted a gift. They are almost finished with their journey and have completed the transformation to a hero. Walter’s Atonement in A Raisin in the Sun is after he calls Mr. Linder. When Mr. Linder comes over to buy the house, Walter refuses and makes a speech about how they will never sell the house and how they are going to live there no matter how the neighborhood thinks. This gains him the respect of his family and makes up for him giving the money to Willy
