Campbell Hero Journey for Zeitoun

Campbell’s Hero Journey Stages- Zeitoun

I have chosen the first stage that Campbell describes as the Hero’s Journey, The Ordinary World. This stage describes the hero as uncomfortable and introduces the hero sympathetically, recalling parts of his/her history and being set into an unsettling situation that is driving him/her crazy! In the novel Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, Abdulrahman Zeitoun is introduced through a lovely flashback filled with astounding imagery! He used to work as a fisherman in Syria and waited years to join the older men who fished under the moonlight. He has always been a hard worker since in the flashback it says that Abdul and his brother Ahmad would earn little money and give it to the welfare of their home and instead would fish for free. Years later, Abdul is the head of his Painting Company. In the morning, Abdul is awakened by his four children and various phone calls for service from the company. Ever since leaving his firstborn child alone in the yard after bringing her home from the hospital, Abdul has questioned that and has worked sullenly since then.