The last and final stage a hero must take to become transformed is the return.
The return occurs when the hero quest has been accomplished, through penetration to the source, or through the grace of some male or female, human or animal personification. The adventurer still must return with his life transmuting trophy (Bray January 10). The full round, the norm of the monomyth, requires now that the hero shall now begin the labor of bring the runes of wisdom, back into the kingdom of humanity, where the boon may rebound to the renewing of the community (Campbell 167). The first stage of the return is the refusal to the return, when the hero wants to stay in the other world and doesn’t not want to go back to their origin. When hero is rescued from a final predicament by an unexpected source, the hero will bring their new wisdom back to their kingdom of humanity. The hero often wishes to remain in isolation with his boon (Bray January 10). Rarely will a true refusal occur, but often times the temptation to refuse a return is evident. Huck’s refusal to the return is when on land, a pack of vicious dogs will not let him return to aunt Sally’s house.
This refusal of return is not chose by Huck, it is simply a natural cause that forces him not to be able to return. (Campbell 167-169). Following the refusal of the return is the rescue from without, where the world may have to come to retrieve the hero. Attaining the boon has drained the hero and he or she needs assistance in returning. This is sometimes a blow to the hero’s ego, but the hero will recover because he sees the big picture and have accomplished a great deed (Bray January 10). Silas and Sally Phelps are Tom Sawyer’s aunt and uncle who act as helpers in this situation.
Sally Phelps, Tom Sawyer’s dead mother sister and Aunt Polly, Tom’s legal guardian, and Silas Phelps is Sally’s husband. All are compassionate and kind but are also slaveholders, which Huck does not agree with. Huck meets them when he goes to their plantation where the captured Jim is being held.
Aunt Sally mistakes him for her nephew Tom Sawyer and takes him in. During Huck’s time at the plantation, he gets to know the Phelps. At the end of the book, the Phelpses plan to adopt Huck.
(Campbell 170-177)Next, the magic flight sometimes occurs when the hero must escape after the ultimate boon. The hero has his reward, now he must return to safety. There may be forces still working against him or her, possibly trying to get the treasure back that the hero has taken. The hero usually appears as a changed person by this time. Their final chase is characterized by the hero’s confidence and bravery (Bray January 10).
With only trust in providence to help him free his friend, Huck finds the Phelps’s house, where Jim is supposedly being held. A pack of hounds threatens Huck, but a slave woman calls them off. The white mistress of the house, Sally, comes outside, delighted to see Huck because she is certain he is her nephew, Tom. Huck is not sure he will be able to keep up the act as Tom. Hearing a steamboat go up the river, Huck heads out to the docks, supposedly to get his luggage but really to inform Tom of the situation should he arrive (Campbell 170).
