 The book explores the themes of exile , survival , heroism , leadership , political responsibility , and the " making of a hero and a community " . Joan Bridgman 's analysis of Adams 's works in The Contemporary Review identifies the community and hero motifs : " [ T ] he hero 's journey into a realm of terrors to bring back some boon to save himself and his people " is a powerful element in Adams 's tale . This theme derives from the author 's exposure to the works of mythologist Joseph Campbell , especially his study of comparative mythology , The Hero with a Thousand Faces ( 1949 ) , and in particular , Campbell 's " monomyth " theory , also based on Carl Jung 's view of the unconscious mind , that " all the stories in the world are really one story . " 
