How we cite our quotes: (Page.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Human beings are born too soon; they are unfinished, unready as yet to meet the world. (5.2)
This is a fancy way of saying that who we are isn't determined by our birth, but instead by the things that happen to us. Trouble is, sometimes those things come barreling up to us like a brick wall.
Quote #2
The composite hero of the monomyth is a personage of exceptional gifts. Frequently he is honored by his society, frequently unrecognized or disdained. (35.1)
So, um, which is it? Actually it's both. Sometimes, the hero comes from humble roots and nobody notices him or her (think Luke Skywalker or Katniss Everdeen). Sometimes they're great big celebrities, like Iron Man or Bruce Wayne. There's a lot of either/ors like that in Campbell's writing. Good news is that both kinds can still go on the Hero's Journey.
Quote #3
Nevertheless, in the multitude of myths and legends that have been preserved to us, or collected from the ends of the earth, we may yet see delineated something of our still human course. To hear and profit, however, one may have to submit somehow to purgation and surrender. (96.1)
This is a central irony in Campbell's work: in order to learn who you are, you have to give up who you are. Only surrendering your identity can show you your real one. As you may have guessed, it doesn't take place without a lot of kicking and screaming. Luckily, "kicking and screaming" makes for great stories.