THE HERO'S JOURNEY

JOSEPH CAMBELL AND THE HERO’S JOURNEY


THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES
(By Joseph Campbell)

An anthropologist who based his work on Carl G. Jung – who sought to understand the universal story archetypes and mythic characters that seem to pop up in varying cultures – Campbell took it a step further by outlining the basic, ageless pattern of storytelling. In his book he details how the plot structures of most heroic quest myths were similar no matter the country, culture or century from which they came.

Campbell argues that all storytellers – from the ancient Greeks to Kenyans to Chinese to Hollywood screenwriters – follow the same basic formula as they retell these heroic stories, in spite of their infinite surface variations. This ancient structure involves the twelve stages of the “Hero’s Journey.”



TWELVE STAGES OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY
(From THE WRITER’S JOURNEY, by Chris Volger)

1. THE ORDINARY WORLD

A myth begins with the hero in his own element

Luke Sykwalker is a bored farm boy on a distant planet

2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE

A problem or a challenge is presented that will unsettle the ordinary world of the protagonist.

Princess Leia and the rebel forces who resist the evil Emperor are in trouble. She sends a holographic request for help to Obi Wan Kenobi, who in turn asks Luke to join him.

3. THE RELUCTANT HERO

The hero balks at the edge of adventure. He faces his fears concerning the unknown.

Skywalker refuses to join Obi Wan. He has too many responsibilities on the farm, but when he goes home, he finds that his family has be slaughtered by the Emperor’s storm troopers.

4. THE WISE OLD MAN

The hero acquires a mentor, who helps the hero make the right decision, but the hero must undertake the quest alone.

A wise mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi, prepares Luke for the battle ahead. He gives Luke a light saber that once belonged to Luke’s father, a Jedi knight. He tells Luke of the dark side of the force.

5. INTO THE SPECIAL WORLD

The hero makes the decision to undertake the adventure and leaves his own familiar world behind, to enter a special world of problems and challenges.

Luke decides to leave his ordinary world and set things right.

6. TESTS, ALLIES & ENEMIES

The hero confronts allies of his opponent, as well as his own weaknesses, and takes action while dealing with the consequences of his action.

Luke enters the dangerous world, meets strange creatures in the “threshold” area bar, joins forces with Han Solo, runs from Emperor’s storm troopers and enters the fight, flying off to space to rescue Princess Leia.

7. THE INMOST CAVE

The hero enters the place of greatest danger, the world of the antagonist.

Luke enters the Death Star, the home and ultimate weapon of the evil Emperor’s main warrior, Darth Vader.


8. THE SUPREME ORDEAL

The dark moment occurs. The hero must face crucial failure, an apparent defeat, out of which he will achieve the wisdom or ability to succeed in the end.

Luke, Han Solo and Princess Leia are trapped in the giant trash crusher of the Death Star; Luke is sucked under water by a strange creature. They are then saved by an ally, R2D2.

9. SEIZING THE SWORD

The hero gains power. With his new knowledge or greater capability, he can now defeat the hostile forces of the antagonist.

Luke rescues Princess Leia and seizes the plans of the Death Star.

10. THE ROAD BACK

The hero returns to ordinary world. There are still dangers and problems as the antagonists or his allies pursue the hero and try to prevent escape.

Luke is pursued by Darth Vader.

11. RESURRECTION

The hero is spiritually or literally reborn and purified by his ordeal as he approaches the threshold of the ordinary world.

Luke is almost killed by Darth Vader but fight backs and wins. He learns how to use the force and destroys the Death Star.

12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR

The hero returns to the ordinary world with treasure that will heal his world and restore balance which was lost.

Luke is rewarded for all his hard work. The world is back in balance.