The Hero’s Journey

aka

The Monomyth

Joseph Campbell first wrote of the hero’s journey - which he also called the Monomyth - in his book, The Hero With A Thousand Faces.

His basic premise was that every myth and story follows the same steps; and that these steps somehow resonate within us as humans, and we respond to that kind of story.

He identified and categorised those steps for use in screen-writing and story-telling.

Screenwriter Christopher Vogler then simplified this somewhat, in his book The Writer’s Journey - see Writers' Resources. This book is well worth buying and applying, and I very much recommend it. But here, first, is a quick summary of the steps of the hero’s journey. Bear in mind that many of these steps can be interpreted metaphorically, depending on your story.

The Hero's Journey

1. Ordinary World
   Since the adventure/story is going to take the hero out of his/her (the word hero refers to either gender) normal life into something different, the reader needs to see the ordinary world first, so they can contrast it. (see Start Writing A Novel for more on this).
   
   
2. The Call to Adventure
   This is the first sign that something’s about to change.
   
   
3. The Refusal of the Call
   The hero might be reluctant and try to get out of the adventure (this stage isn’t always necessary).
   
   
4. Meeting the Mentor
   The mentor will be exactly that - somebody who helps or advises the hero before he/she goes to the new world, or just as they’ve reached it.
   
   
5. Crossing the First Threshold
   This is the moment when the hero leaves his/her old life and starts on the adventure.
   
   
6. Tests/challenges, allies and enemies
   Obviously since the hero is in a new life/place/situation, he/she is going to encounter plenty of challenges, allies and enemies.
   
   
7. Approach to inmost cave
   The hero comes to the place of his/her greatest danger. It can literally be a cave or a physical place, but it doesn’t have to be.
   
   
8. The Ordeal
   This is the hero’s most dangerous moment. I couldn’t ask for a better example than the awful situation James Bond always finds himself in, fighting for his life.
   
   
9. The Reward
   The hero gains something from the experience, whether it’s a tangible tool which will help with the rest of the adventure, or more understanding.
   
   
10. The Road Back
    The hero is trying to get back to his/her Ordinary World, but there are other challenges here. Maybe the defeated opponents are chasing him/her.
    
    
11. Resurrection
    This can be a second life-or-death moment. It’s a final test for the hero. The hero is often transformed by this experience.
    
    
12. Return with the Elixir
    The Elixir is the metaphor for whatever it was the hero sought. He/she is returning triumphant with it. It doesn’t have to be real - it could be self-esteem, or love, or understanding. (Not saying those things aren’t real! Perhaps a better phrase would be that the elixir doesn’t have to be tangible.

The original book, Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With A Thousand Faces is supposed to be much more in-depth, much more complex and harder going, but (like a lot of things which are more difficult) much more rewarding too. I haven’t read it so I cannot answer for that.

Do you have to follow these steps? Of course not. But as I said, this construct has stood the test of time - the oldest novel in the world, Gilgamesh follows this pattern, and proponents of this model argue that it answers something very deep within us as humans, and so we respond to it very well.

And of course, readers responding well to what we write is A Good Thing!

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