The Hero’s Journey

The Hero's Journey: A Storytelling Template


The Hero’s Journey is a structural model of storytelling that is based on the epic adventures of mythical figures like Odysseus, Thor, Joan of Arc and Mulan. Also known as the monomyth, the Hero's Journey is a universal template delineated by American mythologist Joseph Campbell. In the world of film, the model of the Hero's Journey has evolved into the Hollywood Formula of screenwritingIn this post, you will learn about the 12 stages of the Hero's Journey according to Joseph Campbell's book Hero with a Thousand Faces.

The Hero's Journey - A Story of Personal Transformation

The Hero's Journey is a powerful formula of storytelling. There are 12 stages in the journey. The stages progress in a cyclical fashion, very much like our lives. They repeat over and over again. A journey ends, and another one begins.

We are born, we grow, we decline, we die. We are recycled. Energy doesn't die. It transforms. We lead many lives in the books we read and in the movies we see. We live through the characters. Their journeys become a mirror of our own.

That is the kind of story we want to write. A story that moves audiences. You can write a comedy or a tragedy, a thriller or a sitcom. The genre is irrelevant. What you want is for your story to elicit emotion in the audience, to leave a lasting impression. Comic relief is a form of catharsis as much as crying at the end of a sad movie is also a form of catharsis.

Movies can present us with situations that truly mirror our reality. They can expand our horizons, change our perspective, make us see things differently. The magical appeal of movies is indescribable. Movies are something that can only be experienced firsthand.

I can personally think of at least three or four movies that have led me to make major changes in my life. I've had numerous epiphanies during movies. I've seen the light about impossible situations in my life, experienced hope, faith, great sadness and all kinds of intense emotions during movies.

Those are the kind of stories we want to see on the big screen. We want to experience the magic of movies, and what better way to do it than by learning how to write our own cinematic fantasy? What's to stop us? Seriously. If you have a compelling story, your movie is worth writing. Believe in your story.

All over the world, audiences are drawn to movie theaters. There is no limit to what you can do in a movie. Movies open doors for us and show us other worlds. They show us the past, the future, other dimensions. We invent the future based on what we see in movies.

Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art? Perhaps they imitate one another?

We can't say for sure. What we do know, however, is that movies have become a mirror of our society and vice versa. Movies allow us to fuse reality with fantasy and they make our eyes believe without question what we see on the screen, at least for a couple hours. Literally, our disbelief is suspended when we watch a film. We give movies permission to immerse us in their reality.

That's what the hero's journey is about. It's about Hollywood storytelling being the highest art form in our culture. Hollywood takes us to where science and technology cannot yet take us. Going to the movies has become a ritual for many of us, because we experience a sense of gratification and completion every time we see a movie.

Our real lives may be in utter disarray, but we can always count on movies to take the randomness of human experience and reinterpret it in artful, meaningful ways. This is the way we "storify" our ideas. The process of modeling a story after the Hero's Journey is like giving form to a sculpture or painting on a canvas. It is an art form that can produce striking beauty.

When well executed, a story modeled after the Hero's Journey can bring about transformation in the audience by means of catharsis. According to Greek philosopher Aristotle, a reader or spectator experiences catharsis when the story produces in them pity or fear.

This strong change of emotion is a purification process, a purging or release of emotions that takes place when the reader or spectator identifies with a character so deeply, that they literally feel what the character is feeling.

When we join a character in a journey, we do not feel satisfied until the conflicts in the story resolve, and the hero returns home with the prize. We become so emotionally invested in the story, that we experience a genuine relief when it ends, and all our questions are finally answered.

The rising action of the story lifts us up towards the heights of a suspenseful climax, and then we surf down the wave of revelations that finally help us understand all the mysteries introduced in the beginning. This sense of completion and satisfaction is what an audience is left with after watching a movie that is modeled after the Hero's Journey.

Never mind if the character is fictional, as is often the case. Situations represented in dramatic stories are universal and, therefore, can feel very real to the spectator just because of the psychological associations they call up. The emotion that a well-written story elicits in the audience can be so life changing, that it can lead to a permanent change of attitude in the individual.

When a cathartic release takes place effectively, there is often an epiphany that goes along with it as well. Even though the word epiphany is most often associated with Christianity, in our day and age, the term's definition has expanded a bit more to imply a spiritual experience that transcends religious affiliation.

The reader or spectator learns a life lesson by proxy, so to speak, as epiphanies often lead to self healing and redemption in a person's journey.

Probably most of us can think of at least one movie that has made such an impact in us, that it has literally changed our lives. It is very common for the spectator or reader to identify with the hero of a story. As a matter of fact, this is the very purpose of stories: To engage the audience emotionally. There are very few things more disappointing to an author or filmmaker than to see an audience leave a show unmoved and indifferent.

As creative artists, we want our audience to react strongly to our work. Otherwise, what is the point, right? We want that cathartic release to take place in the hearts of our spectators/readers when they watch/read our movie. We want our art to inspire transformation in the audience.

In essence, the Hero's Journey is an artistic model available to anyone who has a story to tell. If we can succeed at shaping our story to fit this template, the result will be vicarious renewal and restoration not only for us, but also for our audience.

The Hero's Journey model appears and reoccurs in many aspects of our culture. We can see it take form in theater plays, storytelling, myth and folklore, religious rites, and psychoanalytic studies. The reason it keeps resurfacing and will continue to do so is because of its universal structure.

Below you will find a brief description of the 12 stages of the Hero's Journey, the universal story template embodied by the Hollywood Formula.

Twelve Stages of the Hero's Journey


1. THE ORDINARY WORLD. We first meet the hero or protagonist in their everyday life. This character is often an underdog, someone who doesn't stand a chance. They are vulnerable in some way, and this vulnerability makes them feel like they don't belong. Maybe they're handicapped like Jake Sully in Avatar, or perhaps they're homeless like Big Mike in The Blind Side. Whatever this tragic flaw is, the hero usually has a strong opinion in relation to it, and, in most cases, this perspective will completely flip-reverse by the time the story ends. This transformation is known as the character arc, and it is the process by which the journey changes the hero. What better way to show evidence of the hero's transformation by the end of the story than by giving them something to change their mind about, right? And how do we do this? By remembering that heroes-to-be always have something in their past, some type of unfinished business that haunts them and won't leave them alone. The hero lives their life unsatisfied because of this friend they couldn't save or this test they couldn't pass, or perhaps it's the death of a loved one--a murder, an accident--something the hero couldn't solve and now feels guilty about. The hero in the ordinary world is always under stress because something in their life is not right, and they desperately need an opportunity for redemption.

2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE. Also known in filmmaking circles as the "Inciting Incident," this stage in the hero's journey begins with an event, something that heavily complicates things and signals a great change to come. It can be the arrival of a letter in the mail, the delivery of a ransom note, an arrest, a sudden death in the family, an overseas job offer, or a messenger bearing news about a declaration of war. In short, the call to adventure is an event that really shakes up the hero's existence. In Disney's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the call to adventure happens when Lucy discovers the secret passage in the wardrobe. In Mulan, after the Huns attack the Great Wall of China, Mulan's elderly father is drafted into the Imperial Army. In The Hunger Games, Katniss' little sister Primrose gets picked at the Reaping as one of the tributes to represent District 12.

3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL. Fear of the unknown, a resistance to change, unhealthy attachments to the old world, or any other similar reason, is what makes the hero refuse the call to adventure. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke refuses the call when Ben Kenobi tells him to go rescue Princess Leia. In The Sound of Music, Maria refuses to accept the governess job at Captain von Trapp's villa. In Terminator, Sarah Connor tells Reese she's not ready to be John Connor's mother. In both The Hunger Games and Disney's Mulan, the heroines refuse to let their loved ones go to war and, instead, sacrifice themselves to take their place.

4. MEETING WITH THE MENTOR. The mentor character is often an elder, someone who is experienced and seasoned in the journey, and who has the knowledge, tools, weapons or equipment to help the hero along in the quest. In The Matrix, the meeting with the mentor happens when Neo first meets Morpheus and is offered a choice between taking the red or the blue pill. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry meets his mentor, Hagrid, when the gentle giant rescues the boy from his muggle family and tells him he's a wizard destined to study at Hogwarts.

5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD. This stage is also known among screenwriters as the "Point of No Return." It is the major event that brings Act One to a close, while also marking the transition to the Second Act. This event makes the hero realize what they're up against, what's at stake for them and for those they care about. The hero realizes there's no choice but to leave the comfort zone of their ordinary world to enter a new realm or situation with unknown circumstances. In James Cameron's Avatar, Jake gets separated from his crew when they get attacked by a thanator and, as a result, is forced to explore the Pandora wilderness all by his lonesome. In Disney's The Lion King, Simba enters his Hakuna Matata world when Timon and Pumba rescue him from a slow, dry death in the African desert.

6. TESTS, ALLIES AND ENEMIES. The roller coaster ride begins! Rising action, complications, obstacles, henchmen, armed goons, an ambush, you name it. This stage is when the hero gets tested with trials and tribulations that keep him/her from reaching their objective. In the first couple of seasons of Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen must figure out who is her true ally and who is out to kill her before she can raise an army to help her win back the Iron Throne. In Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O'Hara goes from being a prissy, spoiled brat to dodging fly away bullets, escaping blazing fires, eating a raw carrot straight out of the field, and even blowing off a Yankee's head with a shotgun.

7. APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE. By this stage, the hero knows there's an inevitable confrontation they must prepare for. This is a brief respite which happens in the face of great danger. The hero is allowed a short time to reflect upon the situation, get close to their love interest, confide in their best buddy, or simply do some soul searching to come up with a plan to defeat their arch-nemesis. Maybe you have romantic tension going on in the hero's life, so this is the perfect place to squeeze in that critical love scene before the lovers get separated. In the Bible, Jesus Christ celebrates the Last Supper with his disciples and tells them about the sacrifice he is about to make. In Gran Torino, Walt cries quietly in the darkness of his living room after he realizes Sue has been gang-raped. Also known in Hollywood as the "Hero's Darkest Hour," the approach to the inmost cave is when we know that winter is coming, and it's coming fast, so the hero must work up the courage to defeat their opponent or die trying.

8. THE ORDEAL. Midpoint through the story, there is another major turning point. In many movies, this event is called the midpoint climax or the ticking clock. An intense situation announces a deadline that the hero must meet, or else. The giant meteor will destroy Earth by dawn tomorrow unless we change its course. The suspected terrorist will detonate the bomb by midnight tonight if we don't catch him. During the ordeal stage, the hero might have to confront death or face their greatest fear, but this only results in the hero growing stronger or feeling more prepared for the final showdown.

9. THE REWARD. The ordeal has forced the hero to face death. This face off can be symbolic as well as literal depending on the story. There is one thing for sure. The hero has been through hell both physically and emotionally, and his/her efforts now pay off. There may be a moment of celebration, but there is also the awareness that it's not over. The danger of losing the treasure again still looms over the hero's head. The reward is won over and now it's time for the hero to head back home to his/her ordinary world. This prize can be the hero's love interest, a medicine, a treasure, a relic, an artifact, a sword, the elixir of life, or a family heirloom. The reward really depends on the type of story you're telling. If your story is character driven, it could be the hero having an epiphany that sheds light on the rest of the journey. In more plot-driven movies, the reward is usually a physical object. In Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, the reward is an ancient device called The Triangle of Light, which is divided into two halves that must be assembled together in order for the device to work. It is important to point out that Hollywood movies almost always link the reward to a ticking clock. In the case of The Triangle of Light, the film's mythology involves a planetary alignment and a solar eclipse that happens every 5,000 years. The two halves of The Triangle of Light must be assembled before the alignment and solar eclipse complete their cycle, or else another 5,000 years will have to go by before the triangle will work again. Linking the reward to the ticking clock in the ordeal is always an effective strategy to build tension and anticipation in the audience. Do not hesitate to take advantage of this strategy when writing your movie.

10. THE ROAD BACK. With this stage, we transition to the third and final act of the movie. By now, the hero has come near the end of his/her journey. As it can be expected, going back home with the reward will be no easy feat. In action/adventure stories, a self-destruction mechanism is often triggered as soon as the hero removes the reward from its proverbial receptacle. This strategy has become a cliche, so, unless you can reinvent the "collapsing lair" trope and give it a unique edge, it's best to stay away from it altogether. Chases and escapes are very common during this stage. They can be car chases like in action movies, or the hero can also be running for his/her life. Whichever way you choose to do it, the road back must be a high-stakes return. In Michael Bay's The Island, human clone Lincoln Six Echo has a chance to get away with his girl and start a new life somewhere else. But, instead of leaving the ordinary world behind, he chooses to go back into the lockdown facility to rescue his fellow clones, knowing he stands to lose everything, even his own life. In some cases, the hero will decide to stay in the new world rather than return home. In Disney's Hercules, Zeus and Hera offer their son Hercules the option to live on Mount Olympus with the rest of the gods, but Hercules chooses to stay on Earth because he loves Meg. Since Meg is a mortal, she can't live on Mount Olympus, so Hercules sacrifices his reward for love.

11. THE RESURRECTION. This stage of the hero's journey is the climax, the highest point of the movie. In most cases, this stage is the final showdown between the hero and the villain. In epic movies like Braveheart and Joan of Arc, the hero is in charge of leading an entire army to the last battle. This is a suspenseful moment because the hero and his/her allies must leave it all on the battlefield. It's either victory or death. There is no middle ground. "You win or you die," Queen Cersei tells Lord Stark in the first season of HBO's Game of Thrones. Oftentimes, this stage requires the hero to make one last sacrifice, a moment of death and rebirth that will finally resolve what was left unfinished during The Ordeal stage. This is a level of completion for the hero because it is by fighting this battle that the hero brings balance to "The Force," to put it in Star Wars terminology. It is by the hero’s courageous action that the polarities in conflict at the beginning of the story are finally resolved.

12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR. The hero's journey ends with this stage. There is often a fade-to-black transition between the final battle and this stage, which shows us we are about to see the story's resolution. We know the final showdown has ended, and now we wait to find out what happens to the hero and their allies after this confrontation. At this point, the hero chooses to return home to the Ordinary World or to continue the journey. The hero has now obtained some form of transformational power from the treasure or reward conquered and can choose to bestow this gift upon the world. Above all, as mentioned earlier, by the end of this stage, the hero has been transformed by the journey and will now go on to live a fuller, more satisfying life.

NOW THAT YOU'VE LEARNED THE STAGES OF THE HERO'S JOURNEY, CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INSPIRATION TO WRITE YOUR OWN MOVIE.

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