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The Hero’s
Journey/Adventure:
The Call to Adventure: Some heroes set out
responsibly and intentionally to perform the deed prescribed by the journey.
Other heroes are thrown into the adventure.
There are still other heroes who initially refuse the call to adventure, but
eventually change their minds (if they didn't, there wouldn't be a story). No matter why the journey was undertaken, the hero is always prepared for
the trials he faces.
The hero takes off on a series of adventures beyond the
ordinary, either to recover what has been lost or to discover some life-giving
idea/potion/remedy. The journey is
a cycle of going and returning. The
hero must move beyond known, conventional safety in order to undertake this
journey.
Supernatural Aid: Although
the hero is ultimately the one who must face the challenges, he/she generally
does not do so alone. In most stories, the hero will have a guide,
someone who is wise in the ways of the world, and someone who will offer the
hero guidance and wisdom as he/she progresses through the journey.
In addition to the guide, the
hero will often have some kind of a talisman, some symbolic item that
offers power or strength to the hero.
Most heroes also have companions
on their journey. The companions can serve a variety of functions. They may
offer balance for the hero, they may help the hero in battle, they may help the
hero learn valuable lessons.
Crossing the Threshold:
Early on in the journey, the hero will leave the world he/she has always known.
The hero will leave what is familiar and venture into the unknown. As the hero
leaves his/her familiar world, the hero will cross a threshold. Sometimes this
is simply symbolic, but other times there will be some kind of physical barrier
that the hero must get through. Threshold Guardians are those who would
prevent those who are not ready for the journey from beginning. They may try to
prevent the hero from leaving, or they may try to prevent the hero from entering
into the new realm. Whatever side they are on, they will not let anyone pass who
is not up to the task at hand,
The Initiation: The hero
must prove to be worthy of hero status, and to prove this the hero will face a
series of challenges or trials while on the journey. The trials fall into two
main categories.
The trials the hero faces
are designed to see if the intending hero should really be a hero.
Is he really a match for the task? Can
he overcome the dangers? Does he
have the courage, the knowledge, the capacity to enable him to serve?
In addition, the hero learns something about his own character through
his adventures.
There are several different
challenges the hero might face:
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Brother Battle: Many
heroes find themselves locked in battle, either physical or psychological
with someone who is a "brother" whether a blood relation or a
symbolic brother.
-
Dragon Battle: Some
heroes will battle literal dragons guarding their treasure, but other heroes
will battle their inner dragons, the doubts and fears they have about their
own ability. Whether literal or figurative, the dragons must be slain in
order for the hero to complete the journey.
-
Abduction / Sea Journey
/ Night Journey: Often in the hero's journey, either the hero or someone
close to the hero will be abducted and taken away. As the hero is
transported elsewhere, or as the hero chases after the captors, the journey
may take the hero over the sea or on a long night journey. Even if there is
no abduction involved, most hero's are traveling great distances, so a sea
journey or night journey is not uncommon.
-
Entering the Belly of
the Whale: This is a reference to the story of Jonah and the Whale. When
the hero is drawn deep into the journey and must face his/her greatest fear
or the greatest evil, the hero is in the belly of the whale. For some
heroes, they are literally in the belly of the whale, like Pinocchio, but
for most this is symbolic.
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Meeting with the
Goddess: Many heroes will meet a woman of great power while on the
journey. The Goddess may offer the hero wisdom, or she may offer a
supernatural aid that will assist the hero has he/she faces the greatest
challenges on the journey.
-
Sacred Marriage: The
hero will often have a special connection with one character in the story,
and this connection can serve as a motivation to the hero to continue the
journey when all else seems hopeless. Sometimes the sacred marriage is
literally a marriage, but often it is a symbolic union of two souls.
-
Ritual Death or
Dismemberment: In order for the hero to be transformed, he/she must give
up his/her old life. Many times this is done through a symbolic death. In
other stories, the hero will lose a limb, which will signify the loss of the
old self.
-
Atonement with Father: Many
hero's have been separated from their fathers or do not know their fathers.
The "father quest" is one motivation for a hero to begin the
journey. One easy way to remember "atonement" is to think "at
one," when the hero is "at one" with the father or the father
figure. This often comes at the end of the hero's journey and is the
stepping stone that helps the hero take his/her rightful place as leader in
the society.
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Apotheosis: This
literally means the elevation of a person to the rank of a god or the
glorification of a person as an ideal. After completing the difficult
challenges, the hero is idealized or worshipped in some way.
-
Ultimate Boon or Magic
Elixir: When the hero set out on the journey, it was because there was
some problem. The Ultimate Boon or Magic Elixir is the solution to the
problem. The hero is able, through brave deeds to procure this magic remedy
and to solve the problem.
The Return: The hero's
journey is a cycle that include a going and a return. However, the return is not
always each. There still may be some challenges.
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Refusal of Return:
Sometimes the hero is content in the new world and does not want return to
the old world. However, if the hero is to reach his/her destiny and take
his/her place as leader, there must be a return.
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Rescue from Without:
As the hero tries to return the hero may find him/herself in a difficult
situation that looks like the end of the hero's quest. Just when things look
bleak, someone come to rescue the hero so he/she can finish the journey.
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Magic Flight / Pursuit: Sometimes
the hero wants to return home, but there are forces that would like to
prevent him/her from doing that.
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Crossing the Return
Threshold: While usually not as involved as crossing the initial
threshold, the hero must still return to the old familiar world.
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Master of Two Worlds: As
the hero completes the challenges, the hero's bravery is noted by those
around. As a result, the hero is often looked up to in the new world as well
as in the new world. There are times when the hero returns to the old world
and his/her message is unheard (especially if it is not what the society was
expecting) or the achievements unrecognized. In this case, the hero may die
or be killed, or sometimes returns to the other world.
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Freedom to Live: If
the hero is successful on the journey, and if the hero is accepted back into
the old world, the hero will have the freedom to live. Such heroes are
generally great leaders of their people.
You can chart out how the movie you are
working with fits the Hero's Journey Model: Hero's
Journey Chart
You can read more about the Hero's
Journey in the Commemorative Edition of
The Hero with a Thousand
Faces by Joseph Campbell.
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