{"id":7499,"date":"2012-07-10T21:14:35","date_gmt":"2012-07-11T02:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/?p=7499"},"modified":"2012-07-11T09:08:20","modified_gmt":"2012-07-11T14:08:20","slug":"trope-tuesday-the-heros-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/trope-tuesday-the-heros-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Trope Tuesday: The Hero’s Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>For the next few Trope Tuesday posts, I’m going to pick apart one of my favorite story patterns, the monomyth<\/a> or “hero’s journey<\/a>.” Other tropes come and go, but the hero’s journey is truly timeless. \u00a0If you can get it to work for you, it can do wonders for your ability to understand and tell stories.<\/p>\n

In many ways, this is the trope to end all tropes. it is the source of almost all the major story archetypes, and can be found in the myths and folklore of almost every human culture–hence the term “monomyth.” It was first formulated by Joseph Campbell<\/a>, who outlined it in his book\u00a0The Hero with a Thousand Faces<\/a>.<\/em> \u00a0He summarized it like this:<\/p>\n

A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Campbell was an academic who studied mythology and folklore, and his book, though insightful, is pretty friggin dense (not to mention scientifically obsolete–he references a lot of Freud’s theories that have largely been discredited). \u00a0Later, writers like \u00a0Chris Vogler, Phil Cousineau, and David Adams Leeming analyzed and simplified the monomyth for popular audiences.<\/p>\n

Enough background–what is it? \u00a0Basically, it’s a story pattern that resonates powerfully with readers across all genres. \u00a0In its simplest formulation, it follows three steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Departure:<\/strong> The Hero<\/a> leaves the familiar world.<\/li>\n
  2. Initiation<\/strong>: The Hero<\/a> learns to navigate the unfamiliar world.<\/li>\n
  3. Return<\/strong>: The Hero<\/a> masters \u00a0the unfamiliar world and returns to the familiar.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Campbell himself identified 17 stages, some of which are interchangeable:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Call to Adventure<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0The Hero learns that he must leave the familiar world.<\/li>\n
    2. Refusal of the Call<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0The Hero balks, for any number of reasons.<\/li>\n
    3. Supernatural Aid<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero receives something to help him on his quest<\/a>.<\/li>\n
    4. Crossing the Threshold<\/a>:<\/strong> The Hero ventures into the world of adventure.<\/li>\n
    5. Belly of the Whale<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero passes the point of no return.<\/li>\n
    6. The Road of Trials<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero’s resolve is tested, and he begins to grow.<\/li>\n
    7. The Meeting with the Goddess<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero experiences the power of love<\/a>.<\/li>\n
    8. Woman as Temptress<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero faces and overcomes temptation.<\/li>\n
    9. Atonement with the Father<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero passes the final test.<\/li>\n
    10. Apotheosis<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero dies and is reborn.<\/li>\n
    11. The Ultimate Boon<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero receives a gift to take home.<\/li>\n
    12. Refusal of the Return<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero doesn’t want the adventure to end.<\/li>\n
    13. The Magic Flight<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero uses his newly mastered skills to escape.<\/li>\n
    14. Rescue from Without<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero is saved by his newfound friends.<\/li>\n
    15. The Crossing of the Return Threshold<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero leaves his new world.<\/li>\n
    16. Master of Two Worlds<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero reconciles the old ways with the new.<\/li>\n
    17. Freedom to Live<\/strong><\/a>: The Hero uses what he has learned to live the rest of his life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Do any of those sound familiar? \u00a0Yeah, I thought so. \u00a0It might be hard to think of a story that fits all 17 points at once, but it’s not uncommon to find one that hits seven or eight (or possibly more).<\/p>\n

      A simpler formulation by Leeming goes like this:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Miraculous conception and birth<\/strong><\/li>\n
      2. Initiation of the hero-child<\/strong><\/li>\n
      3. Withdrawal from family or community for meditation and preparation<\/strong><\/li>\n
      4. Trial and Quest<\/strong><\/li>\n
      5. Death<\/strong><\/li>\n
      6. Descent into the underworld<\/strong><\/li>\n
      7. Resurrection and rebirth<\/strong><\/li>\n
      8. Ascension, apotheosis, and atonement<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        My personal favorite, though, is Vogler’s:<\/p>\n