1 of 14

A Hero’s Journey

2 of 14

Watch me!

3 of 14

Joseph Campbell

American psychologist and mythological researcher
Wrote The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Discovered common patterns through hero myths and calls this structure the “monomyth.”
His work has been used by George Lucas (Star Wars) and Christopher Vogler (The Writer’s Journey)

4 of 14

5 of 14

Stages of the Journey

The Ordinary World- the hero is seen in his/her everyday life

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Dorothy in Kansas

The Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins in Hobbiton

Star Wars: Luke Skywalker on Tatooine

The Lion King: Simba at Pride Rock

6 of 14

Stages of the Journey

The Call to Adventure- the initiating incident of the story

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The tornado

The Hobbit: Gandalf the wizard arrives

Star Wars: R2D2’s cryptic message

For heroes to begin their journeys, they must be called away from the ordinary world.

Fantastic quests don’t happen in everyday life. Heroes must be removed from their typical

environment. Most heroes show a reluctance to leave their home, their friends, and their life to

journey on a quest. But in the end they accept their destiny.

Usually there is a discovery, some event, or some danger that starts them on the heroic

path. Heroes find a mystic object or discover their world is in danger. In some cases, heroes

happen upon their quest by accident. Campbell puts it like this, “A blunder—the merest

chance—reveals an unsuspected world.”

The new world the hero is forced into is much different than the old one. Campbell

describes this new world as a “fateful region of both treasure and danger…a distant land, a

forest, a kingdom underground, beneath the waves, or above the sky, a secret island, lofty

mountaintop, or profound dream state…a place of strangely fluid and polymorphous beings,

unimaginable torments, superhuman deeds, and impossible delight”. This description may

seem pretty vague, but think of all the various fantasy realms characters have entered

throughout the years: Middle-Earth, Oz, Narnia, Wonderland. It could even be outer space, a haunted house, or the Matrix. Regardless of the details, the new world is sure to be filled with

adventure.

7 of 14

Stages of the Journey

Refusal of the Call- the hero experiences some hesitation to answer the call

Star Wars: Luke refuses the quest until he learns his aunt and uncle are dead

The Lion King: Simba refuses to return to Pride Rock

and accept his destiny

During the Call to Adventure heroes are given a task or quest which only they can

complete. They are faced with a choice: accept the quest or deny it. Their choice might seem

like a no-brainer. If they don’t accept the quest, there won’t be much of a story—or will there?

Actually there are stories where heroes don’t accept their destinies. When this happens, the

stage is set for disaster. There’s a reason why the powers-that-be have chosen a particular hero.

A refusal of the quest only brings trouble.

King Minos, the monarch of Crete who antagonizes the Greek hero Theseus, does not do

what the gods ask of him. Poseidon, Lord of the Seas, sends him a beautiful white bull. The

god’s only order is that Minos must sacrifice the creature back to him. After seeing the

magnificent beast, Minos decides he just can’t bring himself to do what the god asks and keeps

the bull as a personal trophy.

Enraged, Poseidon vows revenge and causes Minos’ wife to burn with lust for her

husband’s prized beast. The rest of this story is strictly NC-17. It results in the birth of the

Minotaur, a creature half-bull, half-human, a curse to his father King Minos.

Campbell notes that heroes who refuse their quest often become characters in need of

rescuing or in Minos’ case, the villain of another hero’s journey

8 of 14

Stages of the Journey

Meeting with the Mentor- the hero gains the supplies, knowledge, and confidence needed to commence the adventure

The Hobbit: Gandalf

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Cinderella: Fairy Godmother

9 of 14

Stages of the Journey

Crossing the Threshold and Entering the Unknown- the hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure

The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy must learn the rules of Oz

10 of 14

Stages of the Journey

Tests, Allies and Enemies- the hero explores the special world, faces trial, and makes friends and enemies

Lord of the Rings: Samwise Gamgee

The Wizard of Oz: The Tin Woodsman,

Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion

11 of 14

Stages of the Journey

Ordeal, Death & Rebirth- the hero faces the greatest challenge yet and experiences death and rebirth

Star Wars: Blowing up the Death Star

Lord of the Rings: Mount Doom

The Wizard of Oz: Defeating the

Wicked Witch

12 of 14

Stages of the Journey

Reward And The Road Back- the hero experiences the consequences of surviving death and the hero returns to the ordinary world or continues to an ultimate destination

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Hobbiton

13 of 14

Stages of the Journey

The Resurrection and Return with the Elixir- the hero experiences a final moment rebirth and the hero returns with something to improve the ordinary world

Lord of the Rings: Frodo saves the Shire

The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy rids

Oz of the Wicked Witch

1 of 14

2 of 14

3 of 14

4 of 14

5 of 14

6 of 14

7 of 14

8 of 14

9 of 14

10 of 14

11 of 14

12 of 14

13 of 14

14 of 14