heroic journey monomyth

The Art of Narrative

Learn to write.

A Complete Guide to The Hero’s Journey (or The Monomyth)

Learn how to use the 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey to structure plot, develop characters, and write riveting stories that will keep readers engaged!

Before I start this post I would like to acknowledged the tragedy that occurred in my country this past month. George Floyd, an innocent man, was murdered by a police officer while three other officers witnessed that murder and remained silent.

To remain silent, in the face of injustice, violen ce, and murder is to be complicit . I acknowledge that as a white man I have benefited from a centuries old system of privilege and abuse against black people, women, American Indians, immigrants, and many, many more.

This systemic abuse is what lead to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Treyvon Martin, Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice and many more. Too many.

Whether I like it or not I’ve been complicit in this injustice. We can’t afford to be silent anymore. If you’re disturbed by the violence we’ve wit nessed over, and over again please vote this November, hold your local governments accountable, peacefully protest, and listen. Hopefully, together we can bring positive change. And, together, we can heal .

In this post, we’ll go over the stages of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, also known as the Monomyth. We’ll talk about how to use it to structure your story. You’ll also find some guided questions for each section of the Hero’s Journey. These questions are designed to help guide your thinking during the writing process. Finally, we’ll go through an example of the Hero’s Journey from 1997’s Men In Black.

Down at the bottom, we’ll go over reasons you shouldn’t rely on the Monomyth. And we’ll talk about a few alternatives for you to consider if the Hero’s Journey isn’t right for your story.

But, before we do all that let’s answer the obvious question-

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey was first described by Joseph Campbell. Campbell was an American professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College. He wrote about the Hero’s Journey in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces . More than a guide, this book was a study on the fundamental structure of myths throughout history.

Through his study, Campbell identified seventeen stages that make up what he called the Monomyth or Hero’s Journey. We’ll go over these stages in the next section. Here’s how Campbell describes the Monomyth in his book:

“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.”

Something important to note is that the Monomyth was not conceived as a tool for writers to develop a plot. Rather, Campbell identified it as a narrative pattern that was common in mythology.

George Lucas used Campbell’s Monomyth to structure his original Star Wars film. Thanks to Star Wars ’ success, filmmakers have adopted the Hero’s Journey as a common plot structure in movies.

We see it in films like The Matrix , Spider-man , The Lion King , and many more. But, keep in mind, this is not the only way to structure a story. We’ll talk about some alternatives at the end of this post.

With that out of the way, let’s go over the twelve stages of the Hero’s Journey, or Monomyth. We’ll use the original Men In Black film as an example (because why not?). And, we’ll look at some questions to help guide your thinking, as a writer, at each stage.

Quick note – The original Hero’s Journey is seventeen stages. But, Christopher Vogler, an executive working for Disney, condensed Campbell’s work. Vogler’s version has twelve stages, and it’s the version we’re talking about today. Vogler wrote a guide to use the Monomyth and I’ll link to it at the bottom.)

The 12 Stages of The Hero’s Journey

The ordinary world .

This is where the hero’s story begins. We meet our hero in a down-to-earth, or humble setting. We establish the hero as an ordinary citizen in this world, not necessarily “special” in any way.

Think exposition .

We get to know our hero at this stage of the story. We learn about the hero’s life, struggles, inner or outer demons. This an opportunity for readers to identify with the hero. A good idea since the story will be told from the hero’s perspective.

Read more about perspective and POV here.

In Men In Black, we meet our hero, James, who will become Agent J, chasing someone down the streets of a large city. The story reveals some important details through the action of the plo t. Let’s go over these details and how they’re shown through action.

Agent J’s job: He’s a cop. We know this because he’s chasing a criminal. He waves a badge and yells, “NYPD! Stop!”

The setting: The line “NYPD!” tells us that J is a New York City cop. The chase sequence also culminates on the roof of the Guggenheim Museum. Another clue to the setting.

J’s Personality: J is a dedicated cop. We know this because of his relentless pursuit of the suspect he’s chasing. J is also brave. He jumps off a bridge onto a moving bus. He also chases a man after witnessing him climb vertically, several stories, up a wall. This is an inhuman feat that would have most people noping out of there. J continues his pursuit, though.

Guided Questions

What is your story’s ordinary world setting?
How is this ordinary world different from the special world that your hero will enter later in the story?
What action in this story will reveal the setting?
Describe your hero and their personality.
What action in the story will reveal details about your hero?

The Call of Adventure

The Call of Adventure is an event in the story that forces the hero to take action. The hero will move out of their comfort zone, aka the ordinary world. Does this sound familiar? It should, because, in practice, The Call of Adventure is an Inciting Event.

Refusal of the Call

This is an important stage in the Monomyth. It communicates with the audience the risks that come with Call to Adventure. Every Hero’s Journey should include risks to the main characters and a conflict. This is the stage where your hero contemplates those risks. They will be tempted to remain in the safety of the ordinary world.

In Men in Black, the Refusal of the Call is subtle. It consists of a single scene. Agent K offers J membership to the Men In Black. With that comes a life of secret knowledge and adventure. But, J will sever all ties to his former life. No one anywhere will ever know that J existed. Agent K tells J that he has until sunrise to make his decision.

J does not immediately say, “I’m in,” or “When’s our first mission.” Instead, he sits on the park bench all night contemplating his decision. In this scene, the audience understands that this is not an easy choice for him. Again, this is an excellent use of action to demonstrate a plot point.

It’s also important to note that J only asks K one question before he makes his decision, “is it worth it?” K responds that it is, but only, “if you’re strong enough.” This line of dialogue becomes one of two dramatic questions in the movie. Is J strong enough to be a man in black?

What will your character have to sacrifice to answer the call of adventure?
What fears does your character have about leaving the ordinary world?
What risks or dangers await them in the special world?

Meeting the Mentor

At this point in the story, the hero is seeking wisdom after initially refusing the call of adventure. The mentor fulfills this need for your hero.

The mentor is usually a character who has been to the special world and knows how to navigate it. Mentor’s provides your hero with tools and resources to aid them in their journey. It’s important to note that the mentor doesn’t always have to be a character. The mentor could be a guide, map, or sacred texts.

If you’ve seen Men In Black then you can guess who acts as J’s mentor. Agent K, who recruited J, steps into the mentor role once J accepts the call to adventure.

Agent K gives J a tour of the MIB headquarters. He introduces him to key characters and explains to him how the special world of the MIB works. Agent K also gives J his signature weapon, the Noisy Cricket.

Who is your hero’s mentor?
How will your character find and encounter with their mentor?
What tools and resources will your mentor provide?
Why/how does your mentor know the special world?

Crossing the Threshold

This is the point where your hero finally crosses over from the ordinary world into the special one. At this point, there is no turning back for your hero.

Your hero may not cross into the special world on their own. Or, they may need a dramatic event that forces them to act.

At this point, you’ll want to establish the dramatic question of your story. This is the question will your reader wants to answer by the end of your story. A dramatic question is what will keep your audience reading.

Once J decides to commit to the MIB Agent K starts the process of deleting J’s identity. The filmmakers do a great job communicating the drastic nature of J’s decision. This is done through, again, action and an effective voice-over. J’s social security number is deleted, and his fingerprints are burned off. He dons a nondescript black suit, sunglasses, and a sick-ass Hamilton watch .

This scene is immediately followed by a threatening message sent by aliens called the Arquillians. They tell the MIB they will destroy the Earth unless J and K can deliver a galaxy. The only problem is no one knows what the galaxy is. So, we get our story question. Can J and K find and deliver the MacGuffin before the Earth is destroyed?

Tests, Allies, Enemies

This is stage is exactly what it sounds like. Once they’ve entered the special world, your hero will be tested. They will learn the rules of this new world. Your hero’s mentor may have to further teach your hero.

The hero will also begin collecting allies. Characters whose goals align with those of your hero’s. People who will help your hero achieve their goal. These characters may even join your hero on their quest.

And this is also the point where your hero’s enemy will reveal themselves. Now, you’ve may have hinted at, or even introduced the villain in the earlier stages. But, this is where the audience discovers how much of a threat this villain is to your hero.

Approach to the Inmost Cave

The inmost cave is the path towards the central conflict of your story. In this section, your hero is preparing for battle. They may be regrouping with allies, going over important information, or taking a needed rest. This is also a part of the story where you may want to inject some humor.

The approach is also a moment for your audience to regroup. This is an important aspect of pacing. A fast-paced story can be very exciting for the audience, but at some point, the writer needs to tap the breaks.

This approach section gives your audience time to process the plot and consider the stakes of your conflict. This is also a good time to introduce a ticking clock, and it’s perfect for character development.

In Men, In Black the Approach the Inmost Cave involves an interview with a character called Frank the Pug. Frank is a Pug breed of dog. He’s an alien in disguise.

Frank knows important details about the conflict between the Arquillians and Edgar. This is one of the funnier scenes in an overall funny film.

Read more about alliteration here… jk.

Frank also gives J a vital clue to determine the location of the Arquillian’s galaxy. They also discover that the galaxy is an energy source and not an actual galaxy.

Finally, we have the arrival of the Arquillian battleship come to destroy Earth. They give the MIB a warning. If the galaxy is not returned in one hour the will fire on the planet. So, we have a literal ticking clock.

Where and how will your hero slow down and regroup?
What information or resources will they need to go into the final battle?
How can you introduce some humor or character development into this section?
What kind of “ticking clock” will you introduce to increase the stakes of your final act?

The Ordeal

The Ordeal is about one thing, and that’s death. Your hero must go through a life-altering challenge. This will be a conflict where the hero faces their greatest fears.

It’s essential that your audience feels as if the hero is really in danger. Make the audience question whether the hero will make it out alive. But, your story’s stakes may not be life or death, such as in a comedy or romance.

In that case the death your character experiences will be symbolic. And, your audience will believe that there’s a chance the hero won’t achieve their goal.

Through the ordeal, your hero will experience death whether that be real or symbolic. With this death, the hero will be reborn with greater powers or insight. Overall, the ordeal should be the point in which your character hits rock bottom.

The Ordeal in Men In Black comes the moment when J and K confront Edgar at the site of the World’s Fair. In the confrontation with Edgar, K is eaten alive by Edgar. At this moment J is left alone to confront death. The audience is left to wonder if J can defeat Edgar on his own.

Guided Questions

What death will your hero confront?
What does “rock bottom” mean for your character?
How will your hero be changed on the other side of this death event?

Reward or Seizing the Sword

At this point in the story, your hero will earn some tangible treasure for all their trouble. This can be a physical treasure. In the context of the monomyth, this is often referred to as the elixir or sword.

However, the reward can be inwardly focused. Your hero might discover hidden knowledge or insight that helps them vanquish their foe. Or, your hero can find their confidence or some self-actualization. This reward, whatever it is, is the thing that they will take with them. It is what they earn from all their hard-fought struggles.

Once K is eaten J seems to be on his own with a massive alien cockroach. This is a pretty bad spot for the rookie agent. What’s worse is the Arquillian clock is still ticking. Edgar, the cockroach, is about to escape Earth, with the galaxy, sealing the planet’s fate.

All seems lost until J claims his reward. In this case, that reward comes in the form of an insight J has about Edgar. Being a giant cockroach, J realizes that Edgar may have a weakness for his Earth-bound counterparts. So, J kicks out a dumpster and starts to smash all the scurrying bugs under his foot.

J guesses correctly, and Edgar is momentarily distracted by J’s actions. Edgar climbs down from his ship to confront J. Agent K, who is still alive in Edgar’s stomach, can activate a gun, and blow Edgar in two. J’s reward is the knowledge that he is no longer a rookie, and he is strong enough for this job. J also captures a physical treasure. After Edgar has exploded, J finds the galaxy which Edgar had swallowed earlier in the film. In this scene, both dramatic questions are answered. The MIB can save the world. And, J is strong enough for the MIB.

What reward will your hero win?
A physical treasure, hidden knowledge, inner wisdom, or all of the above?

The Road Back

At this point, your hero has had some success in their quest and is close to returning to the ordinary world. Your hero has experienced a change from their time in the special world. This change might make your hero’s return difficult. Similar to when your hero crossed the threshold, your hero may need an event that forces them to return.

The road back must be a dramatic turning point that heightens stakes and changes the direction of your story. This event will also re-establish the dramatic question of your story. This act may present a final challenge for your hero before they can return home.

In Men In Black, the road backstage gets a little tricky. The film establishes that when J crosses the threshold he is not able to go back to the ordinary world. His entire identity is erased. Having J go back to his life as a detective would also undo his character growth and leave the audience feeling cheated. Luckily, the filmmakers work around this by having K return to the ordinary world rather than J.

After Edgar is defeated, K tells J that he is retiring from the MIB and that J will step in as K’s replacement. The movie establishes early that agents can retire, but only after having their memory wiped. So, K asks J to wipe his memory so that he can return to a normal life. Once again, J has to grapple with the question of whether he is strong enough for this job. Can he bring himself to wipe K’s memory and lose his mentor forever? Can he fill K’s shoes as an MIB agent?

How will your hero have to recommit to their journey?
What event will push your hero through their final test?
What final test will your hero face before they return to the ordinary world?

Resurrection

This is the final act of your story. The hero will have one last glorious encounter with the forces that are set against them. This is the culminating event for your hero. Everything that has happened to your hero has prepared them for this moment.

This can also be thought of as a rebirth for your hero. A moment when they shed all the things that have held them back throughout the story. The resurrection is when your hero applies all the things they’ve learned through their journey.

The final moment can be a physical battle, or again, it can be metaphorical. This is also a moment when allies return to lend a last-minute hand. But, as with any ending of a story, you need to make sure your hero is the one who saves the day.

So, here’s where things start to get a little clumsy. There are a couple of moments that could be a resurrection for our hero J. It could be the moment he faces off with Edgar. This is right before Edgar is killed. But, it’s K that pulls the trigger and kills Edgar. Based on our explanation J needs to be the one who saves the day. Maybe by stalling for time J is the one responsible for saving the day? It’s hard to say what the filmmakers’ intention was here.

The second moment that could represent a resurrection for J might be when he wipes K’s memory. It is the final dramatic hurdle that J faces before he can become a true Man in Black. But, this moment doesn’t resolve the conflict of the film.

Notice that the Hero’s Journey framework isn’t always followed to the letter by all storytellers. We’ll get back to this point at the end of the article.

What final challenge will your hero face?
How will your hero use the skills they’ve used to overcome their last challenge?
How will your hero’s allies help save the day?

Return with the Elixir

The ending of your story. Your hero returns to the ordinary world, but this time they carry with them the rewards earned during their journey. They may share these rewards with others who inhabit the ordinary world. But most important, is that you show that your hero has changed for the better.

The elixir represents whatever your hero gained on their journey. Remember, the elixir can be an actual physical reward like a treasure. But, the elixir can also be a metaphorical prize like knowledge or a feeling of fulfillment. This is a moment where your hero will return some sort of balance to the ordinary world.

Be sure to show that the journey has had a permanent effect on your hero.

In the final scene of the movie, we see that J has taken on a mentor role for Dr. Weaver, an MIB recruit now. He has physically changed- his clothes are more representative of his personality. This physical transformation is meant to show that J has fully embraced his new life and journey. No longer a rookie, J has stepped into his mentor, K’s, role.

How will you show that your character has changed from their journey?
What reward will they bring back to the ordinary world?
In what way will they change the ordinary world when they return?

Should I Use the Hero’s Journey for My Story?

This is a question you should ask yourself before embarking on your journey. The Monomyth works well as a framework. This is pretty obvious when you realize how many films have used it as a plotting device.

But there’s a downside to the popularity of the Monomyth. And that’s that audiences are very familiar with the beats of this kind of story. Sure, they may not be able to describe each of the twelve sections in detail. But, audiences know, intuitively, what is going to happen in these stories. At the very least, audiences, or readers, know how these stories are going to end.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If your story is exciting, well-paced, and the stakes are high, people aren’t going to mind some predictability. But, if you want to shock your readers-

(And if you’re interested in how to shock readers with a plot twist, click here. )

this might not be the best story structure. And, despite how popular it is, the hero’s journey ain’t the only game in town when it comes to story structure. And, you can always take artistic liberty with the Hero’s Journey. The fact that audiences are expecting certain beats means you have an opportunity to subvert expectations.

You can skip parts of the hero’s journey if they don’t fit your plot. With my example, Men In Black it was difficult to fit the story neatly into the hero’s journey framework. This is because aspects of the movie, like the fact that it’s a buddy comedy, don’t always jive with a hero’s journey. Agent K has an important character arch, and so he ends up killing the villain rather than J. But, K’s arch isn’t at all a hero’s journey.

The point is, don’t feel locked in by any single structure. Allow yourself some freedom to tell your story. If there’s no purpose to a resurrection stage in your story then skip it! No one is going to deduct your points.

With that said, here are a few resources on the Hero’s Journey, and some alternate plot structures you’ll want to check out!

This post contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links

Further Reading on Plot Structure and the Hero’s Journey

The Hero With 1000 Faces by Joseph Campbell

If you’d like to learn more about the Hero’s Journey, or Monomyth, why not go straight to the source? The Hero With 1000 Faces is a collection of work written by Joseph Campbell. His version of the hero’s journey has 17 stages. This is less of a writing manual and more of an exploration of the evolution of myth and storytelling through the ages.

The Seven Basic Plots , by Christopher Booker, is another academic study of storytelling by Christopher Booker. Booker identifies seven basic plots that all stories fit into. They are:

Overcoming the Monster
Rags to Riches
Voyage and Return

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method

The Snowflake Method is a teaching tool designed by Randy Ingermanson that will take you through a step-by-step process of writing a novel. The Snowflake Method boils down the novel-writing process six-step process. You will start with a single sentence and with each step you build on that sentence until you have a full-fledged novel! If you’re love processes then pick up a copy of this book today.

In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, Hollywood consultant, Christopher Vogler teaches writers how to use the Hero’s Journey to write riveting stories.

Resources:

Wikipedia- Joseph Campbell

Wikipedia- Hero With 1000 Faces

Published by John

View all posts by John

6 comments on “A Complete Guide to The Hero’s Journey (or The Monomyth)”

Pingback: How to Create Stories with the Three-Act Structure - The Art of Narrative
Pingback: Kishōtenketsu: Exploring The Four Act Story Structure - The Art of Narrative
Pingback: A Definitive Guide to the Seven-Point Story Structure - The Art of Narrative
Pingback: What are Character Archetypes? 25 Character Archetypes Explained - The Art of Narrative
Pingback: How to use the 27 Chapter Plot Structure - The Art of Narrative

I don’t understand the use of all those pictures/graphics you threw in as I was reading. They were extremely distracting and seriously detracted from whatever message you were trying to convey.

Discover more from The Art of Narrative

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Green Spaces in Urban Places
To Give is To Grow: Community Gardens Fight Food Insecurity
Are Words The New Weapon To Fight For Social Justice?
Europe has Changed: How I turned my Upset about Russia Invading Ukraine into Action
Dangerous Realities of Medical Misogyny
Student Success: Spotlight on ADHD

Love Letter to Uncertainty: A Photo Essay

Walter’s story: leaving nazi germany.

Joseph Campbell & The Hero’s Journey

In 1949, scholar joseph campbell published his 1st book, the hero with a thousand faces. in this book, campbell introduced us to his theory that myths from around the globe share a fundamental structure, the monomyth ..

C ampbell formulated this theory over 5 years, spending 9 hours a day reading mythology from around the world. The Monomyth structure is divided into 3 events with additional stages in between. The stories of Osiris, Prometheus, Buddha, Moses, Jesus, and many other tales from history use this structure. It has inspired many artists and storytellers, such as, Jim Morrison of The Doors, Bob Dylan, creator of Star Wars George Lucas, Bob Weir, and Jerry Garcia of the band, The Grateful Dead. While countless stories follow this Monomyth structure, we will use the original Star Wars Trilogy as an example for exploring this process.

The Seventeen Stages of the Monomyth

The Cycle of Mythology

Stage 1: Separation

I n the first stage of the hero’s journey, we find our protangonist living life in a typically mundane situation. The Star Wars , Luke Skywalker lives as a talented yet lowly and pretty damn whiny moisture farmer on Tatooine.

Until…

1. Call to Adventure – By some chance the hero will become aware of information or actions that call for them to go on a quest. The lovable and recently acquired droid R2-D2 plays a holographic message of Princess Leia pleading for Luke’s soon to be mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s assistance.

2. Refusal of the Call – Overwhelmed by the information, the hero refuses the call and makes excuses as to why they cannot answer it. Luke refuses Obi-Wan’s request to join him on his mission, stating that he has responsibilities at home.

Luke’s Supernatural Aid is in the form of a Lightsaber and newfound Knowledge of the Force

3. Supernatural Aid – Once a commitment to the quest is made by the hero, they are provided with a special weapon or power that will assist them along the way. Obi-Wan gifts Luke his fathers lightsaber and explains some Force 101.

4. Crossing the Threshold – The moment when the hero actually embarks upon the journey. After Luke discovers that his family has been murdered and that nothing is left for him at home, he decides to join Obi-Wan on the quest to save Princess Leia, cause that sounds way cooler than hanging at the farm where your entire family was just massacred.

5. Belly of the Whale – The final separation between the hero and their home. Luke and Kenobi bail out from Tatooine with their new bros Han Solo and Chewbacca.

Stage 2: Initiation

The Empire Strikes Back is nothing but a road of trials for our hero, Luke.

6. The Road of Trials – A series of usually 3 trials and tests, the hero often fails one or more of these test. In Luke’s journey the destruction of the Death Star is his first test and one that he passes. His second and third tests do not end so well. While training with Yoda on Dagobah, Luke fails in his truly mastering himself and the force. Thirdly, in the duel between himself and his newly revealed father, Darth Vader, he is defeated, injured, and almost killed.

7. The Meeting with the Goddess – Our hero experiences a love that has the power and significance to that of a mother. Luke begins to have strong feelings for Leia, his unbeknownst sister.

8. Woman as Temptress – The temptation to abandon the journey for material or other gain. Luke is close to being seduced to the dark side as the Emperor feeds his rage against his father and especially with the prospect that if he will not turn, perhaps his sister will.

9. Atonement with the Father – In this stage, the hero must confront and be initiated by whoever holds the ultimate power in their life. Luke battles Darth Vader and once again is on the losing side of the fight. Nearing death from the Emperor’s attacks, Luke begs his father to help save him from certain death.

Star-Wars-Trivia-Original-Ending-Luke-Dark-Side

Anakin & Luke Meet for the 1st Time

10. Apotheosis – The spiritual death and rebirth of the hero. Darth Vader hears his son’s cries for help and returns to the light, deciding to destroy the Emperor in a self sacrificial action. By bringing his father back to the light, Luke has finally become a true jedi.

11. The Ultimate Boon – The stage of achievement of the goal. Luke is a jedi, has defeated the Empire, the dark side, saved his father, and all his friends and family are safe.

12. Refusal of the Return – The hero basking in their newly found bliss, may not want to return to their previous life and share this bliss with his fellow man. Luke does the opposite of this, upon his reunification with his friends, he shares with Leia that they are siblings. He then goes on to train her and new jedi in the ways of the force.

Stage 3: Return

13. The Magic Flight – The daring escape made after obtaining the boon. Luke carries his fathers body onto a transport and flees the Death Star before its complete destruction.

The Millennium Falcon in Magical Flight

14. Rescue from Without – When powerful guides or mentors help bring the hero back to normal life. When Anniken, Obi-Wan, and Yoda appear from the ether to acknowledge Luke and his newfound jedi knighthood.

15. Crossing the Return Threshold – Retaining, integrating, and sharing wisdom learned on the quest. Luke shares his knowledge of the force with future jedi.

16. Master of Two Worlds – The hero has achieved a balance between the material and spiritual world. Luke has sorted all of his family issues, become a man and a jedi.

17. Freedom to Live – By becoming a master of the two worlds, the hero is free from regrets of the past and worries of the future, this leaves them to live in the moment. Luke has resolved all the conflicts in his life, he is free to live at one with the force.

Each of Us are the Heroes in Our own Journey

The Monomyth is a method of story telling that is innate to humans. Cultures from around the world share it’s structure in their stories. Every human, whether they are aware of it or not, is on their own hero’s journey. By studying Joseph Campbell’s work we can better our own understanding of the tests, trials, and progress along our journey.

About Author

Tamlorn Chase

Tamlorn Chase hails from the coastal town of Santa Barbara, where he works as a wilderness guide, wildlife filmmaker, and environmental activist. Protecting the natural world is his profession and passion.

Father Figures

Comments are closed.

A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey

OVERVIEW: What are the hero’s journey steps? That is, what’s the psychological process we go through that can lead to inner transformation? This guide answers these questions.

______________

Treasure, love, reward, approval, honor, status, freedom, and survival … these are some of the many things associated with the hero’s journey.

However, we don’t find the meaning of the hero’s journey in slaying the dragon or saving the princess.

These are but colorful metaphors and symbols for a more significant purpose.

Battling inner and outer demons, confronting bullies, and courting your ideal mate symbolize a passage through the often treacherous path of self-discovery toward adulthood.

If you complete one of these “adventures,” you’re different. Sometimes visually, but always internally.

Here, we’ll explore the meaning of the hero’s journey steps and see how it applies to psychological development and our ability to actualize our potential.

Let’s dive in …

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The hero’s journey refers to a common motif, or set of patterns, found in many ancient mythologies around the world.

The hero’s journey steps are said to be universal and found throughout recorded history.

The popularization of the hero’s journey is attributed to the late mythologist Joseph Campbell.

These stages lead an individual (the would-be hero) through a challenging process of change that often includes great hardships.

This well-known story structure is used in many modern films and storytelling. However, the true meaning of the hero’s journey motif is psychological in origin.

What is the Monomyth?

Joseph Campbell was a curious mythologist. In the field of comparative mythology, most scholars examine how one culture’s myths are different than another.

Instead of focusing on the many differences between cultural myths and religious stories, however, Campbell did the opposite: He looked for the similarities.

His studies resulted in what’s called the monomyth . The monomyth is a universal story structure.

Essentially, it’s a story template that takes a character through a sequence of stages. Campbell began identifying the patterns of this monomyth (the hero’s journey steps).

Over and over again, he was amazed to find this structure in the cultures he studied. He also observed the same sequence in many religions including the stories of Gautama Buddha, Moses, and Jesus Christ.

Campbell outlined the stages of the monomyth in his classic book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949).

What is the Hero?

The main character in the monomyth is the hero .

The hero isn’t a person, but an archetype —a set of universal images combined with specific patterns of behavior.

Think of a protagonist from your favorite film. He or she represents the hero.

The storyline of the film enacts the hero’s journey.

The Hero archetype resides in the psyche of every individual, which is one of the primary reasons we love hearing and watching stories.

What is a Myth?

We might ask, why explore the hero’s journey steps?

Sure, Hollywood uses it as their dominant story structure for its films (more on that later). But what relevance does it have for us as individuals?

Today, when we speak of “myth,” we refer to something that’s commonly believed, but untrue.

Myth, for minds like Campbell and Carl Jung however, had a much deeper meaning. Myths, for them, represent dreams of the collective psyche .

That is, in understanding the symbolic meaning of a myth, you come to know the psychological undercurrent—including hidden motivations , tensions, and desires—of the people and culture.

What is the Power of Myth?

Campbell explains to Bill Moyer in The Power of Myth : 1 Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth , 1991, 193.

Mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth–penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. It is beyond words. Beyond images, beyond that bounding rim of the Buddhist Wheel of Becoming. Mythology pitches the mind beyond that rim, to what can be known but not told.

As Campbell eloquently puts it in The Hero with a Thousand Faces ,

Mythology is psychology misread as biography, history, and cosmology.

Because the hero’s journey steps represent a monomyth that we can observe in most, if not all, cultures, it represents a process that is relevant to the entire human family .

hero's journey steps joseph campbell quote

What is this Process Within the Hero’s Journey?

It’s the process of personal transformation from an innocent child into a mature adult.

The child is born into a set of rules and beliefs of a group of people.

Through the child’s heroic efforts, he must break free from these conventions (transcend them) to discover himself.

In the process, the individual returns to his soul.

If we think of the hero’s journey as a roadmap for self-development, it can hold a lot of value for us.

A Quick Note About Gender: Masculine vs Feminine

This psychological decoding is based on a “Jungian” understanding of the psyche.

The hero is ultimately a masculine archetype. The female counterpart would be the heroine. While the hero and the heroine certainly share many attributes, they are not the same.

Similarly, the hero’s journey is predominantly a process of development for the masculine psyche. The hero archetype is associated with autonomy, building structure, and learning about limitations, which are qualities associated with masculine energy.

However, note that “masculine” and “feminine” are not the same as “man” and “woman.” The psyche of a man has a feminine counterpart—what Jung called the anima . The psyche of a woman has a masculine archetype called the animus . For this reason, the hero’s journey does have universal relevance.

While Western culture seems riddled with gender confusion, there are distinct differences between the masculine and the feminine psyche.

Okay, now back to our story …

The 3 Main Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Okay, so now let’s begin to break down the structure and sequence of the hero’s journey.

As Campbell explains:

The usual hero adventure begins with someone from whom something has been taken, or who feels there is something lacking in the normal experience available or permitted to the members of society. The person then takes off on a series of adventures beyond the ordinary, either to recover what has been lost or to discover some life-giving elixir. It’s usually a cycle, a coming and a returning.

This cycle of coming and returning has 3 clear stages:

Stage 1: Departure

Campbell called the initial stage departure or the call to adventure . The hero departs from the world he knows.

Luke Skywalker leaves his home planet to join Obi-Wan to save the princess. Neo gets unplugged from The Matrix with the help of Morpheus and his crew.

In the Departure stage, you leave the safety of the world you know and enter the unknown.

Campbell writes of this stage in The Hero with a Thousand Faces :

This first step of the mythological journey—which we have designated the “call to adventure”—signifies that destiny has summoned the hero and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from within the pale of his society to a zone unknown.

That is, the hero must leave the known “conventional world” and enter a “special world” that is foreign.

Stage 2: Initiation

Now the hero must face a series of trials and tribulations. The hero’s journey isn’t safe.

The hero is tested in battle, skill, and conflict. He may not succeed in each action but must press on.

The protagonist will meet allies, enemies, and mentors with supernatural aid throughout the initiation stage.

Stage 3: Return

Having endured the trials and hardships of the adventure, the hero returns home.

But the hero is no longer the same. An internal transformation has taken place through the maturation process of the experience.

Luke is now a Jedi and has come to peace with his past. Neo embraces his destiny and liberates himself from the conventions of The Matrix.

The Hero’s Journey in Drama

In Three Uses of a Knife , famed playwright David Mamet suggests a similar three-act structure for plays and dramas: 2 David Mamet, Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and Purpose of Drama , 2000.

Act 1: Thesis . The drama presents life as it is for the protagonist. The ordinary world.

Act 2: Antithesis . The protagonist faces opposing forces that send him into an upheaval (disharmony).

Act 3: Synthesis . The protagonist attempts to integrate the old life with the new one.

We note that problems, challenges, and upheavals are the defining characteristic of this journey.

Without problems, the path toward growth is usually left behind. (More on this topic below.)

Assessing Your Place in the Hero’s Journey

Before we explore the stages of the monomyth more closely, let’s look at what these three phases reveal about self-mastery and psychological development.

Stage 1 represents our comfort zone. We feel safe here because it is known to us.

Stages 2 and 3, however, represent the unknown . Embracing the unknown means letting go of safety.

Abraham Maslow points out that we are confronted with an ongoing series of choices throughout life between safety and growth, dependence and independence, regression and progression, immaturity and maturity.

Maslow writes in Toward a Psychology of Being : 3 Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being , 2014.

We grow forward when the delights of growth and anxieties of safety are greater than the anxieties of growth and the delights of safety.

Is it now clear why so many of us refuse the call to adventure?

We cling to the safety of the known instead of embracing the “delight of growth” that only comes from the unknown.

Campbell’s 17 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Joseph Campbell didn’t just outline three stages of the monomyth. In The Hero with a Thousand Faces , he deconstructs every step along the journey.

The stages of the hero’s journey are the common sequence of events that occurred in the monomyth motif.

Technically speaking, Campbell outlined 17 stages in his The Hero with a Thousand Faces:

1: The Call to Adventure
2: Refusal of the Call
3: Supernatural Aid
4: The Crossing of the First Threshold
5: Belly of the Whale
6: The Road of Trials
7: The Meeting with the Goddess
8: Woman as the Temptress
9: Atonement with the Father
10: Apotheosis
11: The Ultimate Boon
12: Refusal of the Return
13: The Magic Flight
14: Rescue from Without
15: The Crossing of the Return Threshold
16: Master of the Two Worlds
17: Freedom to Live

These 17 stages or hero’s journey steps can be found globally in the myths and legends throughout recorded history.

The Modified 12 Hero’s Journey Steps

Now, let’s review these stages of the hero’s journey in more detail.

I’m going to outline these steps below using a slightly simplified version from Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers .

Vogler’s model, which is used throughout Hollywood, only has 12 steps (compared to 17), and I think it does a solid job of keeping the essence of Campbell’s monomyth structure intact.

As you read these hero’s journey steps, see if you can determine how they apply to your development.

Step 1: The Ordinary World

Before a would-be hero can enter the special world, he must first live in the ordinary world.

The ordinary world is different for each of us—it represents our norms, customs, conditioned beliefs, and behaviors. The ordinary world is sometimes referred to as the “conventional world.”

In The Hobbit , the ordinary world is the Shire where Bilbo Baggins lives with all the other Hobbits—gardening, eating and celebrating—living a simple life.

Novelist J.R.R. Tolkien contrasts this life in the Shire with the special world of wizards, warriors, men, elves, dwarfs, and evil forces on the brink of world war.

Step 2: The Call to Adventure

The first hero’s journey step is the call to adventure.

The call to adventure marks a transition from the ordinary world to the special world. The hero is introduced to his quest of great consequence.

Obi-Wan said to Luke, “You must come with me to Alderaan.” That is, Luke is invited to leave the ordinary world of his aunt and uncle’s farm life and go on an adventure with a Jedi knight.

Joseph Campbell explains: 4 Joseph Campbell, The Hero’s Journey: Joseph Campbell On His Life And Work , 1990.

The call to adventure signifies that destiny has summoned the hero and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from within the pale of this society to a zone unknown.

Step 3: Refusal of the Call

Fear of change as well as death, however, often leads the hero to refuse the call to adventure .

The ordinary world represents our comfort zone; the special world signifies the unknown.

Luke Skywalker immediately responds to Obi-Wan, “I can’t go with you,” citing his chores and responsibilities at home.

Step 4: Meeting the Mentor

Campbell called this archetype the “mentor with supernatural aid.”

Generally, at an early stage of the adventure, the hero is graced by the presence of a wise sage . Personified in stories as a magical counselor , a reclusive hermit, or a wise leader, the mentor’s role is to help guide the hero.

Think Obi-Wan, Yoda, Gandalf, Morpheus, or Dumbledore. Sometimes cloaked in mystery and secret language, a mentor manifests when the hero is ready.

Sadly, our modern world is depleted of wise elders or shamans who can effectively bless the younger generation. (A topic for a different day.) For most of us, it is best to seek wise counsel from your inner guide , the Self within.

Step 5: Cross the First Threshold

The hero resists change initially but is ultimately forced to make a critical decision: embark on the adventure or forever remain in the ordinary world with its illusion of security.

Although Luke refuses the call to adventure initially, when he returns home to see his aunt and uncle dead, he immediately agrees to go with Obi-Wan. He crossed the first threshold.

In one sense, the first threshold is the point of no return. Once the hero shoots across the unstable suspension bridge, it bursts into flames.

There’s no turning back, at least, not how he came.

The first threshold can mark a major decision in our personal lives:

“I’m going to travel around the globe.”
“I’m going to transform my physical health.”
“I am going to write a book.”
“I’m going to master the flute.”
“I’m going to realize my true nature.”

This first breakthrough is a feat within itself; however, it is only the first of many turning points.

Step 6: Tests, Allies, Enemies

Along the hero’s journey, the main character encounters many obstacles and allies.

Luke meets Obiwan (mentor), Han Solo, Princess Leia, and the rebel alliance while fighting many foes. Neo meets Morpheus (mentor), Trinity, and the rest of the Nebuchadnezzar crew while having to fight Agents in a strange world.

Some people may try to stop you along your quest—possibly saying you’re unreasonable or unrealistic. These “dream-stoppers” are often cleverly masked as friends and family who appear to have positive intentions but hinder your development nonetheless.

Your ability to identify obstructions on your path and align with support along your adventure is critical to your adventure.

Unfortunately, because few complete their hero’s journey to mature adulthood, most people will unconsciously attempt to sabotage yours.

Step 7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

The next significant threshold is often more treacherous than the first.

Entering the villain’s castle or the evil billionaire’s mansion, this second major decision usually puts the hero at significant physical and psychological risks.

Neo decides to go save Morpheus who’s being held in a building filled with Agents.

Within the walls of the innermost cave lies the cornerstone of the special world where the hero closes in on his objective.

For a man, the innermost cave represents the Mother Complex, a regressive part of him that seeks to return to the safety of the mother. 5 Robert Johnson, He: Understanding Masculine Psychology, 1989. When a man seeks safety and comfort—when he demands pampering—it means he’s engulfed within the innermost cave.

For a woman, the innermost cave often represents learning how to surrender to the healing power of nurturance—to heal the handless maiden. 6 Robert Johnson, The Fisher King and the Handless Maiden: Understanding the Wounded Feeling Function in Masculine and Feminine Psychology , 1995.

Step 8: Ordeal

No worthwhile adventure is easy. There are many perils on the path to growth, self-discovery , and self-realization.

A major obstacle confronts the hero, and the future begins to look dim: a trap, a mental imprisonment, or imminent defeat on the battlefield.

It seems like the adventure will come to a sad conclusion, as all hope appears lost. But hope remains and it is in these moments of despair when the hero must access a hidden part of himself—one more micron of energy, strength, faith, or creativity to find his way out of the belly of the beast.

Neo confronts Agent Smith in the subway station—something that was never done before. The hero must call on an inner power he doesn’t know he possesses.

Step 9: Reward

Having defeated the enemy and slain the dragon, the hero receives the prize. Pulling the metaphorical sword from the stone, the hero achieves the objective he set out to complete.

Whether the reward is monetary, physical, romantic, or spiritual, the hero transforms. Usually, the initial prize sought by the hero is physical—the sword in the stone or a physical treasure of some kind.

Step 10: The Road Back

Alas, the adventure isn’t over yet. There usually needs to be one last push to return home. Now the hero must return to the world from which he came with the sacred elixir.

Challenges still lie ahead in the form of villains, roadblocks, and inner demons. The hero must deal with whatever issues were left unresolved at this stage of the journey.

Taking moral inventory, examining the Shadow , and performing constant self-inquiry help the hero identify weaknesses and blindspots that will later play against him.

Step 11: Resurrection

Before returning home—before the adventure is over—there’s often one more unsuspected, unforeseen ordeal.

This final threshold, which may be more difficult than the prior moment of despair, provides one last test to solidify the growth of the hero. This threshold represents the final climax.

Neo is shot and killed by Agent Smith. And, he literally resurrects to confront the enemy one last time following his transformation.

The uncertain Luke Skywalker takes that “one in a million” shot from his X-Wing to destroy the Death Star.

Step 12: Return with the Elixir

Often, the prize the hero initially sought (in Step 9) becomes secondary as a result of the personal transformation he undergoes.

Perhaps the original quest was financially driven , but now the hero takes greater satisfaction in serving others in need. The real change is always internal .

In this final stage, the hero can become the master of both worlds , with the freedom to live and grow, impacting all of humanity.

Returning with the prize, the hero’s experience of reality is different. The person is no longer an innocent child or adolescent seeking excitement or adventure.

Comfortable in his own skin, he has evolved and is now capable of handling the demands and challenges of everyday life.

The Hero’s Journey in Films

Are you now more aware of how these hero’s journey steps play out in popular films and television series?

George Lucas was friends with Joseph Campbell. Lucas used these hero’s journey steps from Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces to produce the original Star Wars film. 7 https://billmoyers.com/content/mythology-of-star-wars-george-lucas/

It’s difficult to appreciate the impact Star Wars still has on American culture and around the world. It’s even more difficult to articulate how much of that impact is attributed to Campbell’s insights.

However, one challenge our culture faces is that many popular film franchises produce movies that, most often, never complete the hero’s journey.

Many popular characters in action films like Marvel and DC Comics superheroes, James Bond, Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible), Indiana Jones, etc. never actually transform.

These characters stay in the adolescent stage of development (and we tend to celebrate that reality).

These heroes don’t evolve into the warm, vulnerable, generative adults who no longer seek adventure and excitement.

That said, since I originally published this guide in early 2018, this has begun to change.

For example, in the final Bond film, No Time to Die (2021), James Bond did demonstrate some generative growth.

The same goes for Tony Stark’s character (Ironman) in Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Where Are You On Your Hero’s Journey?

More importantly, do you see how these hero’s journey steps are unfolding in your life?

Although each of our stories is unique, they have common threads—elements of this universal structure we all share.

Returning from the moment of despair—from inside the dragon’s lair—without the reward (or lesson), you are presented with a similar adventure repeated ad infinitum —until you either learn the lesson or give up.

In the beginning, the hero’s journey is about achievement.

Whether you’re trying to build a successful business, raise a family, write a screenplay, travel to a distant land, or become a skilled artist, these all represent external achievements that often launch us into our hero’s journey.

But through this external quest—if we become more conscious—the journey transitions to an emphasis on internal growth that leads to transformation.

The Hero isn’t an expression of mature adulthood. This archetype is a by-product of adolescence. The archetypes of adulthood are different, but to access them, we must complete the hero’s journey first .

The Primary Ingredient in Every Hero’s Journey

Compelling stories and real life comes down to one thing: problems .

The protagonist faces a problem and tries to overcome it. Problems represent the essence of drama and the key to good storytelling. Without problems, there’s no story. Problems engage us, tantalizing the human mind.

The hero must face his problems, surmount his fears, resolve his tensions, or fail.

The same is true for our development: without problems and tensions, there can be no growth.

Psychological development is the process of overcoming setbacks, limitations, and conditioned behavior to reach maturity.

Refusing the Call to Adventure

Few people ever fully embrace the Hero’s Journey, a psychological odyssey that leads the individual to wholeness .

Because of our fear of the unknown, many refuse the call to adventure. We delay our journey in many ways:

Put important things aside.
Procrastinate.
Distract ourselves with TV, social media, and other people’s lives.
Make excuses.
Stay stuck in the lazy part .
Focus on competing with others.

But something brews inside of us. An internal tension builds. The tension may be small at first, but it grows stronger in the darkness. Tensions are those opposing forces at play within us. This internal conflict creates disharmony.

Humans don’t like disharmony when it bubbles into consciousness, and so these internal tensions can catapult us out of the familiar. The feeling of discord can lead to action and ultimately, some resolution.

Maybe you’re currently embracing your hero’s journey. Or perhaps you’ve been refusing the call. It matters not. What matters is what you do today— right now .

How to Embrace Your Hero’s Journey, Step by Step

The main thing you need to do to embrace your hero’s journey is stay present.

Remember, as Campbell explained, “You are the hero of your own story.”

Psychological development is supposed to be a natural process. But we aren’t currently in a world that supports healthy development.

As such, it’s vital to listen within .

Here are a few guides that may serve you:

Access Your Inner Guide
How to Ground Yourself
How to Stay in Your Center
How to Overcome Internal Resistance

Ultimately, be mindful of your fears and aspirations.

Left unchecked, your fears can subconsciously lead you to endlessly refuse the call to adventure.

In contrast, your aspirations can help you embrace your adventure.

As Joseph Campbell often said,

Follow your bliss!

Videos Related to the Hero’s Journey Steps

Book related to the hero’s journey steps.

The hero’s journey steps are outlined in the books referenced throughout this guide:

joseph campbell the hero with a thousand faces

The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

Joseph Campbell’s Mythos Lecture Series (DVD)

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler

How to Be an Adult by David Richo

What Do You Think?

Are you going through the hero’s journey steps?

About the Author

Scott Jeffrey is the founder of CEOsage, a self-leadership resource publishing in-depth guides read by millions of self-actualizing individuals. He writes about self-development, practical psychology, Eastern philosophy, and integrated practices. For 25 years, Scott was a business coach to high-performing entrepreneurs, CEOs, and best-selling authors. He's the author of four books including Creativity Revealed .

Learn more >

I would like to understand the Hero’s journey. Joseph Campbell describes it as something that has been taken/lost or life giving. How do I know if my hero’s journey has been done?

If you’re examining the hero’s journey from the perspective of individuation — that is, the journey to mature adulthood — it takes many years to come to wholeness within oneself.

Psychologically speaking, the hero’s journey is inward. The characters you meet (like the Mentor) are within yourself. So it involves active imagination in bringing the archetype into some form of harmony within yourself.

You have mentioned a choice to stay in the comfort of safety or the unknow for growth. I am wondering if this is done in a Psychological manner where your life’s circumstances stay as they are or you physically live in a different environment, leaving your surroundings, people and material responsibilities etc.. Hope you can answer this for me.

If you’re a young adult, there’s often an external aspect to the hero’s journey — for example, leaving home and separating from one’s parents. But what Campbell was highlighting with the monomyth is ultimately a psychological process akin to Jungian individuation: https://scottjeffrey.com/individuation-process/

I want to share my thoughts on the heroes journey. After reading the twelve steps, and what you said- I quote “Step 12: Return with the Elixir Often, the prize the hero initially sought (in Step 9) becomes secondary as a result of the personal transformation he undergoes.

Perhaps the original quest was financially driven, but now the hero takes greater satisfaction in serving others in need.

The real change is always internal.

In this final stage, the hero can become the master of both worlds, with the freedom to live and grow, impacting all of humanity.”

My favorite movie for a while now has been The Peaceful Warrior, I have just watched Coach Carter. They seem to tell the same story and I think the story of The Heroes Journey. You have mentioned Star Wars, James Bond and the Matrix.

In the movies The Peaceful Warrior, and Coach Carter, the achievement earned is an inward spiritualism that is, I quote” impacting all of humanity.” Thank-you.

If The Peaceful Warrior is your favorite movie, read Dan Millman’s “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” — the book the film is based on. Much deeper insights. It’s a magical book — especially when you’re just setting out on your self-discovery journey.

I have read about 25% so far, I am not a good reader. I give myself three pages each day, yet often I’m reading more. It is as if the movie is replaying and I’m able to go with it, imaging the main characters. There is more information from reading than watching the movie, though I am thinking there is a lot of fiction, as it has been described on the net. Though I just need to adhere to the believable parts. I don’t know if it is possible to remember the day’s events that happened during college. For example, what people said, what they were doing throughout the day. My college day’s I can only remember situations that happened all dispersed from one another, with only a few minutes recalled. Does someone like yourself able to recall conversations and put them as dialogs for a book? Or is it a writer’s privilege to invent these for the book?

“The Peaceful Warrior” is a work of fiction. The genre is technically called “visionary fiction.”

There is a passage in the book where Socrates say’s “Mind is an illusory reflection of cerebral fidgeting. It comprises all the random uncontrolled thoughts that bubble into awareness from the subconscious. Consciousness is not the mind; awareness is not mind; attention is not mind. Mind is an obstruction, an aggravation, a primal weakness in the human experiment. It is a kind of evolutionary mistake in the human being. I have no use for the mind.” I don’t think think this way because what we have as humans is natural and so it has a purpose. I am interested if you would give an opinion on this statement Socrates said.

For the most part, I agree with Millman’s statements. They are also consistent with much of the Eastern traditions. An essential aspect of the meditative traditions is to “pacify the mind”. They sometimes even use stronger longer of “killing the mind.” But at other times, they make the distinction between the “aware mind” versus the “monkey mind” or the “shining mind” versus the “stirring mind.” But in terms of the untrained mind (which is the mind of over 99% of people), I agree with Millman. I just wouldn’t call it “evolutionary.”

Millman would have already made ethical judgment towards any begger, so, he should not have thought twice about ignoring him. But because his story, is going through a transformation, he had these menacing mind talks. Do you think if you were in the same situation as him, would you give the begger money or use your self-consciousness to clear negative mind noise? I am wondering if a second time in the same situation would make one change their reaction…

This is quoted from the book; “A scrawny young teenager came up to me. “Spare some change, can’t you?” “No, sorry,” I said, not feeling sorry at all. As I walked away I thought, “Get a job.” Then vague guilts came into my mind; I’d said no to a penniless beggar. Angry thoughts arose. “He shouldn’t walk up to people like that!” I was halfway down the block before I realized all the mental noise i had tuned in to, and the tension it was causing – just because some guy had asked me for money and I’d said no. In that instant I let it go.”

I finished the peaceful warrior and found it enjoyable. The preview of Dan’s second book (Sacred Journey of the peaceful warrior) sums up what he was expressing through his life.

There was one part I have heard before where the dialog between Dan and Soc was flat, with no meaning. Thank-you.

I would like to balance the four functions Jung describes (thinking, feeling, sensation and intuition) in your Individuation Process page. How do I know when feeling and sensation are active in everyday events? Could you give me an example? Thank-you.

Brett, please use the related guide page to address your questions.

The Individuation process page has not got a comments section.

I was walking in the bush on a moonlit windy night. The moving branches displayed a moving shadow, I was startled at first thought someone was behind me. Then I put the moonlight and the moving branches together and summed up what had happened without turning around. Was my thinking a Feeling, thinking, intuition or sensation? Thank-you.

I didn’t realize the comment sections weren’t open on that other guide. The psychological types represent our dominant orientations for processing information. When you were startled, was your attention on your body or the fear itself? Was your mind focused on “what could that be”? No need to answer here.

But the main thing about psychological types, from a Jungian perspective, is to understand what your dominant and inferior types are so you can develop your weakest side. Taking an Enneagram assessment test can help you determine your dominant type. In that system, it’s either thinking, feeling, or sensing.

Thank-you for your reply. You gave me an example of what I believe would be my dominant (being the first impression of the event) type. The second instance you described, is that too my dominant type? I do already know what it was that brings me fear. Can you follow up with this scenario? I have done enneagram questions before, and I am hopeless in giving a true response as all multiple question apply to equally.

“I have done enneagram questions before, and I am hopeless in giving a true response as all multiple question apply to equally.”

In my experience, when people say things like this, it’s often because they are “out of center” and analyzing things in their heads. If, for example, you read detailed descriptions of each Type, there’s no way you’re going to relate equally to all of them. Only one (sometimes a few) will strike a deep cord within you. It may leave you feeling “raw” and exposed.

Using the example you provided isn’t really going to help in this context. Do you mostly live in your head (mind/thoughts/analysis), your body (gut/sensations/sensory perception), or feelings? We all use all of them, but one tends to be more dominant than the others.

Thank-you. I agree with you Quote “If, for example, you read detailed descriptions of each Type, there’s no way you’re going to relate equally to all of them”. You might think I’m procrastinating as I want to work this out. Quote” Superior Function versus Inferior Function We like to do things we’re good at and avoid doing things in which we feel inadequate. Thus, we develop specific skills while undeveloped capacities remain in the unconscious. Jung grouped these four functions into pairs: thinking and feeling, sensing and intuiting”. Follow me for a sec, I have determined my superior function is Thinking, that would leave my inferior function to feeling. I assume sensing and intuition would be in the middle. I’m going to give the answer that you will give to my question, how do I bring the four functions to the middle? Answer ; center yourself. Do you agree or tell me what I should be doing?

Brett, I can’t really speak to what you should be doing. From a Jungian perspective (as well as transpersonal psychology), you would develop your inferior function and grow in that line of intelligence. I borrow the concept of the Center from the Taoist tradition. Western psychology mainly seeks to build a healthy ego while Eastern traditions mainly focus on transcending the ego.

Is the answer to “center yourself”? Sure. But most likely you’ll only be able to do this temporarily (representing a “state” of consciousness), while if you develop via various practices, you establish different structural changes that become more stable.

How to Center Yourself.

I like this article and want to learn more. I’m sending you my questions in this article as there isn’t a comments section.

I have so many questions, do I really need these answered to be comfortable with learning? Or should I take a calming with acceptance approach, that will eventually find the answers I seek? Should I go ahead and ask… ok I will ask. In the four centers, take in information via the physical center, interpret experience via the emotional center, evaluate the world via the mental center. Could all be take in information? Thank-you.

Brett, I just opened the comment section on that centering guide. Please post your question there and then I’ll reply.

Is it always a Heroes journey to take on what seems an insurmountable task? I see this at the beginning of inspirational films. Thank-you.

Always be careful with the term “always.”

Remember that what Campbell was ultimately highlighting with his monomyth structure was a psychological process of development. So it’s best to keep that in context.

Insurmountable tasks can sometimes be a catalyst for one’s journey, but this is not always the case.

In films and storytelling, you need major a problem for the hero/protagonist to face. Otherwise, there’s no story.

With what you said in keeping the psychological process in context. I was thinking of the film where a football coach leaves a successful career in the city, to coach no-hoper orphans in the country. My first impression was that the coach is on a hero’s journey with much to lose but great inward comfort to gain. Now I think it is the orphan footballers who are on a hero’s journey, (by leading as an example of being an orphan and becoming successful to inspire them to do the same) to stand up with confidence to be equal to the rest of the world. The movie is twelve mighty orphans. Is this reasonable thinking and do you see different interpretation? Thank-you

I can’t really comment as I haven’t seen the film. In any decent film, multiple characters have “arcs.” In many cases, the coach in sports films plays the mentor/sage role but then has his own transformation as well. This is the case with Gandalf the Gray who has to “die” and be resurrected, transforming into Gandalf the White.

Merry Christmas Scott digital guide. Type to you soon:)

Does the hero’s journey have the same thoughts and feelings for a woman as a man?

From a Jungian perspective, the process would be different.

As Jungian Robert A. Johnson highlights in many of his books, the myths related to the feminine psyche are different than the myths related to the masculine. As such, they follow a different structure and aim.

That said, because there’s an anima in each male psyche and an animus in each female psyche, a part of us can relate to the hero’s journey in its totality. Hence, a heroine can go on a similar hero’s journey as a man.

What an excellent and thorough treatment. Thanks for these invaluable insights for my writing class.

Thank you for the feedback, Craig!

I love this observation about modern cinematic heroes: “Many popular characters in action films like Marvel and DC Comics superheroes, James Bond, Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible), Indiana Jones, etc. never actually transform.”

Have you written elsewhere at greater length on this topic? I thought I read an article on this topic a few years back but don’t remember where! Certainly the weightiness of the observation was such a lightbulb moment.

Thanks and kind regards M.

You can find a more detailed archetypal decoding of the hero here:

https://scottjeffrey.com/hero-archetype/

Session expired

Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.

My Storyboards

The Hero’s Journey

What is the Hero's Journey in Literature?

Crafting a heroic character is a crucial aspect of storytelling, and it involves much more than simply sketching out a brave and virtuous figure. The hero's journey definition is not the typical linear narrative but rather a cyclical pattern that encompasses the hero's transformation, trials, and ultimate return, reflecting the profound and timeless aspects of human experience. The writer's journey in this endeavor goes beyond the external actions of the hero and delves into the character's inner world. The hero arc is the heart of the narrative, depicting the character's evolution from an ordinary person to a true hero.

Narratology and Writing Instructions for Heroic Characters

Related to both plot diagram and types of literary conflict , the ”Hero’s Journey” structure is a recurring pattern of stages many heroes undergo over the course of their stories. Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer, articulated this cycle after researching and reviewing numerous myths and stories from a variety of time periods and regions of the world. He found that different writers take us on different journeys, however, they all share fundamental principles. Through the hero's trials, growth, and ultimate triumph, the narrative comes full circle, embodying the timeless pattern of the hero cycle. Literature abounds with examples of the hero cycle, illustrating how this narrative structure transcends cultural boundaries and remains a fundamental element of storytelling. This hero cycle in literature is also known as the Monomyth, archetype . The most basic version of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth has 12 steps, while more detailed versions can have up to 17 steps. His type of hero's journey diagram provides a visual roadmap for understanding the various stages and archetypal elements that protagonists typically encounter in their transformative quests. The wheel to the right is an excellent visual to share with students of how these steps occur. Hero's journey diagram examples provide a visual roadmap for understanding the various stages and archetypal elements that protagonists typically encounter in their transformative quests. Exploring the monomyth steps outlined by Joseph Campbell, we can see how these universal narrative elements have shaped countless stories across cultures and time periods.

Which Story Structure is Right for You?

The choice of story structure depends on various factors, including the type of story you want to tell, your intended audience, and your personal creative style. Here are some popular story structures and when they might be suitable:

The Hero's Journey: Use this structure when you want to tell a story of personal growth, transformation, and adventure. It works well for epic tales, fantasy, and science fiction, but it can be adapted to other genres as well.
Three-Act Structure: This is a versatile structure suitable for a wide range of genres, from drama to comedy to action. It's ideal for stories that have a clear beginning, middle, and end, with well-defined turning points.
Episodic or Serial Structure: If you're creating a long-running series or a story with multiple interconnected arcs, this structure is a good choice. It allows for flexibility in storytelling and can keep audiences engaged over the long term.
Nonlinear Structure: Experiment with this structure if you want to challenge traditional narrative conventions. It's suitable for stories where timelines are fragmented, revealing information gradually to build intrigue and suspense.
Circular or Cyclical Structure: This structure is great for stories with recurring themes or for tales that come full circle. It can be particularly effective in literary fiction and philosophical narratives.

Ultimately, the right story structure for you depends on your creative vision, the genre you're working in, and the narrative you want to convey. You may also choose to blend or adapt different structures to suit your story's unique needs. The key is to select a structure that serves your storytelling goals and engages your target audience effectively.

What is a Common Theme in the Hero's Journey?

A common theme in the hero's journey is the concept of personal transformation and growth. Throughout the hero's journey, the protagonist typically undergoes significant change, evolving from an ordinary or flawed individual into a more heroic, self-realized, or enlightened character. This theme of transformation is often accompanied by challenges, trials, and self-discovery, making it a central and universal element of hero's journey narratives.

Structure of the Monomyth: The Hero's Journey Summary

This summary of the different elements of the archetypal hero's journey outlines the main four parts along with the different stages within each part. This can be shared with students and used as a reference along with the hero's journey wheel to analyze literature.

Part One - Call to Adventure

During the exposition, the hero is in the ordinary world , usually the hero’s home or natural habitat. Conflict arises in their everyday life, which calls the hero to adventure , where they are beckoned to leave their familiar world in search of something. They may refuse the call at first, but eventually leave, knowing that something important hangs in the balance and refusal of the call is simply not an option.

Part Two - Supreme Ordeal or Initiation

Once the hero makes the decision to leave the normal world, venture into the unfamiliar world, and has officially begun their mysterious adventure, they will meet a mentor figure (a sidekick in some genres) and together these two will cross the first threshold . This is the point where turning back is not an option, and where the hero must encounter tests, allies and enemies . Obstacles like tests and enemies must be overcome to continue. Helpers aid the hero in their journey.

Part Three - Unification or Transformation

Having overcome initial obstacles, in this part of the heroic cycle, the hero and their allies reach the approach . Here they will prepare for the major challenge in this new or special world. During the approach, the hero undergoes an ordeal , testing them to point near death. Their greatest fear is sometimes exposed, and from the ordeal comes a new life or revival for the hero. This transformation is the final separation from their old life to their new life. For their efforts in overcoming the ordeal, the hero reaches the reward . The hero receives the reward for facing death. There may be a celebration, but there is also danger of losing the reward.

Part Four - Road Back or Hero's Return

Once the hero achieves their goal and the reward is won, the hero and companions start on the road back . The hero wants to complete the adventure and return to their ordinary world with their treasure. This stage is often referred to as either the resurrections or atonement . Hero's journey examples that showcase the atonement stage often highlight the protagonist's inner turmoil and the difficult decisions they must make to reconcile with their past and fully embrace their heroic destiny. The hero becomes "at one" with themselves. As the hero crosses the threshold (returning from the unknown to their ordinary world), the reader arrives at the climax of the story. Here, the hero is severely tested one last time. This test is an attempt to undo their previous achievements. At this point, the hero has come full circle, and the major conflict at the beginning of the journey is finally resolved. In the return home, the hero has now resumed life in his/her original world, and things are restored to ordinary.

Popular Hero's Journey Examples

Monomyth example: homer's odyssey.

Monomyth examples typically involve a hero who embarks on an adventure, faces trials and challenges, undergoes personal transformation, and returns home or to society with newfound wisdom or a significant achievement, making this storytelling structure a powerful and timeless tool for crafting compelling narratives.

The hero's journey chart below for Homer’s Odyssey uses the abridged ninth grade version of the epic. The Heroic Journey in the original story of the Odyssey is not linear, beginning in media res , Latin for “in the middle of things”.)

The Odyssey Heroic Journey - Examples of hero's journey

To Kill a Mockingbird Heroic Journey

Did you know that many popular movies have heroes that follow this type of journey? It is true! In the "Star Wars" movies, Hollywood film producer George Lucas creates a journey for Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. In "The Lion King", Simba goes on quite the adventure that ends in a final battle with his uncle Scar, a major turning point in the film before the hero returns to save his land. In "The Wizard of Oz", Dorothy takes on the role of the epic hero as she teeters between the two worlds of Kansas and Oz. These are just a few of the many examples of Campbell's theory in the cinematic realm.

Classroom Applications and Uses

Example exercises.

Create your own hero's journey examples using the Storyboard That Creator! Customize the level of detail and number of cells required for projects based on available class time and resources.

Students identify the stages of the heroic journey in a piece of literature by creating one cell depicting each of the twelve steps.
Students create storyboards that show and explain each stage found in the work of literature, using specific quotes from the text which highlight each part of the journey.
Students create an outline of their own original story that follows the monomyth stages.

Common Core

ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3 : Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme
ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.7 : Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus)
ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6 : Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically
ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.2 : Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source
ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3 : Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed)
ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.7 : Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.6 : Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information
ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2 : Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data

Related Resources

Plot Diagram and Narrative Arc
Types of Conflict In Literature
What is an Archetype?
The Odyssey Teacher Guide
Types of Heroes in Literature

How Teachers Can Use The Concept of The Heroic Journey To Help Students Better Understand Character Development In Literature

Introduce the concept of the heroic journey.

Teachers can introduce the concept of the heroic journey to students and explain the different stages involved in the journey. This will provide a framework for students to better understand how characters develop throughout the story.

Analyze Characters Using the Heroic Journey

Teachers can guide students through the stages of the heroic journey and ask them to identify where the character is in the journey. This will help students to understand the character's development and how their actions and decisions are influenced by the different stages of the journey.

Compare and Contrast Character Journeys

Teachers can ask students to compare and contrast the journeys of different characters within a story or across multiple stories. This will help students to gain a deeper understanding of how the heroic journey is used to develop characters in literature and how it can be applied across different genres and cultures.

Discuss the Role of Character Motivation

Teachers can encourage students to think critically about the motivations of characters at each stage of the journey. This will help students to understand why characters make certain decisions and how their motivations contribute to their development.

Apply the Concept to Real-Life Situations

Teachers can encourage students to apply the concept of the heroic journey to real-life situations. This will help students to see how the journey applies not only to literature, but also to their own lives and experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Hero's Journey

What is a "monomyth" or the "hero's journey" in literature.

In comparative mythology, the monomyth, or the hero's journey, is the series of stages that can be applied to a variety of stories from all genres. It involves a hero who is called to pursue an adventure, undergoes an ordeal, achieves their goal and returns home transformed.

What are the 12 Stages of the Hero's Journey in literature?

Ordinary World
Call to Adventure
Meeting the Mentor / Helper
Crossing the Threshold
Test / Allies / Enemies

What is a common theme in the hero's journey?

The Hero's Journey usually follows the path of the main character from childhood or young adulthood through maturity. It is about the common human experiences of growth, challenges and change that are relatable to us all.

Why should students learn about the hero's journey?

The hero's journey is relevant for students in that it demonstrates the possibility of overcoming adversity and the potential for growth and change that is within us all. It is a common theme of literature and movies that once students understand, they will be able to identify over and over again. It is helpful for students to make the text-to-self connection and apply this thinking to their own life as a "growth mindset" . They can see that they are on their own hero's journey and that everyone has the ability to overcome obstacles to achieve their goals and affect positive change in their lives and the lives of others.

What are some of the best examples of the hero's journey?

The hero's journey stages appear in more books than students may realize! Here are just a few examples of popular books that contain the monomyth structure:

The Graveyard Book
The Hunger Games
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Odyssey
The Lions of Little Rock
Wednesday Wars
One Crazy Summer
Out of My Mind
Brown Girl Dreaming
The Lightning Thief
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
The Stars Beneath Our Feet
Fish in a Tree

Try 1 Month For

30 Day Money Back Guarantee New Customers Only Full Price After Introductory Offer

Learn more about our Department, School, and District packages

30 Day Money Back Guarantee
New Customers Only
Full Price After Introductory Offer

Shortform Books

The World's Best Book Summaries

Monomyth: 17 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

This article is an excerpt from the Shortform summary of "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell. Shortform has the world's best summaries of books you should be reading.

Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here .

What’s a monomyth? How many monomyth stages are there? What are they? Where did they come from?

The monomyth is a template that shows the hero’s journey common in many myths, folktales, and religions. The monomyth is an expression from James Joyce but was popularized by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces .

We’ll dive into the monomyth definition above and cover the 17 stages of monomyths and what happens to the hero in each.

17 Stages of Campbell’s Monomyth

The Hero With a Thousand Faces is an exploration of the power of myth and storytelling, from the ancient world to modern times, and spanning every human culture across the world. All peoples, and indeed, all individuals, make sense of the world they live in and grapple with the experience of living by telling stories . Myths are the foundation of all human physical and intellectual pursuits, be they religious, economic, social, or cultural, because these myths tell us who we are and what destinies we are here to fulfill.

The Monomyth

The core structure of mythology is called the monomyth . Campbell’s monomyth involves three rites of passage—separation, initiation, and return. From the myths of the ancient Egyptians and the medieval Arthurian legend to the folk-tales of the native Maoris of New Zealand, the pattern of the hero’s journey usually follows this cycle: a separation from the world he or she has always known (embarking on the quest), gaining some spiritual or other-worldly power, and a return in which they share the boon of the new power with humanity.

There are familiar beats throughout world-legend —the call to action; the initial reluctance of the hero; the aid of a supernatural helper; the crossing of the threshold into the world of the unknown; union with the mother-goddess; the slaying of the father-god; the return to the land of the living; and the sharing of the ultimate boon.

The Mythological Template : Monomyth

Although the settings and plots of myths vary widely across time and space, from the Homeric poems of ancient Greece to the enlightenment of the Buddha in India to the Christian story of the birth and resurrection of Christ, they all share a certain core set of themes, a standard template. This template is the mythological adventure of the hero —someone who sets out on a journey, often with the help of a sage guide and allies along the way, overcomes obstacles, and achieves some sort of transformation which he or she then shares with the world. This can either be the sharing of a literal bounty (bringing abundance and prosperity back to a hungry and impoverished community) or a deeper, more spiritual redemption of a wayward and fallen people.

The point in space and time where divine wisdom is imparted to the physical world is known as the World Navel. It is the center of the universe, the spot from which all life grows: it is the portal between our world and the world of the divine . It is represented in a variety of ways across religious and mythological traditions and throughout time—it is Rome in Catholicism, Mecca in Islam, or the Immovable Spot in the Buddha legend—but the idea is always the same.

This transformation of the hero comes from tapping into a source of deep spiritual wisdom, which is often revealed to have been within the soul or psyche of the hero from the beginning. Thus, the archetypal hero’s journey involves a spiritual awakening, an attainment of some piece of the gods . We see this, for example, in the story of Prometheus, who ascended to heaven and stole fire from the gods, which he then imparted to the world. We also see this in the myth of Jason, who sailed through the Clashing Rocks and defeated a dragon to obtain the Golden Fleece, which enabled him to win back his throne from a usurper.

Monomyth Stage #1: The Call to Adventure

In the first part of the monomyth, we meet our hero, our “man of destiny,” and witness their call to adventure. The call to adventure can come about through chance, even a mistake or blunder, which introduces the hero to a hidden world of possibility, guided by mysterious forces which the hero will come to understand through the course of their journey.

Monomyth Stage #2: Refusal to the Call

A common feature of the monomyth is the hero’s refusal of the call , an initial reluctance to follow the steps of their destiny. In folk tales and myths across the world and throughout history, this refusal amounts to a selfish impulse to give up one’s narrow, immediate interests in the pursuit of spiritual awakening or even the salvation of the universe. In psychoanalytic terms, the refusal represents the clinging to infantile needs for security . Thus, the mother and father are the figures preventing true growth and transformation as the ego fails to develop and embrace the world outside the nursery. The refusal can have grave consequences, both for the hero and for the wider world.

Monomyth Stage #3: Supernatural Aid

Some heroes respond to the call immediately. They are then guided along the path of adventure by a supernatural helper , as part of their first steps along the hero-journey. This helper is the personification of destiny. Often, this figure takes the form of an old man or old woman, like the fairy godmother, wizard, shepherd, smith, or woodsman figures of European fairy tales . But it can also take on other forms, like that of the Virgin Mary in many Christian saints legends from the Middle Ages. In the ancient mythology of Egypt and Greece, this figure was the boatman or ferryman, the conductor of souls to the afterworld—Thoth in Egyptian lore and Hermes-Mercury in Greek legend.

Monomyth Stage #4: Crossing the Threshold

With this aid and guidance in hand, the hero sets off on their adventure until they come to a point where they are further away from the world of comfort and familiarity than they have ever been before. Ahead of them lies the danger of the unknown. On an individual level, this aspect of the heroic monomyth parallels the dangers and uncertainties of growing out of childhood and away from the protection of one’s parents .

Monomyth Stage #5: Belly of the Whale

Next comes one of the most potent symbols of the hero’s death and rebirth—the common motif of the hero being inside the belly of the whale. This belly symbolizes the womb (also a temple); the darkness within represents death; and the hero’s emergence parallels the act of birth (or rebirth).

Monomyth Stage #6: The Road of Trials

Now we move into the main action of the myth, wherein the hero undergoes a series of trials and tests, with the aid of their supernatural helper. The hero might also discover the existence of a benevolent, omnipotent power guiding all things in the universe. In mythology, the hero’s journey often requires entering the underworld or the land of the dead .

Monomyth Stage #7: The Meeting With the Goddess

The ultimate adventure often comes through the marriage of the hero to the goddess. The goddess is the epitome of beauty and represents the feminine ideal in all its aspects —mother, sister, mistress, and bride. She is the ultimate hope for the hero, assuring him that he will be returned to the blissful world he knew before the journey. This is the classic maternal goddess figure, the “good” mother.

Monomyth Stage #8: Woman as Temptress

But there is also a dark twist on this theme. For there is a “bad” mother figure, a goddess who attempts to either harm the hero, spurn his advances, hamper him in his quest, or tempt him into desire .

Monomyth Stage #9: Atonement With the Father

In keeping with the Oedipal themes that run so strongly throughout so much mythology, the figure of the father-god is often a fearsome ogre whom the hero must either overcome or reconcile with. This echoes the psychological rivalry and subconscious hatred that Freudian psychoanalysts believe so many children (particularly young men) feel toward their fathers. The father is the archetypal enemy, because he is the original intruder who enters the infant’s life after the serenity and union with the mother (goddess) in utero. In Freudian terms, one cannot live a peaceful and productive emotional life as an adult without resolving these deep-rooted childhood conflicts.

Monomyth Stage #10: Apotheosis

After conquering their fears, the hero at last achieves their long-sought enlightenment . They have shattered the bounds of consciousness and reached a divine state. Mythological and religious traditions throughout history and across the world teach us that this power lives within us all—we achieve it through our own herohood .

Monomyth Stage #11: The Ultimate Boon

In this stage of the hero’s journey, the hero achieves their goal and is reborn as a superior being . This is often shown by the ease with which the hero is now able to obtain the things that they seek. In the Irish legend of the Prince of the Lonesome Island, the hero is rewarded by being able to eat from a table with food that automatically replenishes, freeing him from hunger and want—he has achieved limitless bounty, indestructible life, the Ultimate Boon.

Monomyth Stage #12: Refusal of the Return

Sometimes, mythology records a hero unwilling to return to the world. Just as they may have refused the initial call to adventure, so they may refuse their duty to return home and bestow their newfound wisdom upon the rest of humanity . Even the Buddha, after his victory at the Tree of Enlightenment, doubted if it was even possible to bring the joy of true enlightenment to other mortals. It is tempting for the hero to simply turn away from the world and reside forever in Paradise.

Monomyth Stage #13: The Magic Flight

If the hero has won the Ultimate Boon through trickery or manipulation of the gods, their return home may be marked by a chase as the gods seek to regain the elixir that has been stolen from them . Sometimes, the hero will use decoys to delay or confuse the pursuer.

Monomyth Stage #14: Rescue From Without

Sometimes, the hero will require aid from a third party in order to return home from the realm of the supernatural. The hero, indeed, may need to be rescued himself.

Monomyth Stage #15: The Crossing of the Return Threshold

Now, at last, the hero returns to the ordinary world with their divine boon in hand. The hero’s journey has been an exercise in uniting the world of the unknown with the world of the known —for the two are mirror images, opposite sides of the same coin. The challenge now is to communicate to the ordinary world the wisdom and enlightenment that the hero has learned in their quest to the land of the gods. One of the hardest things for the hero to accept is the reality of the sorrows and banalities of ordinary human existence .

Monomyth Stage #16: Master of Two Worlds

The true hero is one who can move seamlessly between the two worlds, without destroying or compromising either . We see this in the Transfiguration of Christ from the New Testament, in which the body of Jesus becomes radiant with the glory and grace of God.

Monomyth Stage #17: Freedom to Live

The individual must embrace their own self-annihilation . These figures of ascetic self-denial are represented across the world’s religious traditions, from the wandering mendicants of the East, to the Wandering Jew and itinerant monks of medieval Europe. The manifestations vary, but the concept is universal.

———End of Preview———

Like what you just read read the rest of the world's best summary of "the hero with a thousand faces" at shortform . learn the book's critical concepts in 20 minutes or less ..

Here's what you'll find in our full The Hero with a Thousand Faces summary :

How the Hero's Journey reappears hundreds of times in different cultures and ages
How we attach our psychology to heroes, and how they help embolden us in our lives
Why stories and mythology are so important, even in today's world
← Sui and Tang Dynasties: Lessons from Critical Battles (Sun Tzu)
2 Classic Monomyth Examples: Understand the Hero’s Journey →

Amanda Penn

Amanda Penn is a writer and reading specialist. She’s published dozens of articles and book reviews spanning a wide range of topics, including health, relationships, psychology, science, and much more. Amanda was a Fulbright Scholar and has taught in schools in the US and South Africa. Amanda received her Master's Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Importance of Innovation in Business

Signs of Child Abuse in A Child Called ‘It’

How Recombinant Innovation & Diversity Go Hand-in-Hand

Ebola and AIDS: Is There a Connection?

3 Pickup Artist Techniques in The Game

Is the World Getting Better or Worse? [Statistics]

Monomyth: Hero's Journey Project

Monomyth: the hero's journey.

Joseph Campbell's Monomyth, developed in Hero With A Thousand Faces, describes the common heroic narrative in which a heroic protagonist sets out, has transformative adventures, and returns home. It is a useful formula for comparing literary traditions across time and culture.

First, explore the stages of the Hero'r Journey. Then, use the resources provided to explore and compare three different works through the lens of the Monomyth: Mali's Sunjata , South Asia's Ramayana , and Japan's Yamato .

Stages of the Hero's Journey

Fabulous circumstances surrounding conception, birth, and childhood establish the hero's pedigree, and often constitute their own monomyth cycle.

Call to Adventure

The hero is called to adventure by some external event or messenger. The Hero may accept the call willingly or reluctantly.

Helpers/Amulet

During the early stages of the journey, the hero will often receive aid from a protective figure. This supernatural helper can take a wide variety of forms, such as a wizard, and old man, a dwarf, a crone, or a fairy godmother. The helper commonly gives the hero a protective amulet or weapon for the journey.

Crossing the Threshold

Upon reaching the threshold of adventure, the hero must undergo some sort of ordeal in order to pass from the everyday world into the world of adventure. This trial may be as painless as entering a dark cave or as violent as being swallowed up by a whale. The important feature is the contrast between the familiar world of light and the dark, unknown world of adventure.

The hero travels through the dream-like world of adventure where he must undergo a series of tests. These trials are often violent encounters with monsters, sorcerers, warriors, or forces of nature. Each successful test further proves the hero's ability and advances the journey toward its climax.

The hero is often accompanied on the journey by a helper who assists in the series of tests and generally serves as a loyal companion. Alternately, the hero may encounter a supernatural helper in the world of adventure who fulfills this function.

Climax/The Final Battle

This is the critical moment in the hero's journey in which there is often a final battle with a monster, wizard, or warrior which facilitates the particular resolution of the adventure.

After accomplishing the mission, the hero must return to the threshold of adventure and prepare for a return to the everyday world. If the hero has angered the opposing forces by stealing the elixir or killing a powerful monster, the return may take the form of a hasty flight. If the hero has been given the elixir freely, the flight may be a benign stage of the journey.

The hero again crosses the threshold of adventure and returns to the everyday world of daylight. The return usually takes the form of an awakening, rebirth, resurrection, or a simple emergence from a cave or forest. Sometimes the hero is pulled out of the adventure world by a force from the daylight world.

The object, knowledge, or blessing that the hero acquired during the adventure is now put to use in the everyday world. Often it has a restorative or healing function, but it also serves to define the hero's role in the society.

The hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.

The Hero's Journey in Three Traditions

The monomyth in film, star wars and the hero's journey.

The original Star Wars films provide one means of introducing students to this analytical technique. Though current students may have little familiarity with the original trilogy, the 2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens invited new viewers to learn about the characters and storyline of the films from the 70s and 80s. This site , which was a collaboration between NASA and Lucas, breaks down the original three films according to Campbell's Hero's Journey. Don't worry - if Star Wars is not a good option for your students, a quick search will turn up analysis dozens of modern and classic tales broken out into the stages of the Hero's Journey.

Also, for those who are interested, Kurt Vonnegut provided this witty alternative to the Monomyth.

Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories

Hero's journey contributors.

Between 1998 and 2000, ORIAS held a series of teacher institutes at UC Berkeley on the theme of teaching pre-modern history through literature. Using a comparative model based on Joseph Campbell's monomyth (Hero With A Thousand Faces, 1949), middle school teachers, university scholars and performers explored ways to bring pre-modern history to life through the introduction of national heroic traditions. The process generated rigorous content to help teachers integrate challenging literature and critical thinking skills into their courses. Most important though, the stories, with their diverse cultural roots, were exciting and fun to read and teach. The Hero's Journey Project was born out of the enthusiasm and partnerships developed during this series of meetings.

The primary Hero's Journey Internet Project team members were:

ORIAS staff:

Michele Delattre, Program Coordinator ( [email protected] )
Erik Sahlin, Technology Coordinator and graduate student in history at U. C. Berkeley
Stephania Burke, a graduate student in East Asian Languages at U. C. Berkeley during this project.
Edan Dekel, a graduate student in Classics at U. C. Berkeley and ORIAS lecturer during this project.
Robert Goldman, Professor of South and Southeast Asian Studies, U. C. Berkeley
Ousmane Macalou, Lecturer in Department of Special Languages, Stanford University
Nick Bartel, Horace Mann Middle School, San Francisco
Sheryl Corke, Corte Madera Middle School, Portola Valley
Donna Kasprowicz, Corte Madera Middle School, Portola Valley
Dede Tisone-Bartels, co-director of the Bay Area California Arts Project (BayCAP)
Brigid Corboy, Corte Madera Middle School, Portola Valley

Performers:

Yacine Kouyate, jali (oral historian), Mali and Berkeley, CA ( [email protected] ) Yacine can also be contacted for classroom performances.
Jyoti Rout, Odissi dancer, Fremont, CA http://www.jyotikalamandir.org )
Donna Kasprowicz's 6th grade class at Corte Madera Middle School, Portola Valley, 2000

Funding and assistance for the History Through Literature Internet Project was provided by Interactive University at U. C. Berkeley, Oakland Unified School District, U. C. Berkeley Multimedia Research Project and ORIAS.

Teaching materials topic page

TRY OUR FREE APP

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Last updated on Aug 10, 2023

The Hero's Journey: 12 Steps to a Classic Story Structure

The Hero's Journey is a timeless story structure which follows a protagonist on an unforeseen quest, where they face challenges, gain insights, and return home transformed. From Theseus and the Minotaur to The Lion King , so many narratives follow this pattern that it’s become ingrained into our cultural DNA.

In this post, we'll show you how to make this classic plot structure work for you — and if you’re pressed for time, download our cheat sheet below for everything you need to know.

FREE RESOURCE

Hero's Journey Template

Plot your character's journey with our step-by-step template.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero's Journey, also known as the monomyth, is a story structure where a hero goes on a quest or adventure to achieve a goal, and has to overcome obstacles and fears, before ultimately returning home transformed.

This narrative arc has been present in various forms across cultures for centuries, if not longer, but gained popularity through Joseph Campbell's mythology book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces . While Campbell identified 17 story beats in his monomyth definition, this post will concentrate on a 12-step framework popularized in 2007 by screenwriter Christopher Vogler in his book The Writer’s Journey .

The 12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

The Hero's Journey is a model for both plot points and character development : as the Hero traverses the world, they'll undergo inner and outer transformation at each stage of the journey. The 12 steps of the hero's journey are:

The Ordinary World. We meet our hero.
Call to Adventure. Will they meet the challenge?
Refusal of the Call. They resist the adventure.
Meeting the Mentor. A teacher arrives.
Crossing the First Threshold. The hero leaves their comfort zone.
Tests, Allies, Enemies. Making friends and facing roadblocks.
Approach to the Inmost Cave. Getting closer to our goal.
Ordeal. The hero’s biggest test yet!
Reward (Seizing the Sword). Light at the end of the tunnel
The Road Back. We aren’t safe yet.
Resurrection. The final hurdle is reached.
Return with the Elixir. The hero heads home, triumphant.

Believe it or not, this story structure also applies across mediums and genres (and also works when your protagonist is an anti-hero! ). Let's dive into it.

1. Ordinary World

In which we meet our Hero.

The journey has yet to start. Before our Hero discovers a strange new world, we must first understand the status quo: their ordinary, mundane reality.

It’s up to this opening leg to set the stage, introducing the Hero to readers. Importantly, it lets readers identify with the Hero as a “normal” person in a “normal” setting, before the journey begins.

2. Call to Adventure

In which an adventure starts.

The call to adventure is all about booting the Hero out of their comfort zone. In this stage, they are generally confronted with a problem or challenge they can't ignore. This catalyst can take many forms, as Campbell points out in Hero with a Thousand Faces . The Hero can, for instance:

Decide to go forth of their own volition;
Theseus upon arriving in Athens.
Be sent abroad by a benign or malignant agent;
Odysseus setting off on his ship in The Odyssey .
Stumble upon the adventure as a result of a mere blunder;
Dorothy when she’s swept up in a tornado in The Wizard of Oz .
Be casually strolling when some passing phenomenon catches the wandering eye and lures one away from the frequented paths of man.
Elliot in E.T. upon discovering a lost alien in the tool shed.

The stakes of the adventure and the Hero's goals become clear. The only question: will he rise to the challenge?

3. Refusal of the Call

In which the Hero digs in their feet.

Great, so the Hero’s received their summons. Now they’re all set to be whisked off to defeat evil, right?

Not so fast. The Hero might first refuse the call to action. It’s risky and there are perils — like spiders, trolls, or perhaps a creepy uncle waiting back at Pride Rock . It’s enough to give anyone pause.

In Star Wars , for instance, Luke Skywalker initially refuses to join Obi-Wan on his mission to rescue the princess. It’s only when he discovers that his aunt and uncle have been killed by stormtroopers that he changes his mind.

4. Meeting the Mentor

In which the Hero acquires a personal trainer.

The Hero's decided to go on the adventure — but they’re not ready to spread their wings yet. They're much too inexperienced at this point and we don't want them to do a fabulous belly-flop off the cliff.

Enter the mentor: someone who helps the Hero, so that they don't make a total fool of themselves (or get themselves killed). The mentor provides practical training, profound wisdom, a kick up the posterior, or something abstract like grit and self-confidence.

Harry holding the Marauder's Map with the twins

Wise old wizards seem to like being mentors. But mentors take many forms, from witches to hermits and suburban karate instructors. They might literally give weapons to prepare for the trials ahead, like Q in the James Bond series. Or perhaps the mentor is an object, such as a map. In all cases, they prepare the Hero for the next step.

GET ACCOUNTABILITY

Meet writing coaches on Reedsy

Industry insiders can help you hone your craft, finish your draft, and get published.

5. Crossing the First Threshold

In which the Hero enters the other world in earnest.

Now the Hero is ready — and committed — to the journey. This marks the end of the Departure stage and is when the adventure really kicks into the next gear. As Vogler writes: “This is the moment that the balloon goes up, the ship sails, the romance begins, the wagon gets rolling.”

From this point on, there’s no turning back.

Like our Hero, you should think of this stage as a checkpoint for your story. Pause and re-assess your bearings before you continue into unfamiliar territory. Have you:

Launched the central conflict? If not, here’s a post on types of conflict to help you out.
Established the theme of your book? If not, check out this post that’s all about creating theme and motifs .
Made headway into your character development? If not, this character profile template may be useful:

Reedsy’s Character Profile Template

A story is only as strong as its characters. Fill this out to develop yours.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

In which the Hero faces new challenges and gets a squad.

When we step into the Special World, we notice a definite shift. The Hero might be discombobulated by this unfamiliar reality and its new rules. This is generally one of the longest stages in the story , as our protagonist gets to grips with this new world.

This makes a prime hunting ground for the series of tests to pass! Luckily, there are many ways for the Hero to get into trouble:

In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle , Spencer, Bethany, “Fridge,” and Martha get off to a bad start when they bump into a herd of bloodthirsty hippos.
In his first few months at Hogwarts, Harry Potter manages to fight a troll, almost fall from a broomstick and die, and get horribly lost in the Forbidden Forest.
Marlin and Dory encounter three “reformed” sharks, get shocked by jellyfish, and are swallowed by a blue whale en route to finding Nemo.

The shark scares Marlin and Dory in Finding Nemo

This stage often expands the cast of characters. Once the protagonist is in the Special World, he will meet allies and enemies — or foes that turn out to be friends and vice versa. He will learn a new set of rules from them. Saloons and seedy bars are popular places for these transactions, as Vogler points out (so long as the Hero survives them).

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

In which the Hero gets closer to his goal.

This isn’t a physical cave. Instead, the “inmost cave” refers to the most dangerous spot in the other realm — whether that’s the villain’s chambers, the lair of the fearsome dragon, or the Death Star. Almost always, it is where the ultimate goal of the quest is located.

Note that the protagonist hasn’t entered the Inmost Cave just yet. This stage is all about the approach to it. It covers all the prep work that's needed in order to defeat the villain.

In which the Hero faces his biggest test of all thus far.

Of all the tests the Hero has faced, none have made them hit rock bottom — until now. Vogler describes this phase as a “black moment.” Campbell refers to it as the “belly of the whale.” Both indicate some grim news for the Hero.

The protagonist must now confront their greatest fear. If they survive it, they will emerge transformed. This is a critical moment in the story, as Vogler explains that it will “inform every decision that the Hero makes from this point forward.”

The Ordeal is sometimes not the climax of the story. There’s more to come. But you can think of it as the main event of the second act — the one in which the Hero actually earns the title of “Hero.”

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

In which the Hero sees light at the end of the tunnel.

Our Hero’s been through a lot. However, the fruits of their labor are now at hand — if they can just reach out and grab them! The “reward” is the object or knowledge the Hero has fought throughout the entire journey to hold.

Once the protagonist has it in their possession, it generally has greater ramifications for the story. Vogler offers a few examples of it in action:

Luke rescues Princess Leia and captures the plans of the Death Star — keys to defeating Darth Vader.
Dorothy escapes from the Wicked Witch’s castle with the broomstick and the ruby slippers — keys to getting back home.

10. The Road Back

In which the light at the end of the tunnel might be a little further than the Hero thought.

The story's not over just yet, as this phase marks the beginning of Act Three. Now that he's seized the reward, the Hero tries to return to the Ordinary World, but more dangers (inconveniently) arise on the road back from the Inmost Cave.

More precisely, the Hero must deal with the consequences and aftermath of the previous act: the dragon, enraged by the Hero who’s just stolen a treasure from under his nose, starts the hunt. Or perhaps the opposing army gathers to pursue the Hero across a crowded battlefield. All further obstacles for the Hero, who must face them down before they can return home.

11. Resurrection

In which the last test is met.

Here is the true climax of the story. Everything that happened prior to this stage culminates in a crowning test for the Hero, as the Dark Side gets one last chance to triumph over the Hero.

Vogler refers to this as a “final exam” for the Hero — they must be “tested once more to see if they have really learned the lessons of the Ordeal.” It’s in this Final Battle that the protagonist goes through one more “resurrection.” As a result, this is where you’ll get most of your miraculous near-death escapes, à la James Bond's dashing deliverances. If the Hero survives, they can start looking forward to a sweet ending.

12. Return with the Elixir

In which our Hero has a triumphant homecoming.

Finally, the Hero gets to return home. However, they go back a different person than when they started out: they’ve grown and matured as a result of the journey they’ve taken.

But we’ve got to see them bring home the bacon, right? That’s why the protagonist must return with the “Elixir,” or the prize won during the journey, whether that’s an object or knowledge and insight gained.

Of course, it’s possible for a story to end on an Elixir-less note — but then the Hero would be doomed to repeat the entire adventure.

Examples of The Hero’s Journey in Action

To better understand this story template beyond the typical sword-and-sorcery genre, let's analyze three examples, from both screenplay and literature, and examine how they implement each of the twelve steps.

The 1976 film Rocky is acclaimed as one of the most iconic sports films because of Stallone’s performance and the heroic journey his character embarks on.

Ordinary World. Rocky Balboa is a mediocre boxer and loan collector — just doing his best to live day-to-day in a poor part of Philadelphia.
Call to Adventure. Heavyweight champ Apollo Creed decides to make a big fight interesting by giving a no-name loser a chance to challenge him. That loser: Rocky Balboa.
Refusal of the Call. Rocky says, “Thanks, but no thanks,” given that he has no trainer and is incredibly out of shape.
Meeting the Mentor. In steps former boxer Mickey “Mighty Mick” Goldmill, who sees potential in Rocky and starts training him physically and mentally for the fight.
Crossing the First Threshold. Rocky crosses the threshold of no return when he accepts the fight on live TV, and 一 in parallel 一 when he crosses the threshold into his love interest Adrian’s house and asks her out on a date.
Tests, Allies, Enemies. Rocky continues to try and win Adrian over and maintains a dubious friendship with her brother, Paulie, who provides him with raw meat to train with.
Approach to the Inmost Cave. The Inmost Cave in Rocky is Rocky’s own mind. He fears that he’ll never amount to anything — something that he reveals when he butts heads with his trainer, Mickey, in his apartment.
Ordeal. The start of the training montage marks the beginning of Rocky’s Ordeal. He pushes through it until he glimpses hope ahead while running up the museum steps.
Reward (Seizing the Sword). Rocky's reward is the restoration of his self-belief, as he recognizes he can try to “go the distance” with Apollo Creed and prove he's more than "just another bum from the neighborhood."
The Road Back. On New Year's Day, the fight takes place. Rocky capitalizes on Creed's overconfidence to start strong, yet Apollo makes a comeback, resulting in a balanced match.
Resurrection. The fight inflicts multiple injuries and pushes both men to the brink of exhaustion, with Rocky being knocked down numerous times. But he consistently rises to his feet, enduring through 15 grueling rounds.
Return with the Elixir. Rocky loses the fight — but it doesn’t matter. He’s won back his confidence and he’s got Adrian, who tells him that she loves him.

Moving outside of the ring, let’s see how this story structure holds on a completely different planet and with a character in complete isolation.

The Martian

In Andy Weir’s self-published bestseller (better known for its big screen adaptation) we follow astronaut Mark Watney as he endures the challenges of surviving on Mars and working out a way to get back home.

The Ordinary World. Botanist Mark and other astronauts are on a mission on Mars to study the planet and gather samples. They live harmoniously in a structure known as "the Hab.”
Call to Adventure. The mission is scrapped due to a violent dust storm. As they rush to launch, Mark is flung out of sight and the team believes him to be dead. He is, however, very much alive — stranded on Mars with no way of communicating with anyone back home.
Refusal of the Call. With limited supplies and grim odds of survival, Mark concludes that he will likely perish on the desolate planet.
Meeting the Mentor. Thanks to his resourcefulness and scientific knowledge he starts to figure out how to survive until the next Mars mission arrives.
Crossing the First Threshold. Mark crosses the mental threshold of even trying to survive 一 he successfully creates a greenhouse to cultivate a potato crop, creating a food supply that will last long enough.
Tests, Allies, Enemies. Loneliness and other difficulties test his spirit, pushing him to establish contact with Earth and the people at NASA, who devise a plan to help.
Approach to the Inmost Cave. Mark faces starvation once again after an explosion destroys his potato crop.
Ordeal. A NASA rocket destined to deliver supplies to Mark disintegrates after liftoff and all hope seems lost.
Reward (Seizing the Sword). Mark’s efforts to survive are rewarded with a new possibility to leave the planet. His team 一 now aware that he’s alive 一 defies orders from NASA and heads back to Mars to rescue their comrade.
The Road Back. Executing the new plan is immensely difficult 一 Mark has to travel far to locate the spaceship for his escape, and almost dies along the way.
Resurrection. Mark is unable to get close enough to his teammates' ship but finds a way to propel himself in empty space towards them, and gets aboard safely.
Return with the Elixir. Now a survival instructor for aspiring astronauts, Mark teaches students that space is indifferent and that survival hinges on solving one problem after another, as well as the importance of other people’s help.

Coming back to Earth, let’s now examine a heroine’s journey through the wilderness of the Pacific Crest Trail and her… humanity.

The memoir Wild narrates the three-month-long hiking adventure of Cheryl Strayed across the Pacific coast, as she grapples with her turbulent past and rediscovers her inner strength.

The Ordinary World. Cheryl shares her strong bond with her mother who was her strength during a tough childhood with an abusive father.
Call to Adventure. As her mother succumbs to lung cancer, Cheryl faces the heart-wrenching reality to confront life's challenges on her own.
Refusal of the Call. Cheryl spirals down into a destructive path of substance abuse and infidelity, which leads to hit rock bottom with a divorce and unwanted pregnancy.
Meeting the Mentor. Her best friend Lisa supports her during her darkest time. One day she notices the Pacific Trail guidebook, which gives her hope to find her way back to her inner strength.
Crossing the First Threshold. She quits her job, sells her belongings, and visits her mother’s grave before traveling to Mojave, where the trek begins.
Tests, Allies, Enemies. Cheryl is tested by her heavy bag, blisters, rattlesnakes, and exhaustion, but many strangers help her along the trail with a warm meal or hiking tips.
Approach to the Inmost Cave. As Cheryl goes through particularly tough and snowy parts of the trail her emotional baggage starts to catch up with her.
Ordeal. She inadvertently drops one of her shoes off a cliff, and the incident unearths the helplessness she's been evading since her mother's passing.
Reward (Seizing the Sword). Cheryl soldiers on, trekking an impressive 50 miles in duct-taped sandals before finally securing a new pair of shoes. This small victory amplifies her self-confidence.
The Road Back. On the last stretch, she battles thirst, sketchy hunters, and a storm, but more importantly, she revisits her most poignant and painful memories.
Resurrection. Cheryl forgives herself for damaging her marriage and her sense of worth, owning up to her mistakes. A pivotal moment happens at Crater Lake, where she lets go of her frustration at her mother for passing away.
Return with the Elixir. Cheryl reaches the Bridge of the Gods and completes the trail. She has found her inner strength and determination for life's next steps.

There are countless other stories that could align with this template, but it's not always the perfect fit. So, let's look into when authors should consider it or not.

When should writers use The Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey is just one way to outline a novel and dissect a plot. For more longstanding theories on the topic, you can go this way to read about the ever-popular Three-Act Structure or here to discover Dan Harmon's Story Circle and three more prevalent structures .

So when is it best to use the Hero’s Journey? There are a couple of circumstances which might make this a good choice.

When you need more specific story guidance than simple structures can offer

Simply put, the Hero’s Journey structure is far more detailed and closely defined than other story structure theories. If you want a fairly specific framework for your work than a thee-act structure, the Hero’s Journey can be a great place to start.

Of course, rules are made to be broken . There’s plenty of room to play within the confines of the Hero’s Journey, despite it appearing fairly prescriptive at first glance. Do you want to experiment with an abbreviated “Resurrection” stage, as J.K. Rowling did in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Are you more interested in exploring the journey of an anti-hero? It’s all possible.

Once you understand the basics of this universal story structure, you can use and bend it in ways that disrupt reader expectations.

Need more help developing your book? Try this template on for size:

Get our Book Development Template

Use this template to go from a vague idea to a solid plan for a first draft.

When your focus is on a single protagonist

No matter how sprawling or epic the world you’re writing is, if your story is, at its core, focused on a single character’s journey, then this is a good story structure for you. It’s kind of in the name! If you’re dealing with an entire ensemble, the Hero’s Journey may not give you the scope to explore all of your characters’ plots and subplot — a broader three-act structure may give you more freedom to weave a greater number story threads.

Which story structure is right for you?

Take this quiz and we'll match your story to a structure in minutes!

Whether you're a reader or writer, we hope our guide has helped you understand this universal story arc. Want to know more about story structure? We explain 6 more in our guide — read on!

6 responses

PJ Reece says:

25/07/2018 – 19:41

Nice vid, good intro to story structure. Typically, though, the 'hero's journey' misses the all-important point of the Act II crisis. There, where the hero faces his/her/its existential crisis, they must DIE. The old character is largely destroyed -- which is the absolute pre-condition to 'waking up' to what must be done. It's not more clever thinking; it's not thinking at all. Its SEEING. So many writing texts miss this point. It's tantamount to a religions experience, and nobody grows up without it. STORY STRUCTURE TO DIE FOR examines this dramatic necessity.

↪️ C.T. Cheek replied:

13/11/2019 – 21:01

Okay, but wouldn't the Act II crisis find itself in the Ordeal? The Hero is tested and arguably looses his/her/its past-self for the new one. Typically, the Hero is not fully "reborn" until the Resurrection, in which they defeat the hypothetical dragon and overcome the conflict of the story. It's kind of this process of rebirth beginning in the earlier sections of the Hero's Journey and ending in the Resurrection and affirmed in the Return with the Elixir.

Lexi Mize says:

25/07/2018 – 22:33

Great article. Odd how one can take nearly every story and somewhat plug it into such a pattern.

Bailey Koch says:

11/06/2019 – 02:16

This was totally lit fam!!!!

↪️ Bailey Koch replied:

11/09/2019 – 03:46

where is my dad?

Frank says:

12/04/2020 – 12:40

Great article, thanks! :) But Vogler didn't expand Campbell's theory. Campbell had seventeen stages, not twelve.

Comments are currently closed.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Bring your stories to life

Our free writing app lets you set writing goals and track your progress, so you can finally write that book!

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

What Makes a Hero: Joseph Campbell’s Seminal Monomyth Model for the Eleven Stages of the Hero’s Journey, Animated

By maria popova.

This wonderful short animation from TED Ed presents a synthesis of Campbell’s foundational framework for the eleven stages of the hero’s quest — from the call to adventure to the crisis to the moment of return and transformation — illustrating its timeless potency in illuminating the inner workings of so many of our modern myths and the real-life heroes we’ve come to worship:

But perhaps Campbell’s most important and enduring point from the book has to do not with the mechanics of the hero’s journey but with the very purpose of hero-myths in human life. He writes in the opening chapter:

It has always been the prime function of mythology and rite to supply the symbols that carry the human spirit forward, in counteraction to those that tend to tie it back. In fact, it may very well be that the very high incidence of neuroticism among ourselves follows the decline among us of such effective spiritual aid. […] The first work of the hero is to retreat from the world scene of secondary effects to those causal zones of the psyche where the difficulties really reside, and there to clarify the difficulties, eradicate them in his own case (i.e., give battle to the nursery demons of his local culture) and break through to the undistorted, direct experience and assimilation of what [Carl] Jung called “the archetypal images.”

Complement The Hero with a Thousand Faces with pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead on the role of “mythic ancestors” in how we form our identity , then revisit Campbell on how to find your bliss .

For more treasures from TED Ed, see these animated primers on how you know you exist , why playing music benefits your brain more than any other activity , how melancholy enhances creativity , why bees build perfect hexagons , and Plato’s parable for the nature of reality .

— Published April 28, 2015 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/04/28/what-makes-a-hero-joseph-campbell-monomyth/ —

www.themarginalian.org

PRINT ARTICLE

Email article, filed under, animation books culture joseph campbell psychology ted-ed, view full site.

The Marginalian participates in the Bookshop.org and Amazon.com affiliate programs, designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions by linking to books. In more human terms, this means that whenever you buy a book from a link here, I receive a small percentage of its price, which goes straight back into my own colossal biblioexpenses. Privacy policy . (TLDR: You're safe — there are no nefarious "third parties" lurking on my watch or shedding crumbs of the "cookies" the rest of the internet uses.)

Monomyth, or the Hero’s Journey, refers specifically to Joseph Campbell’s narrative pattern found in many stories worldwide, describing a hero’s adventure and transformation; while they refer to the same concept, “Hero’s Journey” is more commonly applied to individual stories.

The Monomyth, a term coined by Joseph Campbell in his work The Hero with a Thousand Faces , outlines a universal pattern that many mythical heroes across various cultures follow. This pattern includes stages like the Call to Adventure , the Initiation, and the Return. Campbell argues that this pattern is universal, evident in myths from around the world.

Example: The story of Buddha fits the Monomyth pattern, where Siddhartha Gautama leaves his royal life (Departure), seeks enlightenment (Initiation), and returns to teach others (Return).

Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey, while based on Campbell’s Monomyth, is often used to describe the specific journey of a hero within a single story. It is a narrative device that divides the hero’s journey into distinct phases, making it a useful tool for writers to structure their narratives.

Example: In Star Wars , Luke Skywalker’s journey from a farm boy on Tatooine to a Jedi Knight reflects the Hero’s Journey, including his initial call to adventure , confrontation with and triumph over Darth Vader, and return as a hero .

Writing Tips

For writers intrigued by the Monomyth or Hero’s Journey, here’s how to weave these patterns into your narratives:

Reflect on the Universal Themes: Consider how your story connects with universal themes like the battle between good and evil, the quest for self-discovery, or the journey towards enlightenment.
Structure Your Hero’s Journey: Use the stages of the Hero’s Journey as milestones in your story, ensuring your hero encounters trials, allies, enemies, and a final confrontation that leads to transformation.
Personalize the Journey: While following the established pattern, infuse your hero’s journey with unique challenges, settings, and characters that reflect your story’s world and your hero’s personality.

Are Monomyth and Hero’s Journey the same?

They are closely related concepts with the Monomyth providing the theoretical framework, and the Hero’s Journey being the practical application in storytelling.

Can a story follow the Hero’s Journey without including all stages?

Yes, while many stories follow the general outline, they can vary in how many stages they include and how those stages are presented.

How can I make my Hero’s Journey unique?

Focus on creating unique challenges, diverse characters, and a setting that differentiates your hero’s journey from others. Personalization is key to standing out.

Identify whether the following description fits the Monomyth or Hero’s Journey:

An analysis of the thematic similarities between ancient Greek myths and modern superhero stories.
A fantasy novel where the protagonist leaves their village to defeat a dark lord, learning valuable lessons and gaining allies along the way.
Hero’s Journey.

Other Device Comparisons You May Find Interesting

First-Person vs Third-Person Narration: Explore the impact of narrative perspective on storytelling.
Static vs Dynamic Characters: Understand the differences between characters who undergo significant development and those who do not.
Plot vs Theme : Delve into how the storyline and underlying messages contribute to a narrative .
Symbolism vs Motif : Discover how recurring symbols and motifs add depth and layers of meaning to a story.

Embracing the Monomyth or Hero’s Journey can enrich your storytelling, connecting your narrative to the universal patterns that resonate with readers across cultures and ages. 🌍✨

II. Initiation

In the main part of the story the hero is initiated into true heroic stature by various trials and rites. Through daring and battle, the true character emerges.

III. Return

After initiation the hero can cleansed and return in triumph to deserved recognition, although this in itself may not be without its trials and tribulations.

As with other frameworks, Campbell receives his fair share of criticism, typically that not all stories are like this. His much-admired and much-copied pattern has also been criticized as leading to 'safe' movie-making, in which writers use his structure as a template, thus leading to 'boring' repeats, albeit in different clothes. The same has been said about Shakespeare, of course, as well as other classic writers.

Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale , Vogler's story structure

Campbell, J. (1949). The Hero With a Thousand Faces , New York: Bollingen

And the big paperback book

LBST 1102: The Hero's Journey - The Monomyth in Film & Society

The Hero's Journey
Media Resources
The Monomyth & Film

Your Subject Librarian

What is a Monomyth?

The Monomyth is a term coined by Joseph Campbell. Commonly referred to as "The Hero's Journey," it examines the stages of the hero who goes on an adventure, faces a crisis and wins, then returns victorious.

Why it matters?

The monomyth has continued importance as a tool for analysis, as well as a guide for creating narratives of all kinds. By charting a story along its stages, a user is able to ascertain what a story is lacking, as well as ensuring all of the important elements are included. The framework is currently being used in research, literary analysis, digital game design, advertising and marketing, as well as by screenwriters and authors.

What Makes a Hero?

Next: The Hero's Journey >>
Last Updated: Jan 21, 2021 2:05 PM
URL: https://guides.library.charlotte.edu/lbst1102film

The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

Classic trickster.

In The Hero of a Thousand Faces , Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula. That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero’s journey . Even if you’ve never heard of it before, you’ve consumed this “ monomyth ” in works like Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Along with a specific plot structure, the hero’s journey has a repeating cast of characters, known as character archetypes. An archetype doesn’t specify a character’s age, race, or gender. In fact, it’s best to avoid stereotyping by steering clear of the demographics people associate with them. What archetypes really do is tell us the role a character plays in the story. Thinking about your characters in terms of their archetype will allow you to see whether they’re pulling their weight, or if they’re useless extras.

There are many way to categorize the cast of the hero’s journey, but most central characters fall into one of these eight roles:

The hero is the audience’s personal tour guide on the adventure that is the story. It’s critical that the audience can relate to them, because they experience the story through their eyes. During the journey, the hero will leave the world they are familiar with and enter a new one. This new world will be so different that whatever skills the hero used previously will no longer be sufficient. Together, the hero and the audience will master the rules of the new world, and save the day.

J is the heroic tour guide in Men in Black . A cop at the top of his beat, he is suddenly taken behind the masquerade of everyday life. Waiting for him is a world where aliens are hiding among everyday people, and a galaxy can be as small as a marble. While he’s still a cop in essence, his adversaries – and the tools he must wield against them – are nothing like he’s previously known.

Other heroes: any protagonist fits the hero role. Some heroes from stories that stick closely to the hero’s journey are Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.

The hero has to learn how to survive in the new world incredibly fast, so the mentor appears to give them a fighting chance. This mentor will describe how the new world operates, and instruct the hero in using any innate abilities they possess. The mentor will also gift the hero with equipment, because a level one hero never has any decent weapons or armor.

Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz appears soon after Dorothy enters Oz. She describes where Dorothy is, and explains that she’s just killed the Wicked Witch of the East. Then, before the Wicked Witch of the West can claim the ruby slippers, Glinda gifts them to the hero instead.

Often, the mentor will perform another important task – getting the plot moving. Heros can be reluctant to leave the world they know for one they don’t. Glinda tells Dorothy to seek the Wizard, and shows her the yellow brick road.

Once the hero is on the right path and has what they need to survive, the mentor disappears. Heroes must fight without their help.

Other mentors: Morpheus from the Matrix, Dumbledore from Harry Potter, and Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.

The hero will have some great challenges ahead; too great for one person to face them alone. They’ll need someone to distract the guards, hack into the mainframe, or carry their gear. Plus, the journey could get a little dull without another character to interact with.

Like many allies, Samwise looks up to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings . He starts the story as a gardener, joining the group almost by accident. He feels it’s his job to keep Frodo safe. But not all allies start that way. They can be more like Han Solo, disagreeable at first, then friendly once the hero earns their respect. Either way, the loyalty and admiration allies have for the hero tells the audience that they are worthy of the trials ahead.

Other allies: Robin from Batman, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter, and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

The herald appears near the beginning to announce the need for change in the hero’s life. They are the catalyst that sets the whole adventure in motion. While they often bring news of a threat in a distant land, they can also simply show a dissatisfied hero a tempting glimpse of a new life. Occasionally they single the hero out, picking them for a journey they wouldn’t otherwise take.

The great boar demon that appears at the beginning of Princess Mononoke is a herald bearing the scars of a faraway war. Ashitaka defeats him, but not without receiving a mark that sends him into banishment. This gets the hero moving and foreshadows the challenges he will face.

Heralds that do not fill another role will appear only briefly. Often, the herald isn’t a character at all, but a letter or invitation.

Other heralds: Effie from the Hunger Games, R2D2 from Star Wars, and the invitation to the ball in Cinderella.

5. Trickster

The trickster adds fun and humor to the story. When times are gloomy or emotionally tense, the trickster gives the audience a welcome break. Often, the trickster has another job: challenging the status quo. A good trickster offers an outside perspective and opens up important questions. They’re also great for lampshading the story or the actions of the other characters.

Dobby from Harry Potter is an ideal trickster. He means well, but his efforts to help Harry Potter do more harm than good. And every time he appears in person, his behavior is ridiculous. However, underlying the humorous exterior is a serious issue – Dobby is a slave, and he wants to be free of his masters.

Other tricksters: Luna Lovegood (also from Harry Potter), Crewman #6 from Galaxy Quest, and Merry and Pippin from LoTR.

6. Shapeshifter

The shapeshifter blurs the line between ally and enemy. Often they begin as an ally, then betray the hero at a critical moment. Other times, their loyalty is in question as they waver back and forth. Regardless, they provide a tantalizing combination of appeal and possible danger. Shapeshifters benefit stories by creating interesting relationships among the characters, and by adding tension to scenes filled with allies.

Dr. Elsa Schneider, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , is a very effective shapeshifter. Even after she reveals she is working for the enemy, she and the hero still have feelings for each other. She allows him to steal an item back without getting caught, and he allows her to discover the McGuffin with him. But the distrust between them remains.

Other shapeshifters: Gollum from LoTR, Catwoman from Batman, and Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter.

7. Guardian

The guardian, or threshold guardian, tests the hero before they face great challenges. They can appear at any stage of the story, but they always block an entrance or border of some kind. Their message to the hero is clear: “go home and forget your quest.” They also have a message for the audience: “this way lies danger.” Then the hero must prove their worth by answering a riddle, sneaking past, or defeating the guardian in combat.

The Wall Guard in Stardust is as classic as guardians get. He stands alone at a broken section of stone wall between real world England and the fairy realm of Stormhold. The guard is friendly when Tristan tries to pass into the fairy realm to start his adventure, but he carries a big stick and he’s not afraid to use it.

Other guardians: The Doorknob from Alice in Wonderland, the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Heimdall from Thor.

Shadows are villains in the story. They exist to create threat and conflict, and to give the hero something to struggle against. Like many of the other archetypes, shadows do not have to be characters specifically – the dark side of the force is just as much a shadow for Luke as Darth Vader is.

The shadow is especially effective if it mirrors the hero in some way. It shows the audience the twisted person the hero could become if they head down the wrong path, and highlights the hero’s internal struggle. This, in turn, makes the hero’s success more meaningful. The reveal that Darth Vader is Luke’s father, right after Luke had ignored Yoda’s advice, makes the dark side feel more threatening.

Other shadows: Voldemort from Harry Potter, Sauron from LoTR, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

It’s unusual for stories to have exactly one character per archetype. Because archetypes are simply roles a character can take, Obi Won and Yoda can both be mentors, J can be a hero and a trickster, and Effie Trinket can be first a herald, then later an ally. While you shouldn’t rush to add archetypes that are missing, any character that fits more than one is probably important to the story. If you have a character that doesn’t fit any, make sure they are strengthening, and not detracting from, your plot.

Learn More About These Archetypes

P.S. Our bills are paid by our wonderful patrons. Could you chip in?

More in Outside Advice

Can Two Guys With Guns Really Solve Your Plot Problems?

Episode 479: spotting bad writing advice.

Why Michael Moorcock Despises Tolkien and C.S. Lewis

Q&a: what is the difference between a character-driven and plot-driven story, q&a: what do you think of the term “villain protagonist”.

Ayman Jaber Urban Fantasy Writer and Marvel Connoisseur.

Your patronage keeps this site running. Become a patron.

Recent Articles in Storytelling

Six Tips for a Fish-out-of-Water Hero

How to Make Unhappiness Into Effective Stakes

Six Tips for Constructing a Heroic Sacrifice

Finding Your Story’s Throughline

Why Nothing Good Ever Happens in an Interlude

Oren Ashkenazi

Love mythcreants, be our patron.

Join our community for special perks.

Comments on The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

Thanks for this great guide!!

Thank you, very informative. Gives a better understanding on how to create a story and “important” NPCs.

Like your name. :)

I like your name

I have a question. In Disney’s/ABC’s Once Upon a Time would you consider Rumplestiltskin/The Dark One to be a Trickster or a Shapeshifter? He’s not a ‘true’ villain though the writer’s class him as a villain. He’s way too complicated to just be a villain!!! He does evil things, bad things, neutral things and sometimes good things, but he keeps changing back and forth. He has the ability to love (his son and his wife Belle) but he ALWAYS puts power above them (it’s more important to him than his son or wife). I always thought of him as ‘the Trickster’ but when I read your description of the Shapeshifter it started me thinking again! hmmmmmm

I haven’t watched enough Once Upon a Time to tell you for sure based on my personal knowledge of Rumplestiltskin, but if he is often working together with the good guys but is liable to betray them or do other bad things, he’s probably a shapeshifter. Tricksters almost always provide comic relief. In the few episodes I watched, it did not look like Rumplestiltskin was a comical character.

However, because the archetypes are roles, characters can have more than one or change what they are. It sounds like sometimes when he is doing especially bad things, he might be a Shadow temporarily.

Shapeshifter

Dianne its a very good question but its really what you think he is.he is apart of many difrent grous and some arnt on this site . The most common thing ppl think he is is a villan but it really isnt like that at all but its up to you. hope i help . sincerely wesh

Would I be right in saying that Magneto in X-Men would be considered a shapeshifter?

Based on my very crude knowledge of X-Men, Magneto is mostly a shadow. Like a good shadow, he is a dark reflection of Professor X. However, he also takes on the role of shapeshifter during their temporary alliances.

No no, the shapeshifter is Mystique. ;)

HA! Good one :D

She can turn into other people, too, so, in literal sense, she is one. I think Chris was talking figuratively.

You’re Welcome!!!!!!!!!!

Msytique es da best chicka in da world mahhh boi

dont do drugs kids

bahahahahah

The description of the shadow is a little misleading. He is not the antagonist, and not evil. He mirrors the side of the hero that he/she is not aware of, but must acknowledge in order to continue and be sucessful on his/her journey.

The Star Wars example with the cave sets it: Yes, Darth Vader is evil (he is antagonist and shadow all in one), but he is also Lukes father. Therefore, he wasn´t always evil. Luke knows this.

A great example for a shadow in film are the two girls in American Beauty. Angela is Janes Shadow. She represents everything that Jane must leave behind in order to get on with her life, find her destiny etc. But Angela is not evil. She is a rather normal teenager. She is Janes friend.

Interesting approach :) (I’m not being ironic)

Usually, shadows are antagonists.

I’m not super familiar with American Beauty, so I could be totally wrong on this, but it sounds like the character dynamic you are describing is the use of a foil. A foil is character who starkly contrasts with attributes of a character (nearly always the main character) in order to highlight certain attributes of a character.

The Shadow is most definitely the opposing force in a literary work. It is true that the shadow – when it is a character – is most effective if it is also a foil of the protagonist as this helps to illustrate how the hero’s conflict is as much internal as external, but existing expressly to mirror the hero in some way is not a defining feature of the shadow.

The villain of American Beauty is societal pressure to be “normal” and the havoc it wreaks on people who are unique and special.

All the characters in the movie in some way rebel against that pressure, some prevail and others are destroyed.

It would be interesting to think up ways to realign quest stories to make different figures the protagonist. Like, say, in the Matrix, they really had me going that Neo wasn’t the one – I thought it would turn out to be Morpheus. Which would mean we were seeing Morpheus’s Hero journey through the eyes of one of his last Guardians (the obstacle preventing Morpheus seeing the Hero he sought was himself).

That would have been really cool. Nobody thinks of themselves as the hero (no competent person anyway). And it would fit perfectly with the Oracle telling Trinity that she would love The One, because love can also be fraternal.

I have only a secondary knowledge of Science Fiction and mythical creatures, gleaned from sitting with my husband and son when they watch shows in the same room with me. I found your page very informative, interesting, and helpful so that I may understand what I am watching Sci-Fi shows or shows about mythology with my family. Thank you.

Thanks for this article! I am actually a sculptor building a portfolio for character modeling. I was told by an industry recruiter to include different archetypes. For the longest time I only vaguely knew what he meant until I read your post. Currently reading the recommended book – excellent by the way! – which I see is the industry bible on this subject. I now have a much clearer picture on what direction to take my work! I also am now starting to see the types as I watch and read things. Great article :-)

I actually feel like Snape is a better example of the shapeshifter than Lockhart.

Good point. He’s always portrayed as evil … up until the end, when you see he was on the other side the whole time.

Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender seems to be a perfect shapeshifter to me.

Yes. The most common form of the shapeshifter is one who begins as Ally and betrays the hero, but a character taking the inverse course of action is also an example of a shapeshifter. What defines the shapeshifter is that there is at least a key moment where the audience is left to wonder for themselves if the character is friend or foe. Zuko is also a wonderfully written character who undergoes a Heroes quest of his own with Iroh serving as his mentor and Azula taking on the role of shadow. He can be viewed as many roles in series depending on which part of the series you are thinking about.

Sir Didimus (sp?) from Labyrinth would be a penultimate Guardian.

Welcome to the Mythcreants comment section, Jemma Caffyn!

p.s. You have the same name as my favorite scientist (a made-up spec fic scientist, of course)

what about a villian that goes from bad to good?

Unless somehow showing up as the shadow, redeemed villains are not part of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. The overwhelming majority of myths and stories written before the romantic period had clear villains and heroes. Nietschze explained this by saying that all myths are morality tales; if people believe that there is a definite good and evil then it will be easier for them to accept anything their leaders do so long as their is a greater enemy. It is no coincidence that so many mythical heroes are of noble birth. It has even be argued that morally ambiguous characters are a feature of democracy ( https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/03/whats-so-american-about-john-miltons-lucifer/519624/ ).

If you are interested in redeemed villains, this blog has an article and a podcast about them: https://mythcreants.com/blog/creating-your-villains-journey/ https://mythcreants.com/blog/122-redeeming-a-villain/

Can the Drayo State feasibly be attained by a character who doesn’t just confront his or her shadow but cannibalises it and therefore digests the darker side of his or her own nature? Asking for a friend.

Well, first of all, what is the “Drayo State”?

Fantastically useful site & not just for sf & fantasy writers. I’ve learned such a lot. Thanks!

i agree, very useful.

Thanks for helping me do my homework!

Archetypes are kind of like personas in life in general.

The Hero's Journey - Mythic Structure of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth

By dan bronzite, to structure or not to structure that is the question....

Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. In the beginning you setup your hero (or heroine) and his story, then you throw something at him that is a great source of conflict and takes him into a whole heap of trouble. After facing many foes and overcoming various obstacles the hero saves the day and wins the girl. If only writing a movie was that easy... The thing is, there are many forms of structure and some writers subscribe to one formula, while others subscribe to another. Some try not to subscribe to any and see the whole idea of structure as "evil", feeling that a story should evolve organically without rules confining ideas or obstructing the creative flow.

Hero's Journey - Mythic Structure - Monomyth

In the end, a story should dictate the kind of structure it follows or whether it shouldn't follow a structure at all. There's no point trying to write a comedy and forcing the structure of a thriller upon it - it won't work. Well, theoretically it won't but I'm sure someone will find a way! Let your characters define the story and your story define your structure and then use a formula if necessary to tighten your script. The trick is to initially let the ideas flow without paying too much attention to structure and then in your second pass begin to focus your story and separate the wheat from the chaff.

The 12 Stages of The Hero's Journey

A popular form of structure derived from Joseph Campbell's Monomyth from his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces and adapted by Christopher Vogler is the Twelve Stage Hero's Journey . This is essentially a more detailed Character Arc for your story's hero which is overlayed onto the more traditional three-act structure that many successful Hollywood movies such as Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz when analyzed appear to follow.

1. Ordinary World

This is where the Hero's exists before his present story begins, oblivious of the adventures to come. It's his safe place. His everyday life where we learn crucial details about our Hero, his true nature, capabilities and outlook on life. This anchors the Hero as a human, just like you and me, and makes it easier for us to identify with him and hence later, empathize with his plight.

2. Call To Adventure

The Hero's adventure begins when he receives a call to action, such as a direct threat to his safety, his family, his way of life or to the peace of the community in which he lives. It may not be as dramatic as a gunshot, but simply a phone call or conversation but whatever the call is, and however it manifests itself, it ultimately disrupts the comfort of the Hero's Ordinary World and presents a challenge or quest that must be undertaken.

3. Refusal Of The Call

Although the Hero may be eager to accept the quest, at this stage he will have fears that need overcoming. Second thoughts or even deep personal doubts as to whether or not he is up to the challenge. When this happens, the Hero will refuse the call and as a result may suffer somehow. The problem he faces may seem to much to handle and the comfort of home far more attractive than the perilous road ahead. This would also be our own response and once again helps us bond further with the reluctant Hero.

4. Meeting The Mentor

At this crucial turning point where the Hero desperately needs guidance he meets a mentor figure who gives him something he needs. He could be given an object of great importance, insight into the dilemma he faces, wise advice, practical training or even self-confidence. Whatever the mentor provides the Hero with it serves to dispel his doubts and fears and give him the strength and courage to begin his quest.

5. Crossing The Threshold

The Hero is now ready to act upon his call to adventure and truly begin his quest, whether it be physical, spiritual or emotional. He may go willingly or he may be pushed, but either way he finally crosses the threshold between the world he is familiar with and that which he is not. It may be leaving home for the first time in his life or just doing something he has always been scared to do. However the threshold presents itself, this action signifies the Hero's commitment to his journey an whatever it may have in store for him.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

Now finally out of his comfort zone the Hero is confronted with an ever more difficult series of challenges that test him in a variety of ways. Obstacles are thrown across his path; whether they be physical hurdles or people bent on thwarting his progress, the Hero must overcome each challenge he is presented with on the journey towards his ultimate goal. The Hero needs to find out who can be trusted and who can't. He may earn allies and meet enemies who will, each in their own way, help prepare him for the greater ordeals yet to come. This is the stage where his skills and/or powers are tested and every obstacle that he faces helps us gain a deeper insight into his character and ultimately identify with him even more.

7. Approach To The Inmost Cave

The inmost cave may represent many things in the Hero's story such as an actual location in which lies a terrible danger or an inner conflict which up until now the Hero has not had to face. As the Hero approaches the cave he must make final preparations before taking that final leap into the great unknown. At the threshold to the inmost cave the Hero may once again face some of the doubts and fears that first surfaced upon his call to adventure. He may need some time to reflect upon his journey and the treacherous road ahead in order to find the courage to continue. This brief respite helps the audience understand the magnitude of the ordeal that awaits the Hero and escalates the tension in anticipation of his ultimate test.

The Supreme Ordeal may be a dangerous physical test or a deep inner crisis that the Hero must face in order to survive or for the world in which the Hero lives to continue to exist. Whether it be facing his greatest fear or most deadly foe, the Hero must draw upon all of his skills and his experiences gathered upon the path to the inmost cave in order to overcome his most difficulty challenge. Only through some form of "death" can the Hero be reborn, experiencing a metaphorical resurrection that somehow grants him greater power or insight necessary in order to fulfill his destiny or reach his journey's end. This is the high-point of the Hero's story and where everything he holds dear is put on the line. If he fails, he will either die or life as he knows it will never be the same again.

9. Reward (Seizing The Sword)

After defeating the enemy, surviving death and finally overcoming his greatest personal challenge, the Hero is ultimately transformed into a new state, emerging from battle as a stronger person and often with a prize. The Reward may come in many forms: an object of great importance or power, a secret, greater knowledge or insight, or even reconciliation with a loved one or ally. Whatever the treasure, which may well facilitate his return to the Ordinary World, the Hero must quickly put celebrations aside and prepare for the last leg of his journey.

10. The Road Back

This stage in the Hero's journey represents a reverse echo of the Call to Adventure in which the Hero had to cross the first threshold. Now he must return home with his reward but this time the anticipation of danger is replaced with that of acclaim and perhaps vindication, absolution or even exoneration. But the Hero's journey is not yet over and he may still need one last push back into the Ordinary World. The moment before the Hero finally commits to the last stage of his journey may be a moment in which he must choose between his own personal objective and that of a Higher Cause.

11. Resurrection

This is the climax in which the Hero must have his final and most dangerous encounter with death. The final battle also represents something far greater than the Hero's own existence with its outcome having far-reaching consequences to his Ordinary World and the lives of those he left behind. If he fails, others will suffer and this not only places more weight upon his shoulders but in a movie, grips the audience so that they too feel part of the conflict and share the Hero's hopes, fears and trepidation. Ultimately the Hero will succeed, destroy his enemy and emerge from battle cleansed and reborn.

12. Return With The Elixir

This is the final stage of the Hero's journey in which he returns home to his Ordinary World a changed man. He will have grown as a person, learned many things, faced many terrible dangers and even death but now looks forward to the start of a new life. His return may bring fresh hope to those he left behind, a direct solution to their problems or perhaps a new perspective for everyone to consider. The final reward that he obtains may be literal or metaphoric. It could be a cause for celebration, self-realization or an end to strife, but whatever it is it represents three things: change, success and proof of his journey. The return home also signals the need for resolution for the story's other key players. The Hero's doubters will be ostracized, his enemies punished and his allies rewarded. Ultimately the Hero will return to where he started but things will clearly never be the same again.

Structuring With Color Using Script Studio's PowerView

Script Studio includes five default customizable templates:

Hero's Journey
3 Act Screenplay
5 Act Stage Play
One Hour TV Drama
Half-Hour TV Sitcom

Each sample template is designed to help you structure your story and they include comprehensive information about each section, helping you understand how a particular type of story narrative works. They are, however, merely a guide and should not be rigidly adhered to. Creativity is far more important than sticking to a "formula" but they can help you pace your story and troubleshoot rewrites.

The default templates can be modified to suit your project's needs and you can even create your own templates from scratch or save templates from one project for use in another. Download a FREE Demo of Script Studio to see how its powerful screenplay formatting, character development and story structuring tools can help you make a better script!

About Dan Bronzite

Dan is a produced screenwriter and award-winning filmmaker , CEO of Buckle Up Entertainment , Nuvotech and creator of Script Studio screenwriting software . His writingcredits and written numerous specs and commissioned feature scripts including screenplay adaptations of Andrea Badenoch's Driven and Irvine Welsh's gritty and darkly comic novel Filth . Dan is a contributor to Script Magazine and has also directed three award-winning short films including his most recent All That Glitters which garnered over 50 international film festival selections and 32 awards. His supernatural horror feature Long Time Dead for Working Title Films was released internationally through Universal and his spec horror Do or Die sold to Qwerty Films. He is currently setting up his directorial feature debut and various US and UK feature and series projects.

New Release: Script Studio

Buy Script Studio Online

What the Pros Say...

I have tried every software application imaginable in quest of the perfect way to write a movie and when I put Movie Outline on my Mac I came to the end of the rainbow. Kieth Merrill Academy Award® Winner

I use Movie Outline all the time. It has many powerful features, is easy to use and makes writing and formatting a screenplay a breeze. No script writer should be without it. Kevin Williamson Screenwriter – Scream

If you're looking for a tool to help you nurture your idea for a movie into an actual shooting script I recommend this program without hesitation. Professor Richard Walter Chairman of the UCLA Graduate Screenwriting Program

This is the most complete package I've seen for the screenwriter in one application from outline to final draft. I recommend this program to all scribes – from novice to pro. Karl Iglesias UCLA Instructor & Author

I thoroughly enjoy working with Movie Outline and find it easy to use, well designed, helpful and entertaining. If you're a novice or a seasoned pro, this program can aid greatly in your creative process. Marc Scott Zicree Writer – The Next Generation

Movie Outline does a terrific job of helping writers organize their development process from beginning to end and has effectively raised the bar in the screenwriting software arena. Sean Kennelly Creative Screenwriting

Upgrade From Movie Outline

30 Day Money Back Guarantee

wizard of oz
character arc
hero's journey
ordinary world

Products & Services

Hollywood Deconstructed Ebook
Copyright Registration
Script Copying & Shipping

Downloads & Demos

Movie Outline Video Tour
Compare Screenwriting Software
Press Kit & Graphics
Software Updates
Upgrade Software
Software Requirements

Screenwriting Resources

Screenwriting Competition
Screenplay Software

Company & Support

Press & News
Product Reviews
Authorized Resellers

My Library Account
Articles, Books & More
Course Reserves
Site Search
Advanced Search
Sac State Library
Research Guides

World Mythology and Folklore

The Monomyth; the Hero's Journey
Finding Books
Journal Articles and Databases
General Mythology Websites
Characters and Places
Art, Literature, Music
Classical Mythology (Greece and Rome)
Africa (includes Egypt)
The Americas
Asia and the Middle East
Australia and Oceania
Writing Guides and Citing Sources

The Monomyth or the Hero's Journey

"In narratology and comparative mythology , the monomyth, or the hero's journey, is the common template of a broad category of tales that involve a hero who goes on an adventure , and in a decisive crisis wins a victory , and then comes home changed or transformed." ("Monomyth." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 15 February 2016. Web. 12 April 2016. < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth>

Wikipedia has an excellent article which provides an overview of the Monomyth or the Hero's Journey. Click here to read the complete article.Read the Wikipedia article here :

This image outlines the basic path of the Monomyth , or " Hero's Journey " and is loosely based on Campbell (1949) and (more directly?) on Christopher Vogler, "A Practical Guide to Joseph Cambell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces" (seven-page-memo 1985).

Campbell's original diagram was labelled "The adventure can be summarised in the following diagram:" and had the following items:

Call to Adventure
Threshold of Adventure: Threshold crossing; Brother-battle; Dragon-battle; Dismemberment; Crucifixion; Abduction; Night-sea journey; Wonder journey; Whale's belly
1. Sacred Marriage; 2. Father Atonement; 3. Apotheosis; 4. Elixir Theft
Threshold of Adventure: Return, Resurrection, Rescue, Threshold

This image is from Wikipedia article on MONOMYTH (4/11/2016) : scan from an unknown publication by an anonymous poster, in a thread, gave permission to use it. Re-drawn by User:Slashme

Books and Websites

The American monomyth Available at 2 SOUTH E 169.12 J48 1988
The hero's journey : Joseph Campbell on his life and work ; collected works of Joseph Campbell Available at 2 SOUTH BL 303.6 C35 A3 1999
The hero : myth/image/symbol Available at 2 SOUTH BL 815 H47 N67 1990
The hero with a thousand faces Available at 2 SOUTH BL 313 C28 1972
The myth of the birth of the hero, and other writings Available at 2 SOUTH BL 313 R263
The Myth of the Birth of the Hero, by Otto Rank From Sacred Texts website
The mythological foundations of the epic genre : the solar voyage as the hero's journey Available at 3 NORTH PN 56 E65 F69 1989
Mythology : the voyage of the hero Available at 2 SOUTH BL 311 L326 1998, ebook also
Outlaw heroes in myth and history e-book
The power of myth by Joseph Campbell Available at 2 SOUTH BL 304 C36 1988
Superheroes and gods : a comparative study from Babylonia to Batman Available at 2 SOUTH BL 325 H46 L63 2008
<< Previous: Characters and Places
Next: Art, Literature, Music >>
Last Updated: Jul 12, 2023 2:54 PM
URL: https://csus.libguides.com/c.php?g=768332

Screenwriting \e607
Cinematography & Cameras \e605
Directing \e606
Editing & Post-Production \e602
Documentary \e603
Movies & TV \e60a
Producing \e608
Distribution & Marketing \e604
Fundraising & Crowdfunding \e60f
Festivals & Events \e611
Sound & Music \e601
Games & Transmedia \e60e
Grants, Contests, & Awards \e60d
Film School \e610
Marketplace & Deals \e60b
Off Topic \e609
This Site \e600

Joseph Campbell's Monomyth: A Brief History and Introduction

Storytellers study myths to learn the narrative techniques that make them so powerful. and while interest stops at the technical for some, for many, that’s where it starts..

To study the most powerful stories of all time and what makes them powerful means swimming in deep waters. Most need a guide. Many turn to Campbell. The insights he’s delivered from the depths now permeate Hollywood and the storytelling professions. What follows is an introduction to his ideas through four lenses we use in the Joseph Campbell Writers’ Room: conceptual worlds, archetypal character, symbolic imagery, and mythic narratives .

History of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth

Before we get into his ideas though, a bit should be shared on Joseph Campbell’s entanglement with film history: When Arthur C. Clarke was stuck on 2001 : A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick gave him Campbell’s book , The Hero with a Thousand Faces. George Lucas says he could have never finished Star Wars had he not read it. George Miller claimed it had a huge influence on Mad Max. Boorman said the same about his films. And in 1985, Joseph Campbell was featured in an episode of American Masters on George Lucas, who had come to call him, his “Yoda."

That same year, a memo by Chris Vogler from the Disney story department became famous for demonstrating the Hero’s Journey and how it relates to film. In 1987, Campbell died. In 1988, a documentary series he recorded with Bill Moyers called, The Power of Myth , became one of the most successful programs in the history of public television. It was recorded on Skywalker Ranch and compared scenes from Star Wars to mythological motifs.

In 1992, Chris Vogler published Writers’ Journey , which taught the Hero’s Journey through cinematic examples. In 1997, Roger McKee referred to him in Story. Snyder’s 2005, Save the Cat , relied heavily on the Hero’s Journey. And the same can be said of Dan Harmon’s circle theory. By now, The Hero with a Thousand Faces is one the first books recommended by Ed Catmull , President of Disney-Pixar; and there’s hardly a studio, film school, franchise or writers’ room that doesn’t use, teach or even reference his work. It’s become part of our cultural fabric—literally. There are Campbell quotes are on Superman’s chest and Wonder Woman’s sword.

This is why Studio School is so honored to have opened the Joseph Campbell Writers’ Room with the Joseph Campbell Foundation’s blessing. We offer Joseph Campbell scholarships for young filmmakers, teach courses on mythic storytelling, run certificate programs, deliver camps, host events, consult with storytellers and write.

The four lenses we use to introduce mythic storytelling are based more on where storytellers are going than where mythologists are coming from. In coverage and treatments, the four most common elements are concept, character, theme and narrative summary . This is why we teach through the lenses of the conceptual world, archetypal character, symbolic imagery, and mythic narrative .

Method of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth:

Before we put mythic storytelling through the prism of world, character, image and narrative, it’s important to recognize that in all cases, pattern is the anchor. First and foremost, we look for patterns that repeat. We find these patterns by looking at thousands of stories—individually and as a field. Recognizing patterns is one of our species’ greatest skills. If we look at enough stories, we’ll quickly see patterns they share, and if the use of these patterns gets stale or feels uninspired, we sense cliché. This is why it’s so important for storytellers to expand their range. We are what we eat!

Mythologists look for patterns that expand beyond Hollywood, beyond cinema, beyond the Western cannon entirely, beyond recorded history, and into the heavens, mind and body. The reason we read Campbell is because he’s one of the best pattern recognizers our species has ever known, and because he applied this skill to a range of myths that’s been rarely paralleled.

So what patterns did he find?

Conceptual Worlds of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth

Campbell found that most heroes start in a sheltered state. The sheltered state is both secure and repressed: Adam & Eve in Eden, Siddhartha in his palace, Perceval and Bobby Buchet with their mothers, Luke on the farm, Harry under the stairs. In the worldly security of a character, we see their sense of inner security; and in their sheltered world, we see their sheltered minds.

As Campbell points out, a god outgrown becomes a suffocating demon. The walls of Eden, like the picket fence, go from keeping things out, to keeping things in. The child transitions from running to his mother’s legs to leaping over her fence. Psychologically, this is an expansion of the mind beyond a sheltered and limited reality. This is the desire to explore the unknown—which is driven by the need for inner expansion.

Known is in contrast with the other world, in which we encounter other cultures, other creatures, other forces, and ultimately, other parts of ourselves. This is where we find skills we didn’t know we had through challenges we could have never imagined.

But where is Oz? Where is Wonderland?

Dorothy hanged her head and Alice fell asleep—we’re in their minds. Everything in Oz is an expression of Dorothy—the settings, characters, tokens and changes. One of the secrets to mythic storytelling is to see the journey through different parts of the world as a journey through different parts of the self.

Even if your character isn’t in their own dream—like Alice or Dorothy—try writing as though they are. This results in a tightness between the inner arc of a protagonist and the plot into which it projects. From a depth psychological approach to mythology, the outer experience of a character should be seen as a projection of their inner experience—in a dream, in a myth, in a film. For a filmmaker, this is one of the secret keys to visual storytelling.

In the next post, we’ll look at Archetypal Character, Symbolic Imagery and mythic narrative.

The Joseph Campbell Writers’ Room (JCWR) is a center for mythology and storytelling on the campus of Studio School in LA Center Studios. The name has been licensed and blessed by the Joseph Campbell Foundation. For more than an introduction, we offer coursework, camps and events for students and professionals.

Will Linn, Ph.D. , is the Interns Director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation and Executive Director for the Joseph Campbell Writers’ Room at Studio School Los Angeles , where he teaches courses on story and chairs the Department of General Education. Will co-hosts the Myth Salon in Santa Monica and a series for the Santa Barbara NewsPress radio station called Mythosophia . From 2015-2018, Will served as Editorial Director for the JCF’s global grassroots network of Mythological RoundTable® groups. And from 2011-2017 he ran JCF Mythological RoundTable® events beneath the Ojai Foundation’s historic Teaching Tree. Will holds a PhD in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and a BA in philosophy from Sewanee: The University of the South. His dissertation on Classical, Abrahamic and scientific origin stories of knowledge is entitled, Western Myths of Knowledge: Particles of Stone and Waves of Elixir.

Writing the Unfilmable & Managing Your Career When SH*T Hits the Fan

When the going gets tough, the tough keep filmmaking..

Writing a screenplay is like following a cookie recipe, it’s closer to magic than science. You don’t have to follow screenwriting “rules” to create an amazing story. There’s something else you don’t have to do in your career. When serious problems arise in your personal life, you don’t have to keep working at your typical pace. It’s okay to ask for help and decrease your output.

In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman discuss:

The number of “unfilmables” on the first page of the Challengers script
Not getting hung up on the idiosyncrasies of screenwriting
Hooking the reader in the first 10 pages with your confidence
Asking for specific support when things are rough in your personal life
Accidentally lighting a trash can on fire
Taking time to process life’s challenges
Using writing as a way to process loss and sadness
Cancelling meetings and relying on email
The benefits of a meditative practice

Subscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:

Apple Podcasts

Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here:

This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by GG Hawkins .

What Are The Best Science Fiction Movies of All Time?

What are the best fantasy movies of all time, dji launches its most affordable drone ever with dji mini 4k, what are the best adventure movies of all time, stop bailing on your concept halfway though your screenplay, what is a "mary sue", what should be in every scene you write, the best erotic thriller movies, get educated with canon's new 'explorers of light' filmmakers, learn how ai artist paul trillo created the first sora-powered music video.

Get Free high-resolution PDF of How to Write a Screenplay

The Man Behind the Myth: Should We Question the Hero’s Journey?

By sarah e. bond , joel christensen august 12, 2021.

Campbell passingly cites the stories of Buddhism, Aztec myth, and Ovid's Metamorphoses as examples of virgin birth, then goes on to recount in detail a Tongan folk tale he calls “queer” about a mother giving birth to a clam, which in tum becomes pregnant from eating a coconut husk and gives birth to a human boy. Campbell never specifically explains exactly how the image of virgin birth fits into the heroic cycle as he sets it up.

LARB Contributor s

LARB Staff Recommendations

Undisciplining victorian studies.

"What we ultimately wish to fight for is the freedom of scholars of color to work on any object, topic, and methodology they choose."

Ronjaunee Chatterjee , Alicia Mireles Christoff , Amy R. Wong Jul 10, 2020

Tradition and Its Discontents

Max Norman reviews "Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem" by Michael Schmidt and "Reading Old Books" by Peter Mack.

Max Norman Dec 19, 2019

Did you know LARB is a reader-supported nonprofit?

LARB publishes daily without a paywall as part of our mission to make rigorous, incisive, and engaging writing on every aspect of literature, culture, and the arts freely accessible to the public. Help us continue this work with your tax-deductible donation today!

The Hero’s Journey in the Monomyth by Joseph Campbell

This essay about Joseph Campbell’s concept of the monomyth, or “The Hero’s Journey,” explores how this narrative framework suggests a universal pattern underlying diverse cultural myths. Described in Campbell’s work *The Hero with a Thousand Faces*, the monomyth encompasses several stages from the “Call to Adventure” to the “Return with the Elixir,” resonating deeply across various storytelling mediums. Critics argue it oversimplifies and reflects a Western bias, but its influence is undeniable in literature, film, and other forms of media. This analysis highlights the monomyth’s role in understanding common narrative patterns and its utility in character development and personal growth.

How it works

Joseph Campbell, a pivotal figure in the realm of comparative mythology and religion, introduced an idea that has ensnared both storytellers and audiences alike: the concept of the monomyth, or “The Hero’s Journey.” This framework, expounded upon in his seminal opus The Hero with a Thousand Faces , posits that numerous myths from diverse cultures share a fundamental structure. Campbell contends that this structure mirrors the odyssey of the archetypal hero—a narrative pattern that resonates profoundly with the human psyche.

At the core of Campbell’s monomyth lies the notion that all myths constitute a singular tale, a narrative depicting metamorphosis and conquest, distilled into several stages, commencing with the “Call to Adventure” and culminating in the “Return with the Elixir.” The hero embarks from the mundane realm, heeds the summons to penetrate an unfamiliar realm rife with enigmatic powers and occurrences, confronts a decisive triumph, and emerges from this enigmatic odyssey imbued with the ability to bestow blessings upon fellow beings.

What renders Campbell’s theory so enthralling is its versatility across varied genres and mediums. From ancient epics such as The Odyssey to contemporary cinematic endeavors like Star Wars , the constituents of the Hero’s Journey have been discerned and harnessed in crafting captivating narratives. George Lucas notably acknowledged Campbell’s oeuvre as a significant influence on his narrative architecture in the Star Wars saga, underscoring the monomyth’s relevance and efficacy in contemporary storytelling.

Venturing deeper into the stages of the monomyth, we encounter the “Threshold Crossing,” where the hero commits to the expedition; the “Road of Trials,” an array of tribulations the hero must endure; and the “Atonement with the Father,” wherein the hero must confront and be initiated by the entity embodying ultimate authority in his existence. These facets are not mere plot devices but rather manifestations of internal journeys that individuals undergo, imbuing narratives with a stratum of psychological profundity.

Detractors of Campbell have highlighted that his theory tends to oversimplify the rich tapestry of global mythologies into a one-size-fits-all schema. Others contend that it reflects a predominantly Western vantage point on narrative. Despite these objections, the monomyth has wielded considerable influence in both academic and lay circles. It serves as a potent instrument for discerning the recurrent motifs in our narratives and elucidating why they reverberate so universally across myriad cultures and epochs.

The Hero’s Journey transcends mere literary dissection; it permeates character development in cinema, literature, and even interactive media. Scribes and auteurs deploy the monomyth as a scaffolding upon which to erect their characters’ trajectories, ensuring a poignant and gratifying expedition for the audience. Furthermore, comprehending this archetype can furnish insights into personal evolution and transformation, rendering the monomyth not solely a tool for creators but also for individuals endeavoring to decipher the phases of their own existential odyssey.

In summation, Joseph Campbell’s monomyth furnishes a captivating prism through which to apprehend not solely mythology but also the narrative frameworks that animate our diversions and personal sagas. While it may not encapsulate the entirety of human storytelling or its cultural intricacies, it proffers a valuable framework for comprehending the perennial motifs of adventure, adversity, triumph, and metamorphosis. Thus, the Hero’s Journey endures as an integral facet of literary and mythological scrutiny, a testament to humanity’s innate narrative instincts. This paradigm continues to galvanize raconteurs and pedagogues alike, ensuring that the age-old cadences of myth endure vibrantly in contemporary narratives.

Cite this page

The Hero's Journey In The Monomyth By Joseph Campbell. (2024, May 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-heros-journey-in-the-monomyth-by-joseph-campbell/

"The Hero's Journey In The Monomyth By Joseph Campbell." PapersOwl.com , 1 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-heros-journey-in-the-monomyth-by-joseph-campbell/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Hero's Journey In The Monomyth By Joseph Campbell . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-heros-journey-in-the-monomyth-by-joseph-campbell/ [Accessed: 3 May. 2024]

"The Hero's Journey In The Monomyth By Joseph Campbell." PapersOwl.com, May 01, 2024. Accessed May 3, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-heros-journey-in-the-monomyth-by-joseph-campbell/

"The Hero's Journey In The Monomyth By Joseph Campbell," PapersOwl.com , 01-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-heros-journey-in-the-monomyth-by-joseph-campbell/. [Accessed: 3-May-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

IMAGES

THE Story of Our Time (Emergence of the Unimyth from Monomyth)
Joseph Campbell Monomyth Heros Journey Circle Chart With Stages Pdf
The Hero's Journey Examples
The Hero's Journey Examples
Campbell's Monomyth: The Quest for the Mythic Hero
The Hero's Journey Examples

VIDEO

Mythic Heroes гайд, обзор, каких героев стоит качать в 2023
HearthStone
Полное прохождение Kings Bounty the Legend без смертей и загрузок, день 1 (Саня с ДР)
ГЕРОИ 5
Wie funktionieren Filme: Hero's Journey (Monomyth)
The Monomyth of a Hero

COMMENTS

Hero's journey
Illustration of the hero's journey. In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, also known as the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. Earlier figures had proposed similar concepts, including ...
5.2 The Monomyth: Understanding the Seventeen Stages of the Hero's Journey
If the hero's journey involved a physical journey from one location to another, then the magic flight has the audience skip the journey back almost entirely—the hero simply reappears near the first threshold. To put it a different way, the journey back home is boring, so it is summarized magically fast. ... "The Monomyth: Understanding ...
A Complete Guide to The Hero's Journey (or The Monomyth)
Edgar, the cockroach, is about to escape Earth, with the galaxy, sealing the planet's fate. All seems lost until J claims his reward. In this case, that reward comes in the form of an insight J has about Edgar. Being a giant cockroach, J realizes that Edgar may have a weakness for his Earth-bound counterparts.
Joseph Campbell & The Hero's Journey
Joseph Campbell & The Hero's Journey. In 1949, scholar Joseph Campbell published his 1st book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In this book, Campbell introduced us to his theory that myths from around the globe share a fundamental structure, the Monomyth. C ampbell formulated this theory over 5 years, spending 9 hours a day reading mythology ...
Hero's Journey Steps: Campbell's 12 Vital Stages Explained
The stages of the hero's journey are the common sequence of events that occurred in the monomyth motif. Technically speaking, Campbell outlined 17 stages in his The Hero with a Thousand Faces: 1: The Call to Adventure. 2: Refusal of the Call. 3: Supernatural Aid.
The Hero's Journey Examples
Popular Hero's Journey Examples Monomyth Example: Homer's Odyssey. Monomyth examples typically involve a hero who embarks on an adventure, faces trials and challenges, undergoes personal transformation, and returns home or to society with newfound wisdom or a significant achievement, making this storytelling structure a powerful and timeless tool for crafting compelling narratives.
Monomyth: 17 Stages of the Hero's Journey
The monomyth is a template that shows the hero's journey common in many myths, folktales, and religions. The monomyth is an expression from James Joyce but was popularized by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces. We'll dive into the monomyth definition above and cover the 17 stages of monomyths and what happens to the hero in each.
Monomyth: Hero's Journey Project
Monomyth: The Hero's Journey. Joseph Campbell's Monomyth, developed in Hero With A Thousand Faces, describes the common heroic narrative in which a heroic protagonist sets out, has transformative adventures, and returns home. It is a useful formula for comparing literary traditions across time and culture.
Hero's Journey: Get a Strong Story Structure in 12 Steps
The Hero's Journey, also known as the monomyth, is a story structure where a hero goes on a quest or adventure to achieve a goal, and has to overcome obstacles and fears, before ultimately returning home transformed. ... The Hero's Journey is a model for both plot points and character development: as the Hero traverses the world, they'll ...
What Makes a Hero: Joseph Campbell's Seminal Monomyth Model for the
Nearly four decades before Joseph Campbell (March 26, 1904-October 30, 1987) refined his enduring ideas on how to find your bliss and have fulfilling life, the legendary mythologist penned The Hero with a Thousand Faces (public library) — his seminal theory outlining the common journey of the archetypal hero across a wealth of ancient myths from around the world.
Monomyth vs Hero's Journey: Decoding the Path of the Archetypal Hero
Monomyth, or the Hero's Journey, refers specifically to Joseph Campbell's narrative pattern found in many stories worldwide, describing a hero's adventure and transformation; while they refer to the same concept, "Hero's Journey" is more commonly applied to individual stories. Monomyth. The Monomyth, a term coined by Joseph Campbell ...
Exploring the Monomyth: 6 Lessons from Joseph Campbell's Theory of "The
Here are some ways you can incorporate Campbell's monomyth, or hero's journey, in your creative writing. 1. Flawed Heroes. A significant portion of The Hero's Journey is devoted to describing certain trials or struggles the titular hero must overcome on his or her quest.
Campbell's 'Hero's Journey' Monomyth
Campbell's 'Hero's Journey' Monomyth. Joseph Campbell defined a classic sequence of actions that are found in many stories. It is also known as the Monomyth, a term Campbell coined from James Joyce's Finnigan's Wake.
The Hero's Journey and the Monomyth: Crash Course World Mythology #25
Video. by CrashCourse. published on 23 October 2017. Let's get Heroic with Mike Rugnetta. This week on Crash Course World Mythology, we're talking about the Hero's Journey and the Monomyth, as described by Joseph Campbell. Campbell's theories about the shared qualities of human story telling are pretty cool. And they've been hugely influential ...
The Hero's Journey and the Monomyth: Crash Course World ...
Let's get Heroic with Mike Rugnetta. This week on Crash Course World Mythology, we're talking about the Hero's Journey and the Monomyth, as described by Jose...
Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey
Joseph Campbell. & the Hero's Journey. 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 men. The Hero With A Thousand Faces 23.
LBST 1102: The Hero's Journey
The Monomyth is a term coined by Joseph Campbell. Commonly referred to as "The Hero's Journey," it examines the stages of the hero who goes on an adventure, faces a crisis and wins, then returns victorious.
The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero's Journey
In The Hero of a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula.That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero's journey.Even if you've never heard of it before, you've consumed this "monomyth" in works like Star Wars and Harry Potter.
The Hero's Journey
The 12 Stages of The Hero's Journey. A popular form of structure derived from Joseph Campbell's Monomyth from his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces and adapted by Christopher Vogler is the Twelve Stage Hero's Journey. This is essentially a more detailed Character Arc for your story's hero which is overlayed onto the more traditional three-act ...
The Monomyth; the Hero's Journey
"In narratology and comparative mythology, the monomyth, or the hero's journey, is the common template of a broad category of tales that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, and in a decisive crisis wins a victory, and then comes home changed or transformed." ("Monomyth." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 15 ...
Joseph Campbell's Monomyth: A Brief History and Introduction
Conceptual Worlds of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth. Campbell found that most heroes start in a sheltered state. The sheltered state is both secure and repressed: Adam & Eve in Eden, Siddhartha in his palace, Perceval and Bobby Buchet with their mothers, Luke on the farm, Harry under the stairs. In the worldly security of a character, we see their ...
Hero's Journey: The History Of The Monomyth
Revealing the strange Slavic story of Ivan and Koschei the Deathless, the origins of King Arthur and the wizard Merlin, the journey of Odysseus as he resists...
The Man Behind the Myth: Should We Question the Hero's Journey?
The "journey" in their working title was a reference to Campbell's book, one which proposed the existence of a singular "hero's journey" (also known as the Monomyth), as experienced by ...
The Hero's Journey in the Monomyth by Joseph Campbell
This essay about Joseph Campbell's concept of the monomyth, or "The Hero's Journey," explores how this narrative framework suggests a universal pattern underlying diverse cultural myths. Described in Campbell's work *The Hero with a Thousand Faces*, the monomyth encompasses several stages from the "Call to Adventure" to the ...
The Thunderword
'Apotheosis' is an interesting step in The Hero's Journey. It is the point of deification, or becoming divine. After a year of recovery, Skywalker is reborn as a full-fledged Jedi Knight. Skywalker's 'Ultimate Boon' is the defeat of the Empire. The threat is eliminated, but he is still hesitant to return.

A Complete Guide to The Hero’s Journey (or The Monomyth)

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The 12 Stages of The Hero’s Journey

The Call of Adventure

Refusal of the Call

Meeting the Mentor

Crossing the Threshold

Tests, Allies, Enemies

Approach to the Inmost Cave

The Ordeal

Reward or Seizing the Sword

The Road Back

Resurrection

Return with the Elixir

Should I Use the Hero’s Journey for My Story?

Published by John

6 comments on “A Complete Guide to The Hero’s Journey (or The Monomyth)”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from The Art of Narrative

Love Letter to Uncertainty: A Photo Essay

Joseph Campbell & The Hero’s Journey

The Seventeen Stages of the Monomyth

Stage 1: Separation

Stage 2: Initiation

Stage 3: Return

Each of Us are the Heroes in Our own Journey

About Author

Tamlorn Chase

Related Posts

Father Figures

A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey

What is the Hero’s Journey?

What is the Monomyth?

What is the Hero?

What is a Myth?

What is the Power of Myth?

What is this Process Within the Hero’s Journey?

A Quick Note About Gender: Masculine vs Feminine

The 3 Main Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Stage 1: Departure

Stage 2: Initiation

Stage 3: Return

The Hero’s Journey in Drama

Assessing Your Place in the Hero’s Journey

Campbell’s 17 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

The Modified 12 Hero’s Journey Steps

Step 1: The Ordinary World

Step 2: The Call to Adventure

Step 3: Refusal of the Call

Step 4: Meeting the Mentor

Step 5: Cross the First Threshold

Step 6: Tests, Allies, Enemies

Step 7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

Step 8: Ordeal

Step 9: Reward

Step 10: The Road Back

Step 11: Resurrection

Step 12: Return with the Elixir

The Hero’s Journey in Films

Where Are You On Your Hero’s Journey?

The Primary Ingredient in Every Hero’s Journey

Refusing the Call to Adventure

How to Embrace Your Hero’s Journey, Step by Step

Videos Related to the Hero’s Journey Steps

What Do You Think?

About the Author

The Hero’s Journey

What is the Hero's Journey in Literature?

Narratology and Writing Instructions for Heroic Characters

Which Story Structure is Right for You?

What is a Common Theme in the Hero's Journey?

Structure of the Monomyth: The Hero's Journey Summary

Part One - Call to Adventure

Part Two - Supreme Ordeal or Initiation

Part Three - Unification or Transformation

Part Four - Road Back or Hero's Return

Popular Hero's Journey Examples

To Kill a Mockingbird Heroic Journey

Classroom Applications and Uses

Common Core