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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.

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Hero's Journey Template

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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.

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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?

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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.

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Story Writing Guides

12 Hero’s Journey Stages Explained (+ Free Templates)

From zero to hero, the hero’s journey is a popular character development arc used in many stories. In today’s post, we will explain the 12 hero’s journey stages, along with the simple example of Cinderella.

The Hero’s Journey was originally formulated by American writer Joseph Campbell to describe the typical character arc of many classic stories, particularly in the context of mythology and folklore. The original hero’s journey contained 17 steps. Although the hero’s journey has been adapted since then for use in modern fiction, the concept is not limited to literature. It can be applied to any story, video game, film or even music that features an archetypal hero who undergoes a transformation. Common examples of the hero’s journey in popular works include Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

What is the hero's journey?

Stage 1: The Ordinary World

Stage 2: call of adventure, stage 3: refusal of the call, stage 4: meeting the mentor, stage 5: crossing the threshold, stage 6: tests, allies, enemies, stage 7: the approach, stage 8: the ordeal, stage 9: reward, stage 10: the road back, stage 11: resurrection, stage 12: return with the elixir, cinderella example, campbell’s 17-step journey, leeming’s 8-step journey, cousineau’s 8-step journey.

Free Hero's Journey Templates

What is the hero’s journey?

The hero’s journey, also known as the monomyth, is a character arc used in many stories. The idea behind it is that heroes undergo a journey that leads them to find their true selves. This is often represented in a series of stages. There are typically 12 stages to the hero’s journey. Each stage represents a change in the hero’s mindset or attitude, which is triggered by an external or internal event. These events cause the hero to overcome a challenge, reach a threshold, and then return to a normal life.

The hero’s journey is a powerful tool for understanding your characters. It can help you decide who they are, what they want, where they came from, and how they will change over time. It can be used to

Understand the challenges your characters will face
Understand how your characters react to those challenges
Help develop your characters’ traits and relationships

In this post, we will explain each stage of the hero’s journey, using the example of Cinderella.

You might also be interested in our post on the story mountain or this guide on how to outline a book .

12 Hero’s Journey Stages

The archetypal hero’s journey contains 12 stages and was created by Christopher Vogler. These steps take your main character through an epic struggle that leads to their ultimate triumph or demise. While these steps may seem formulaic at first glance, they actually form a very flexible structure. The hero’s journey is about transformation, not perfection.

Your hero starts out in the ordinary world. He or she is just like every other person in their environment, doing things that are normal for them and experiencing the same struggles and challenges as everyone else. In the ordinary world, the hero feels stuck and confused, so he or she goes on a quest to find a way out of this predicament.

Example: Cinderella’s father passes away and she is now stuck doing chores and taking abuse from her stepsisters and stepmother.

The hero gets his or her first taste of adventure when the call comes. This could be in the form of an encounter with a stranger or someone they know who encourages them to take a leap of faith. This encounter is typically an accident, a series of coincidences that put the hero in the right place at the right time.

Example: An invite arrives inviting the family to a royal ball where the Prince will choose a wife.

Some people will refuse to leave their safe surroundings and live by their own rules. The hero has to overcome the negative influences in order to hear the call again. They also have to deal with any personal doubts that arise from thinking too much about the potential dangers involved in the quest. It is common for the hero to deny their own abilities in this stage and to lack confidence in themselves.

Example: Cinderella accepts the call by making her own dress for the ball. However, her stepmother refuses the call for her by not letting her go to the ball. And her step-sisters ruin her dress, so she can not go.

After hearing the call, the hero begins a relationship with a mentor who helps them learn about themselves and the world. In some cases, the mentor may be someone the hero already knows. The mentor is usually someone who is well-versed in the knowledge that the hero needs to acquire, but who does not judge the hero for their lack of experience.

Example: Cinderella meets her fairy godmother who equips her with everything she needs for the ball, including a dress and a carriage.

The hero leaves their old life behind and enters the unfamiliar new world. The crossing of the threshold symbolises leaving their old self behind and becoming a new person. Sometimes this can include learning a new skill or changing their physical appearance. It can also include a time of wandering, which is an essential part of the hero’s journey.

Example: Cinderella hops into the carriage and heads off to the ball. She has transformed from a servant into an elegant young lady.

As the hero goes on this journey, they will meet both allies (people who help the hero) and enemies (people who try to stop the hero). There will also be tests, where the hero is tempted to quit, turn back, or become discouraged. The hero must be persistent and resilient to overcome challenges.

Example: At the ball, Cinderella meets the prince, and even see’s her stepmother and stepsister. She dances with Prince all night long making her step-sisters extremely jealous.

The hero now reaches the destination of their journey, in some cases, this is a literal location, such as a cave or castle. It could also be metaphorical, such as the hero having an internal conflict or having to make a difficult decision. In either case, the hero has to confront their deepest fears in this stage with bravery. In some ways, this stage can mark the end of the hero’s journey because the hero must now face their darkest fears and bring them under control. If they do not do this, the hero could be defeated in the final battle and will fail the story.

Example: Cinderella is having a great time at the ball and nearly forgets about the midnight rule. As she runs away in a hurry, her glass slipper falls off outside the palace.

The hero has made it to the final challenge of their journey and now must face all odds and defeat their greatest adversary. Consider this the climax of the story. This could be in the form of a physical battle, a moral dilemma or even an emotional challenge. The hero will look to their allies or mentor for further support and guidance in this ordeal. Whatever happens in this stage could change the rest of the story, either for good or bad.

Example: Prince Charming looks all over the kingdom for the mysterious girl he met at the ball. He finally visits Cinderella’s house and tries the slippers on the step-sisters. The prince is about to leave and then he sees Cinderella in the corner cleaning.

When the hero has defeated the most powerful and dangerous of adversaries, they will receive their reward. This reward could be an object, a new relationship or even a new piece of knowledge. The reward, which typically comes as a result of the hero’s perseverance and hard work, signifies the end of their journey. Given that the hero has accomplished their goal and served their purpose, it is a time of great success and accomplishment.

Example: The prince tries the glass slipper on Cinderella. The glass slipper fits Cinderella perfectly, and they fall in love.

The journey is now complete, and the hero is now heading back home. As the hero considers their journey and reflects on the lessons they learned along the way, the road back is sometimes marked by a sense of nostalgia or even regret. As they must find their way back to the normal world and reintegrate into their former life, the hero may encounter additional difficulties or tests along the way. It is common for the hero to run into previous adversaries or challenges they believed they had overcome.

Example: Cinderella and Prince Charming head back to the Prince’s castle to get married.

The hero has one final battle to face. At this stage, the hero might have to fight to the death against a much more powerful foe. The hero might even be confronted with their own mortality or their greatest fear. This is usually when the hero’s true personality emerges. This stage is normally symbolised by the hero rising from the dark place and fighting back. This dark place could again be a physical location, such as the underground or a dark cave. It might even be a dark, mental state, such as depression. As the hero rises again, they might change physically or even experience an emotional transformation.

Example: Cinderella is reborn as a princess. She once again feels the love and happiness that she felt when she was a little girl living with her father.

At the end of the story, the hero returns to the ordinary world and shares the knowledge gained in their journey with their fellow man. This can be done by imparting some form of wisdom, an object of great value or by bringing about a social revolution. In all cases, the hero returns changed and often wiser.

Example: Cinderella and Prince Charming live happily ever after. She uses her new role to punish her stepmother and stepsisters and to revitalise the kingdom.

We have used the example of Cinderella in Vogler’s hero’s journey model below:

Below we have briefly explained the other variations of the hero’s journey arc.

The very first hero’s journey arc was created by Joseph Campbell in 1949. It contained the following 17 steps:

The Call to Adventure: The hero receives a call or a reason to go on a journey.
Refusal of the Call: The hero does not accept the quest. They worry about their own abilities or fear the journey itself.
Supernatural Aid: Someone (the mentor) comes to help the hero and they have supernatural powers, which are usually magical.
The Crossing of the First Threshold: A symbolic boundary is crossed by the hero, often after a test.
Belly of the Whale: The point where the hero has the most difficulty making it through.
The Road of Trials: In this step, the hero will be tempted and tested by the outside world, with a number of negative experiences.
The Meeting with the Goddess: The hero meets someone who can give them the knowledge, power or even items for the journey ahead.
Woman as the Temptress: The hero is tempted to go back home or return to their old ways.
Atonement with the Father: The hero has to make amends for any wrongdoings they may have done in the past. They need to confront whatever holds them back.
Apotheosis: The hero gains some powerful knowledge or grows to a higher level.
The Ultimate Boon: The ultimate boon is the reward for completing all the trials of the quest. The hero achieves their ultimate goal and feels powerful.
Refusal of the Return: After collecting their reward, the hero refuses to return to normal life. They want to continue living like gods.
The Magic Flight: The hero escapes with the reward in hand.
Rescue from Without: The hero has been hurt and needs help from their allies or guides.
The Crossing of the Return Threshold: The hero must come back and learn to integrate with the ordinary world once again.
Master of the Two Worlds: The hero shares their wisdom or gifts with the ordinary world. Learning to live in both worlds.
Freedom to Live: The hero accepts the new version of themselves and lives happily without fear.

David Adams Leeming later adapted the hero’s journey based on his research of legendary heroes found in mythology. He noted the following steps as a pattern that all heroes in stories follow:

Miraculous conception and birth: This is the first trauma that the hero has to deal with. The Hero is often an orphan or abandoned child and therefore faces many hardships early on in life.
Initiation of the hero-child: The child faces their first major challenge. At this point, the challenge is normally won with assistance from someone else.
Withdrawal from family or community: The hero runs away and is tempted by negative forces.
Trial and quest: A quest finds the hero giving them an opportunity to prove themselves.
Death: The hero fails and is left near death or actually does die.
Descent into the underworld: The hero rises again from death or their near-death experience.
Resurrection and rebirth: The hero learns from the errors of their way and is reborn into a better, wiser being.
Ascension, apotheosis, and atonement: The hero gains some powerful knowledge or grows to a higher level (sometimes a god-like level).

In 1990, Phil Cousineau further adapted the hero’s journey by simplifying the steps from Campbell’s model and rearranging them slightly to suit his own findings of heroes in literature. Again Cousineau’s hero’s journey included 8 steps:

The call to adventure: The hero must have a reason to go on an adventure.
The road of trials: The hero undergoes a number of tests that help them to transform.
The vision quest: Through the quest, the hero learns the errors of their ways and has a realisation of something.
The meeting with the goddess: To help the hero someone helps them by giving them some knowledge, power or even items for the journey ahead.
The boon: This is the reward for completing the journey.
The magic flight: The hero must escape, as the reward is attached to something terrible.
The return threshold: The hero must learn to live back in the ordinary world.
The master of two worlds: The hero shares their knowledge with the ordinary world and learns to live in both worlds.

As you can see, every version of the hero’s journey is about the main character showing great levels of transformation. Their journey may start and end at the same location, but they have personally evolved as a character in your story. Once a weakling, they now possess the knowledge and skill set to protect their world if needed.

Free Hero’s Journey Templates

Use the free Hero’s journey templates below to practice the skills you learned in this guide! You can either draw or write notes in each of the scene boxes. Once the template is complete, you will have a better idea of how your main character or the hero of your story develops over time:

The storyboard template below is a great way to develop your main character and organise your story:

Did you find this guide on the hero’s journey stages useful? Let us know in the comments below.

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

Character Development Tips For Developing Characters

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The Hero’s Journey: 12 Steps That Make Up the Universal Structure of Great Stories

by David Safford | 0 comments

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At some in your writer's life, you've probably come across the term Hero's Journey. Maybe you've even studied this guide for storytelling and applied it to your own books—and yet, something about your own application felt off. You wanted to learn more, but didn't know where to start.

Maybe you needed a resource that would simplify the hero's journey steps and all the other major details instead of complicate them.

The Hero's Journey: The Ultimate Guide to the Universal Structure of Great Stories

The Hero's Journey is as old as humanity itself. And through history, this single story form has emerged over and over again. People from all cultures have seemed to favor its structure, and its familiar types of characters (archetypal hero, anyone?), symbols, relationships, and steps.

If you want to build or strengthen your writing career and win a following of many happy readers, you want this particular tool in your writer's toolbox.

Let's dive in.

Need help applying The Hero's Journey to your story outline and manuscript? Download this free Hero's Journey worksheet now!

Why I Love the Hero's Journey (And You Will, Too)

Like many, I grew up loving Star Wars. I especially loved the music and bought the soundtracks at some point in middle school. When my parents weren't home and I had the house all to myself, I'd slip one of the CDs into my stereo, crank the volume up, and blast the London Symphony Orchestra. I even pretended I was conducting the violins and timpani myself.

I know it's nerdy to admit. But we love what we love, and I love the music of great movies.

In a way, the Hero's Journey is like a soundtrack. It follows familiar beats and obeys age-old principles of human emotion. We can't necessarily explain why a piece of music is so beautiful, but we can explain what it does and simply acknowledge that most people like it.

As I've come to understand Joseph Campbell's groundbreaking monomyth theory, commonly known as the Hero's Journey, I've fallen deeper and deeper in love with it.

But it's important to make sure you know what it is, and what it isn't.

The Hero's Journey isn't a formula to simply follow, plugging in hackneyed characters into cliched situations.

It's not “selling out” and giving up your artistic integrity

The Hero's Journey is a set of steps, scenes, character types, symbols, and themes that tend to recur in stories regardless of culture or time period. Within these archetypes are nearly infinite variations and unique perspectives that are impacted by culture and period, reflecting wonderful traits of the authors and audiences.

Also, the Hero's Journey is a process that your reader expects your story to follow, whether they know it or not. This archetype is hard-wired into our D.N.A. Let's look at how to use it to make your own stories stronger.

How to Use This Hero's Journey Post

In the beginning, there were stories. These stories were told by mothers, soldiers, and performers. They were inscribed on the walls of caves, into tablets of stone, and on the first sheets of papyrus.

This is how the Hero's Journey was born.

In this post, I'll walk you through the Hero's Journey twelve steps, and teach you how to apply them into your story. I'll also share additional resources to teach you some other Hero's Journey essentials, like character archetypes, symbols, and themes. By the end of this post, you'll be able to easily apply the Hero's Journey to your story with confidence.

And don't skip out on the practice exercise at the end of the post! This will help you start to carve out the Hero's Journey for your story with a practical fifteen minute exercise—the best way to really retain how the Hero's Journey works is to apply it.

Table of Contents: The Hero's Journey Guide

What is the Hero's Journey?

Why the Hero's Journey will make you a better writer

The Twelve-Step Hero's Journey Structure

The Ordinary World
The Call to Adventure
The Refusal of the Call
Meeting the Mentor
Crossing the Threshold
Trials, Allies, and Enemies
The Approach
The Road Back
The Resurrection
Return With the Elixir

5 Essential Hero's Journey Scenes

A Guide to Structuring Your Hero's Journey

Bonus! Additional Hero's Journey Resources

5 Character Archetypes
5 Hero's Journey Symbols
5 Hero's Journey Themes

What Is the Hero's Journey?

The Hero's Journey is the timeless combination of characters, events, symbols, and relationships frequently structured as a sequence of twelve steps. It is a storytelling structure that anyone can study and utilize to tell a story that readers will love.

First identified and defined by Joseph Campbell, the Hero's Journey was theorizied in The Hero With a Thousand Faces . Today, it has been researched and taught by great minds, some including Carl Jung and Christopher Vogler (author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers ).

This research has given us lengthy and helpful lists of archetypes , or story elements that tend to recur in stories from any culture at any time.

And while some archetypes are unique to a genre, they are still consistent within those genres. For example, a horror story from Japan will still contain many of the same archetypes as a horror story from Ireland. There will certainly be notable differences in how these archetypes are depicted, but the tropes will still appear.

That's the power of the Hero's Journey. It is the skeleton key of storytelling that you can use to unlock the solution to almost any writing problem you are confronted with.

Why the Monomyth Will Make You a Better Writer

The Hero's Journey is the single most powerful tool at your disposal as a writer.

But it isn't a “rule,” so to speak. It's also not a to-do list.

If anything, the Hero's Journey is diagnostic, not prescriptive. In other words, it describes a story that works, but doesn't necessarily tell you what to do.

But the reason you should use the Hero's Journey isn't because it's a great trick or tool. You should use the Hero's Journey because it is based on thousands of years of human storytelling.

It provides a way to connect with readers from all different walks of life.

This is why stories about fantastical creatures from imaginary worlds can forge deep emotional connections with audiences. Hollywood knows this, and its best studios take advantage. As an example, The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien, contains mythical creatures like elves and hobbits. Yet it is Frodo's heroic journey of sacrifice and courage that draws us to him like a magnet.

Learn how to easily apply the Hero's Journey 12 Steps to your books in this post. Tweet this

David Safford

You deserve a great book. That's why David Safford writes adventure stories that you won't be able to put down. Read his latest story at his website. David is a Language Arts teacher, novelist, blogger, hiker, Legend of Zelda fanatic, puzzle-doer, husband, and father of two awesome children.

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Home / Book Writing / The Hero’s Journey: The 12 Steps of Mythic Structure

The Hero’s Journey: The 12 Steps of Mythic Structure

The Hero’s Journey plot structure is a common template for writing a compelling story. It also has a built-in character arc for the hero or heroine. Whether you write detailed outlines before getting into any prose, or you think writing is best done without an outline, the Hero’s Journey can help. Many writers fall somewhere in between, keeping in mind the broad strokes of a plot structure like the Hero’s Journey as they write.

Now, before you roll up your sleeves and get started with plotting your brand new idea, make sure it's viable to become a bestseller. Take just a few minutes to use book idea validation – without it, your book risks obscurity after it's published. If you have already written your book with a structure like the Hero's Journey and are looking to increase your sales, read how to make your book #1 on Amazon so you don't miss out on new readers.

One thing’s for sure: learning the twelve steps of the Hero’s Journey can only help your writing. This is why I recommend Plottr as an excellent tool to strengthen your writing. They have the Hero’s Journey and other well-known story archetypes to choose from so you can find one that best fits your particular story.

More on Plottr later. For now, let’s go on an adventure through the Hero’s Journey!

Get it for FREE here: Get the PDF Here

Campbell’s name for it was the monomyth.

Other scholars and storytellers have made tweaks to Campbell’s original monomyth structure, which has seventeen steps instead of the twelve I’ll be discussing today. The version of the Hero’s Journey widely used by screenwriters, authors, and playwrights today was popularized by screenwriter and producer Christopher Vogler .

You can apply this story structure to mythology, films, books, and even short stories.

There are three overall stages to the Hero’s Journey, each with individual story beats. These are 1) Departure, 2) Initiation, and 3) Return.

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The Twelve Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Each of the twelve steps has its own story beats that happen. As we finish each stage, we’ll reflect on each story beat with an example from a famous movie.

The first step in the Hero’s Journey is your chance to familiarize the reader with the known world in which your story happens. This means giving the reader what they need to know to make sense of the world (otherwise known as exposition ). If your story takes place in a reality much like our own, you won’t have a lot to do. But if magic and mythical beasts are normal, or it’s far into the future and interstellar travel is possible, you’ll have a bit more work to do here. If you're having trouble picking which type of world is best for your book, research popular keywords in your genre to reveal settings that readers find interesting.

While you introduce the world, you’ll want to introduce the main character(s) as well. And in doing so, it’s important to give the reader a reason to like him, her, or them . While the protagonist is in their normal, ordinary world, they should want something more or different. And this want or need should dovetail nicely with the primary conflict of the story.

Tip: This first step should take the first 10-12% of the story.

Step two, the call to adventure, is also called the inciting incident. This is something disruptive that pulls the hero out of their ordinary world and toward a journey that will ultimately change their life . . . if they survive.

This call propels the rest of the story forward , so it should be exciting enough for the reader to want to continue with the story. This will change from genre to genre, so it’s important to know the tropes of whatever genre you’re writing in. On Amazon, there are thousands of genre categories to choose from, so research potential category options to better understand your market.

Tip: The Call To Adventure should happen around the 12% mark.

Not every protagonist will refuse the call. Some may be ready to go. But if you pay attention to some of your favorite stories, you’ll likely see that most heroes ‌resist initially until ‌they have no choice.

Something should happen to make a refusing hero realize that they have no choice but to take on the challenge presented to them. For every refusal, some incident or information should come out that will raise the stakes and make the hero realize they must face the challenge . The hero ventures forth at the end of this section.

Tip: The refusal section starts around the 15% mark of the story.

At this point in the story, the protagonist has responded to the call to adventure. But their initial unease is still there. They don’t yet have the skills, items, or knowledge to succeed against such a challenge. This is where the mentor comes in.

The mentor helps the protagonist gain the confidence needed to continue on the journey. This is usually done in a multifaceted manner, with both physical and mental help. Much of the time, the mentor provides tough love, kicking the protagonist’s butt into action, so to speak. While mentors are often people, they can also take the form of information, like a map, a magic scepter, or any other number of things that help the hero along.

Tip: Have this section start around the 20% mark of the story.

Step five of the Hero’s Journey is often called the point of no return. While the protagonist has learned from the mentor and gained confidence, this story beat forces them to engage fully with the challenge. Usually, this dramatic turning point is orchestrated by the antagonist, giving both the reader and the protagonist an idea of how powerful the villain really is.

One common tactic is to have the mentor killed in this section. Whatever you choose to do, make it pivotal and have it reinforce the central theme and conflict of the story . This is also the end of the Departure section, otherwise known as the first act.

Tip: Crossing the Threshold usually starts around the 25% mark.

This section marks the beginning of the second act. Building on everything that has come before, the protagonist should be challenged, putting their new abilities and knowledge to the test. It will become clear that the hero still needs help to resolve the main conflict of the story. This is where allies come into play. By teaming up with allies, the hero should continue to grow, playing off the other characters and working to overcome the tests or setbacks in the Special World.

Enemies are those that put the tests in their place, working actively against the hero and allies. The reader should learn to care about the allies, which ‌means making them multifaceted characters. By the time this section is done, not all allies will have made it. Some may have even betrayed the hero. Likewise, enemies can also transform in this section, turning into allies.

Tip: This section occurs around the 30% mark.

The approach to the inmost cave section gives the characters (and reader) a chance to reflect on the challenges of the previous section. Remember that the stakes and tension need to continue rising, so the previous section should have been the hardest challenge yet. The hero and allies are beaten and bruised — maybe one or more has died along the way — but the protagonist is still alive. The journey continues.

The group is closer to the goal — and to the place or time of ultimate danger. They’re regrouping and gathering their wits as they prepare to face the antagonist or some of the villain’s formidable forces.

Tip: This section happens around the 40% mark.

The ordeal is the biggest test yet and a transformative event that affects how the hero goes forward on their journey. This confrontation has the highest stakes so far, and it’s part of the central conflict. It brings the hero to their darkest point yet, and results in a metamorphosis of sorts that allows them to push through to the other side.

Campbell spoke of the ordeal in terms of death and rebirth for the protagonist. The hero uses all they have learned up to this point to push through the ordeal. A character close to the hero is often killed in this section, whether it be the mentor, a close ally, or a loved one. However, it’s not always a death. It could involve facing fears, going up against the biggest foe, or breaking through some seemingly insurmountable mental barrier. Whatever form the ordeal takes, the hero is broken down and comes out the other side stronger than before .

Tip: The Ordeal takes place from around the 50% mark.

Also called seizing the sword, this is the section in which the hero gets whatever they were searching for during the story. They’ve made it through the ordeal, and this is the reward. It can be an object, clarity, knowledge, or new skills/abilities. Whatever the reward is, it needs to be important in defeating the antagonist at the coming climax .

After the action and emotion of the ordeal, this section is a place for the reader and characters to regroup and catch their breath again. It can be a good place for a celebration of sorts, something to show for the sacrifices made so far. The hero may even reflect on all it took to get here.

Tip: The Reward section takes place around the 70% mark of the story.

Reward firmly in hand, the hero starts the journey back to the ordinary world. But every action has consequences, and those of claiming the reward block the hero’s road back. It becomes clear that things aren’t so simple, and the hero’s tribulations aren’t yet over.

The unforeseen consequences of claiming the reward make the hero realize they’re in more danger than ever before, and they must face the antagonist head-on before returning to the ordinary world. The hero prepares for the ultimate battle — the climax.

Tip: This section happens around the 75% mark.

This is the climax of the story — the ultimate showdown between hero and villain . The tension and the stakes are higher than they’ve been throughout the story. If the hero fails, the world as they know it will be forever changed for the worst. The hero uses all they have learned on the journey to defeat the antagonist.

The hero comes out of the confrontation changed, transformed into a true hero. This should be a dramatic transformation, completing the resurrection started earlier in the story.

Tip: This section happens around the 85% mark .

The last section of the story details the hero’s return from the special world to the ordinary world. Sometimes called the magic flight, the hero now has changed for the better. Show what new skills, items, knowledge, or understanding of the world the hero brings with them (the elixir). This “elixir” can often be used to help those the hero left behind in the ordinary world.

In most stories, the hero will return to celebration. They’ve risked it all, saved lives, and learned important lessons. The people in the ordinary world are happy to have them back. The hero may decide to settle back into this world to use their newfound abilities. Or they may find they’ve outgrown it and have a taste for adventure.

Tip: This section happens around the 95% mark and finishes out the story!

Examples of the Hero’s Journey from Famous Works

In George Lucas's Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , we can see the Hero's Journey in action. We also see it in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Hunger Games . Let’s take a look now.

Let's say you want to think big. Like a 12 book series big. One little fun way that I use the Hero's Journey is to use each of the 12 steps to represent an entire book as a whole. You could also condense this into 6 books, 3 books, etc.

For example, the original Star Wars trilogy does a fantastic job of fitting the hero's journey not only into the first movie (A New Hope) but also into the trilogy as a whole. The first movie could easily represent the first four steps of the hero's journey from a macro-perspective (as well as covering all 12 within its self-contained plot), with The Empire Strikes Back covering steps 5-8, and Return of the Jedi covering steps 9-12.

Seriously though, the OG Star Wars trilogy is a masterclass in plotting, you guys.

In other words, the Hero's Journey doesn't have to be used just for a single novel, it can be a great way to progress your character from a more zoomed out perspective through an entire series.

Now that you know what to look for, think about some of your favorite stories. See if you can see the beats of the Hero's Journey in them. From Harry Potter and Toy Story to the Lion King and The Hunger Games , you'll find evidence of this story structure.

Its uses aren't just for adventure stories, though. With a little tweaking, a sweet romance story could also follow this template pretty closely. The point of the Hero’s Journey plot template isn’t to lock you into a formula that you can’t deviate from. Instead, it’s a tool that can guide you along. When you know the tropes of your genre, you can marry them with the major beats of the Hero’s Journey to come up with a novel readers will love . Remember, however, that writing an incredible novel is only part of the battle to find loyal readers- it's also important to have a strong marketing strategy so people can actually discover your book, as outlined in my free e-book on how to become an Amazon bestseller.

To make story beats easier, I recommend giving Plottr a try. It’s a great storytelling tool for writers that can help keep you on track using structures like the Hero’s Journey, Dan Harmon’s Story Circle , the Three Act Structure , and more.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

How to write an adventure story, parts of a book [from cover to cover], how to write a whodunit, sell more books on amazon, amazon kindle rankings e-book.

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The Hero’s Journey: The 12 (or 17) Steps for Writers

by Sam Howard

In this article, you will learn all about the hero’s journey – the common template seen in many myths, legends, and stories across cultures that involves a hero going on an adventure, overcoming challenges, and returning home transformed. Specifically, we will cover:

When I first learned about the hero’s journey, I was fascinated by how this template seems to capture the essence of storytelling and the universal human experience. In this article, I’ll share my own excitement and perspectives on this captivating concept as we explore what makes the hero’s journey such a timeless and powerful narrative structure. Let’s begin our own adventure into the world of the monomyth!

What Is the Hero’s Journey And Why Do People Talk About it All The Time?

The hero’s journey, also referred to as the monomyth, is essentially the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, faces various challenges, comes through a crisis or major ordeal, and returns home transformed in some fundamental way.

This basic narrative arc can be traced back centuries and is found in myths, legends, folklore, and religious tales across vastly different cultures. For example, the epic of Gilgamesh from ancient Mesopotamia, the Odyssey by Homer, the legend of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the Bible stories of Moses and Jesus, and medieval Arthurian legends, all follow this fundamental template.

The hero’s journey was popularized in the 20th century by American mythologist Joseph Campbell. In his seminal 1949 book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell analyzed myths across cultures and found this common throughline structure he called the monomyth. He summarized the journey in this way:

“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.”

Ever since Campbell published his work, the hero’s journey concept has been applied extensively in understanding myths, legends, films, novels, plays, video games, and all types of stories. Writers, directors, storytellers, and artists have latched onto this idea because it seems to resonate with universal themes about human experience.

We all face trials and challenges in life. We go on both physical and emotional journeys to overcome obstacles and grow. In stories, we get to live vicariously through the heroic protagonist. The hero’s journey allows us to relate to them and be inspired by their perseverance. At its core, this monomythic cycle ties into concepts like love, sacrifice, courage, transformation, and fulfilling one’s destiny. These timeless themes and character arcs continue to captivate audiences and new generations.

The 12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey (as outlined by Christopher Vogler)

While Joseph Campbell originally outlined 17 stages of the monomyth in his book, screenwriter Christopher Vogler simplified it into 12 stages in a popular guidebook for writers. Known as the hero’s journey model, these 12 steps are:

Let’s look at each of these 12 stages in more detail:

1. Ordinary World

The hero exists in the ordinary world, their normal environment, when we first meet them. This allows us to see what their daily life is like before the adventure begins. In The Matrix, we see Neo living an ordinary life as a computer programmer before he is called to his destiny. In Harry Potter, we witness Harry’s difficult life with the Dursleys until he’s summoned to Hogwarts.

The ordinary world establishes the status quo that will eventually be disrupted as the journey unfolds. It lets us relate to the hero as an everyday person like us before they embark on something extraordinary.

2. Call to Adventure

The hero receives a call to go on an adventure that disrupts their ordinary world. It may come in the form of a threat to the hero or their community. This call could come from a herald like Gandalf summoning Frodo in Lord of the Rings. Or it may be adventure itself that calls to the hero, spurring them to seize new opportunities.

However it arrives, the call ignites the hero’s journey as they are drawn into a new world of possibilities. But hearing the call is just the beginning of their transformation.

3. Refusal of the Call

When presented with the call to adventure, the hero may initially refuse or express reluctance to embark on the journey. Refusing the call hints at their fears or shortcomings that must be overcome.

At this stage, heroes might believe they are unfit for the journey ahead. Bilbo Baggins tries refusing Gandalf’s request for him to join the dwarves in reclaiming their home. Other times, refusal comes from a sense of duty preventing the hero from leaving home.

4. Meeting the Mentor

The hero needs guidance to answer the call, which comes in the form of a mentor figure. The mentor prepares the hero for the journey ahead by training, advising, and empowering them.

The mentor can appear as a wise old wizard like Merlin or Dumbledore. Or they may impart wisdom in less obvious ways. In The Karate Kid, the unassuming maintenance man Mr. Miyagi mentors Daniel through karate lessons and life advice that transform him. Whatever form they take, the mentor molds the hero toward being ready to face their destiny.

5. Crossing the Threshold

The hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure by crossing the threshold into the special world beyond their ordinary one. There is often an actual threshold representing the boundary between worlds.

Dorothy leaves Kansas behind by squinting through the door of her tornado-blown house into the colorful Land of Oz. By committing to the journey, the hero enters Act Two, facing tests in the special world. The threshold marks the point of no return.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

In the special world of Act Two, the hero faces a series of tests that allow them to gather allies and enemies. The tests are part of the training the hero must undergo to prepare for the bigger ordeals yet to come.

The hero discovers new abilities, but also weaknesses that they seek to overcome. Allies join the hero on the journey and work with them to pass tests. Enemies create obstacles and complications for the hero. Through these trials and relationships, we see the hero change and grow.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

The inmost cave may be an actual location in the special world, but really represents the innermost darkness of the hero’s psyche, their deepest fear they must face. As they approach this critical juncture, they prepare themselves for facing this ultimate ordeal.

On the approach, the hero may appear to be reaching their goal or think the journey is coming to an end, only to find this is yet another prelude to a more difficult confrontation with death ahead.

8. The Ordeal

Here, the hero undergoes the supreme ordeal of facing their greatest fear in the hope of being rewarded or resurrected anew. This is the climactic central confrontation often representing facing death and rebirth both metaphorically and literally.

The ordeal allows the hero to conquer their enemies or shadowy aspects of themselves once and for all. By dying to their old self, they can be reborn as their true heroic self.

After surviving death in the ordeal, the hero gains the reward they’ve sought like the holy grail or some elixir to save their people. It may come in the form of new knowledge or insight. This rest period lets us see the hero enjoy the fruits of their labor and sacrifice.

10. The Road Back

Carrying the reward, the hero begins their return journey home to the ordinary world. But the adventure isn’t over yet. New dangerous obstacles arise that imperil the hero’s journey home.

The stakes are raised once more as the hero must stay resilient on the road back, holding onto the reward and wisdom gained from their difficult trials. The journey is about mastery of two worlds.

11. Resurrection

As the hero nears the threshold home, they must endure one last test where everything learned so far is put to the ultimate test. Facing mortal danger, they may need rescue from without. This final trial leads to the hero’s resurrection and ascension as a superior being.

12. Return with the Elixir

This brings the hero full circle as they return to the ordinary world, but able to bestow gifts on that world as a powerful guide ready to lead others. Their elixir is the wisdom gained from the ordeal. The hero comes back from death transformed and enlightened.

By mastering and balancing both worlds, the hero is a carrier of boons to help renew their community. They return wiser and more enlightened than when they started.

The Original 17 Stages of the Hero’s Journey (as outlined by Joseph Campbell)

Joseph Campbell’s original 1949 outline of the monomyth actually had more stages – 17 steps versus the simplified version’s 12 steps. Campbell’s 17 stages, grouped into a three act structure, are:

Act I – Departure

Act II – Initiation

Act III – Return

While containing more steps, Campbell’s outline aligns with Vogler’s simplified version covering departure, initiation, and return. The expanded 17 stages provide more details about certain phases of the journey. Both models offer a guide to crafting an archetypal heroic story.

My Favorite Examples of the Hero’s Journey

The hero’s journey monomyth structure has been analyzed in many myths, legends, films and stories. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Each example above takes the universal monomyth template and makes it singular and unforgettable by creating iconic heroes, mentors, allies and villains. The hero’s journey is infinitely malleable.

How to Use the Hero’s Journey in a Novel

If you want to employ the hero’s journey structure in your own novel or screenplay, here are some tips:

In essence, incorporating a monomyth structure provides a time-tested narrative arc while leaving plenty of room for your own imaginative embellishment. Allow the template to guide, not limit, your creativity.

That concludes my personal guide to the hero’s journey draws from myths, films and literature! I hope relaying my own perspectives and enthusiasm brought this monomyth template to life. Now that you’ve completed your own vicarious adventure through the world of the hero’s journey, you have all the tools to craft an epic tale full of memorable characters, riveting ordeals and triumphant returns. Wishing you the best as you set forth on your own writing journey ahead!

Hero's Journey 101: How to Use the Hero's Journey to Plot Your Story

Dan Schriever

How many times have you heard this story? A protagonist is suddenly whisked away from their ordinary life and embarks on a grand adventure. Along the way they make new friends, confront perils, and face tests of character. In the end, evil is defeated, and the hero returns home a changed person.

That’s the Hero’s Journey in a nutshell. It probably sounds very familiar—and rightly so: the Hero’s Journey aspires to be the universal story, or monomyth, a narrative pattern deeply ingrained in literature and culture. Whether in books, movies, television, or folklore, chances are you’ve encountered many examples of the Hero’s Journey in the wild.

In this post, we’ll walk through the elements of the Hero’s Journey step by step. We’ll also study an archetypal example from the movie The Matrix (1999). Once you have mastered the beats of this narrative template, you’ll be ready to put your very own spin on it.

Sound good? Then let’s cross the threshold and let the journey begin.

What Is the Hero’s Journey?

The 12 stages of the hero’s journey, writing your own hero’s journey.

The Hero’s Journey is a common story structure for modeling both plot points and character development. A protagonist embarks on an adventure into the unknown. They learn lessons, overcome adversity, defeat evil, and return home transformed.

Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949)

Joseph Campbell , a scholar of literature, popularized the monomyth in his influential work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949). Looking for common patterns in mythological narratives, Campbell described a character arc with 17 total stages, overlaid on a more traditional three-act structure. Not all need be present in every myth or in the same order.

The three stages, or acts, of Campbell’s Hero’s Journey are as follows:

1. Departure. The hero leaves the ordinary world behind.

2. Initiation. The hero ventures into the unknown ("the Special World") and overcomes various obstacles and challenges.

3. Return. The hero returns in triumph to the familiar world.

Hollywood has embraced Campbell’s structure, most famously in George Lucas’s Star Wars movies. There are countless examples in books, music, and video games, from fantasy epics and Disney films to sports movies.

In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (1992), screenwriter Christopher Vogler adapted Campbell’s three phases into the "12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey." This is the version we’ll analyze in the next section.

The three stages of Campbell's Hero's Journey

For writers, the purpose of the Hero’s Journey is to act as a template and guide. It’s not a rigid formula that your plot must follow beat by beat. Indeed, there are good reasons to deviate—not least of which is that this structure has become so ubiquitous.

Still, it’s helpful to master the rules before deciding when and how to break them. The 12 steps of the Hero's Journey are as follows :

Let’s take a look at each stage in more detail. To show you how the Hero’s Journey works in practice, we’ll also consider an example from the movie The Matrix (1999). After all, what blog has not been improved by a little Keanu Reeves?

#1: The Ordinary World

This is where we meet our hero, although the journey has not yet begun: first, we need to establish the status quo by showing the hero living their ordinary, mundane life.

It’s important to lay the groundwork in this opening stage, before the journey begins. It lets readers identify with the hero as just a regular person, “normal” like the rest of us. Yes, there may be a big problem somewhere out there, but the hero at this stage has very limited awareness of it.

The Ordinary World in The Matrix :

We are introduced to Thomas A. Anderson, aka Neo, programmer by day, hacker by night. While Neo runs a side operation selling illicit software, Thomas Anderson lives the most mundane life imaginable: he works at his cubicle, pays his taxes, and helps the landlady carry out her garbage.

#2: The Call to Adventure

The journey proper begins with a call to adventure—something that disrupts the hero’s ordinary life and confronts them with a problem or challenge they can’t ignore. This can take many different forms.

While readers may already understand the stakes, the hero is realizing them for the first time. They must make a choice: will they shrink from the call, or rise to the challenge?

The Call to Adventure in The Matrix :

A mysterious message arrives in Neo’s computer, warning him that things are not as they seem. He is urged to “follow the white rabbit.” At a nightclub, he meets Trinity, who tells him to seek Morpheus.

#3: Refusal of the Call

Oops! The hero chooses option A and attempts to refuse the call to adventure. This could be for any number of reasons: fear, disbelief, a sense of inadequacy, or plain unwillingness to make the sacrifices that are required.

A little reluctance here is understandable. If you were asked to trade the comforts of home for a life-and-death journey fraught with peril, wouldn’t you give pause?

Refusal of the Call in The Matrix :

Agents arrive at Neo’s office to arrest him. Morpheus urges Neo to escape by climbing out a skyscraper window. “I can’t do this… This is crazy!” Neo protests as he backs off the ledge.

#4: Meeting the Mentor

Okay, so the hero got cold feet. Nothing a little pep talk can’t fix! The mentor figure appears at this point to give the hero some much needed counsel, coaching, and perhaps a kick out the door.

After all, the hero is very inexperienced at this point. They’re going to need help to avoid disaster or, worse, death. The mentor’s role is to overcome the hero’s reluctance and prepare them for what lies ahead.

Meeting the Mentor in The Matrix :

Neo meets with Morpheus, who reveals a terrifying truth: that the ordinary world as we know it is a computer simulation designed to enslave humanity to machines.

#5: Crossing the First Threshold

At this juncture, the hero is ready to leave their ordinary world for the first time. With the mentor’s help, they are committed to the journey and ready to step across the threshold into the special world . This marks the end of the departure act and the beginning of the adventure in earnest.

This may seem inevitable, but for the hero it represents an important choice. Once the threshold is crossed, there’s no going back. Bilbo Baggins put it nicely: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Crossing the First Threshold in The Matrix :

Neo is offered a stark choice: take the blue pill and return to his ordinary life none the wiser, or take the red pill and “see how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo takes the red pill and is extracted from the Matrix, entering the real world .

#6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Now we are getting into the meat of the adventure. The hero steps into the special world and must learn the new rules of an unfamiliar setting while navigating trials, tribulations, and tests of will. New characters are often introduced here, and the hero must navigate their relationships with them. Will they be friend, foe, or something in between?

Broadly speaking, this is a time of experimentation and growth. It is also one of the longest stages of the journey, as the hero learns the lay of the land and defines their relationship to other characters.

Wondering how to create captivating characters? Read our guide , which explains how to shape characters that readers will love—or hate.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies in The Matrix :

Neo is introduced to the vagabond crew of the Nebuchadnezzar . Morpheus informs Neo that he is The One , a savior destined to liberate humanity. He learns jiu jitsu and other useful skills.

#7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

Time to get a little metaphorical. The inmost cave isn’t a physical cave, but rather a place of great danger—indeed, the most dangerous place in the special world . It could be a villain’s lair, an impending battle, or even a mental barrier. No spelunking required.

Broadly speaking, the approach is marked by a setback in the quest. It becomes a lesson in persistence, where the hero must reckon with failure, change their mindset, or try new ideas.

Note that the hero hasn’t entered the cave just yet. This stage is about the approach itself, which the hero must navigate to get closer to their ultimate goal. The stakes are rising, and failure is no longer an option.

Approach to the Inmost Cave in The Matrix :

Neo pays a visit to The Oracle. She challenges Neo to “know thyself”—does he believe, deep down, that he is The One ? Or does he fear that he is “just another guy”? She warns him that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

#8: The Ordeal

The ordeal marks the hero’s greatest test thus far. This is a dark time for them: indeed, Campbell refers to it as the “belly of the whale.” The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, which causes them to hit rock bottom.

This is a pivotal moment in the story, the main event of the second act. It is time for the hero to come face to face with their greatest fear. It will take all their skills to survive this life-or-death crisis. Should they succeed, they will emerge from the ordeal transformed.

Keep in mind: the story isn’t over yet! Rather, the ordeal is the moment when the protagonist overcomes their weaknesses and truly steps into the title of hero .

The Ordeal in The Matrix :

When Cipher betrays the crew to the agents, Morpheus sacrifices himself to protect Neo. In turn, Neo makes his own choice: to risk his life in a daring rescue attempt.

#9: Reward (Seizing the Sword)

The ordeal was a major level-up moment for the hero. Now that it's been overcome, the hero can reap the reward of success. This reward could be an object, a skill, or knowledge—whatever it is that the hero has been struggling toward. At last, the sword is within their grasp.

From this moment on, the hero is a changed person. They are now equipped for the final conflict, even if they don’t fully realize it yet.

Reward (Seizing the Sword) in The Matrix :

Neo’s reward is helpfully narrated by Morpheus during the rescue effort: “He is beginning to believe.” Neo has gained confidence that he can fight the machines, and he won’t back down from his destiny.

#10: The Road Back

We’re now at the beginning of act three, the return . With the reward in hand, it’s time to exit the inmost cave and head home. But the story isn’t over yet.

In this stage, the hero reckons with the consequences of act two. The ordeal was a success, but things have changed now. Perhaps the dragon, robbed of his treasure, sets off for revenge. Perhaps there are more enemies to fight. Whatever the obstacle, the hero must face them before their journey is complete.

The Road Back in The Matrix :

The rescue of Morpheus has enraged Agent Smith, who intercepts Neo before he can return to the Nebuchadnezzar . The two foes battle in a subway station, where Neo’s skills are pushed to their limit.

#11: Resurrection

Now comes the true climax of the story. This is the hero’s final test, when everything is at stake: the battle for the soul of Gotham, the final chance for evil to triumph. The hero is also at the peak of their powers. A happy ending is within sight, should they succeed.

Vogler calls the resurrection stage the hero’s “final exam.” They must draw on everything they have learned and prove again that they have really internalized the lessons of the ordeal . Near-death escapes are not uncommon here, or even literal deaths and resurrections.

Resurrection in The Matrix :

Despite fighting valiantly, Neo is defeated by Agent Smith and killed. But with Trinity’s help, he is resurrected, activating his full powers as The One . Isn’t it wonderful how literal The Matrix can be?

#12: Return with the Elixir

Hooray! Evil has been defeated and the hero is transformed. It’s time for the protagonist to return home in triumph, and share their hard-won prize with the ordinary world . This prize is the elixir —the object, skill, or insight that was the hero’s true reward for their journey and transformation.

Return with the Elixir in The Matrix :

Neo has defeated the agents and embraced his destiny. He returns to the simulated world of the Matrix, this time armed with god-like powers and a resolve to open humanity’s eyes to the truth.

If you’re writing your own adventure, you may be wondering: should I follow the Hero’s Journey structure?

The good news is, it’s totally up to you. Joseph Campbell conceived of the monomyth as a way to understand universal story structure, but there are many ways to outline a novel. Feel free to play around within its confines, adapt it across different media, and disrupt reader expectations. It’s like Morpheus says: “Some of these rules can be bent. Others can be broken.”

Think of the Hero’s Journey as a tool. If you’re not sure where your story should go next, it can help to refer back to the basics. From there, you’re free to choose your own adventure.

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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:

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.

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

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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:

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

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

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.

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Hero's Journey: A Guide to Becoming The Hero Of Your Story

What will your story be.

Be the hero of your story . It’s common advice from motivational speakers and life coaches, a call to arms to take centre stage and tackle life’s challenges head-on, to emerge victorious in the face of adversity, to transform through hardship.

As humans, hardwired to view the world and share experiences through the medium of stories, myths often act as powerful motivators of change. From ancient cave paintings to the Star Wars and its Death Star to Harry Potter and his battle against evil, the hero’s journey structure is a familiar one. It’s also one you need to know if you want to know how to write a book , but I digress.

This article will outline the stages, and psychological meaning, of the 12 steps of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey. So, are you ready to become the hero of your story? Then let the adventure begin...

Who is Joseph Campbell?

Joseph Campbell was an American professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College, and an expert of mythology that once spent five years in a rented shack, buried in books for nine hours each day. His greatest contribution is the hero’s journey, outlined in his book The Hero with A Thousand Faces . Campbell was able to synthesise huge volumes of heroic stories, distilling a common structure amongst them.

Near the end of his life, Campbell was interviewed by Bill Moyers in a documentary series exploring his work, The Power of Myth .

Throughout their discussion, Campbell highlighted the importance of myth not just in stories, but in our lives, as symbols to inspire us to flourish and grow to our full potential.

How is the hero’s journey connected to self development?

You might be wondering what storytelling has to do with self-development. Before we dive into the hero’s journey (whether that is a male or a female hero’s journey), context will be useful. Joseph Cambell was heavily inspired by the work of Carl Jung, the groundbreaking psychologist who throughout his life worked on theories such as the shadow, collective unconscious, archetypes, and synchronicity.

Jung’s greatest insight was that the unconscious is a vast, vibrant landscape, yet out sight from the ordinary conscious experience. Jung didn’t only theorize about the unconscious; he provided a huge body of work explaining the language of the unconscious, and the way in which it communicates with the conscious mind.

The nature of the unconscious

Due to its vast nature, the unconscious doesn’t operate like the conscious mind, which is based in language, logic, and rationality. The unconscious instead operates in the imaginal realm — using symbols and meaning that take time to be deciphered and understood consciously. Such symbols surface in dreams, visualizations, daydreams, or fantasies.

For Jung, the creative process is one in which contents of the unconscious mind are brought to light. Enter storytelling and character development — a process of myth-making that somehow captures the truth of deep psychological processes.

Campbell saw the power of myth in igniting the unconscious will to grow and live a meaningful life. With that in mind, his structure offers a tool of transformation and a way to inspire the unconscious to work towards your own hero’s journey.

The 12 steps of the hero’s journey

The hero’s journey ends where it begins, back at the beginning after a quest of epic proportions. The 12 steps are separated into three acts:

The hero journeys through the 12 steps in a clockwise fashion. 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.”

Let’s take a closer look at each of the steps below. Plus, under each is a psychological symbol that describes how the hero’s journey unfolds, and how when the hero ventures forth, he undergoes an inner process of awakening and transformation.

1. The ordinary world

The calm before the storm. The hero is living a standard, mundane life, going about their business unaware of the impending call to adventure. At this point, the hero is portrayed as very, very human. There could be glimpses of their potential, but these circumstances restrict the hero from fulfilling them. Although well within the hero’s comfort zone, at this stage, it’s clear something significant is lacking from their life.

Psychological symbol

This is represented as a stage of ignorance, pre-awakening. Living life by the status quo, on other people’s terms, or simply without questioning if this is what you want. At this point life is lived, but not deeply satisfying.

2. Call to adventure

Next is a disruption, a significant event that threatens the ways things were. This is a challenge that the hero knows deep down will lead to transformation and change, and that the days of normality, “the way things are,” are numbered. The hero confronts the question of being asked to step into their deeper potential, to awaken the power within, and to enter a new, special world.

Many of us embark on inner-journeys following hardship in life — the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, physical or mental illness. This stage occurs when it becomes apparent that, to move through suffering, one has to look within, to adventure into the soul.

3. Refusal of the call

No compelling story would be complete without friction. The hero often resists this call to adventure, as fear and self-doubt surface at full force, and the purpose of this new life direction is questioned. Can the reluctant hero journey forth? Do they have the courage?

The only way to grow and live a deeply fulfilling life is to face the discomfort of suffering. Campbell himself once said: “ The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek .” At this stage, fears, and anxieties about delving deep into the psyche arise. The temptation is to remain blissfully ignorant, to avoid discomfort, and to stay in your familiar world.

4. Meeting a mentor

As the hero faces a crisis of confidence, a wise mentor figure appears.

This character offers inspiration, guidance, or understanding that encourages the hero to have the self-belief to start this new adventure. In many stories, a mentor is someone else who has embarked on the hero’s journey, or someone who attempted, and failed. This person reflects the importance of this mission, reminding the hero their calling far exceeds their fear.

When the journey of exploration has to begin, people or situations enter your life at just the right time, guiding you in the right direction. This could be a close friend, a peer, a professional, such as a coach or therapist, or even a fictional character in a film or book. In most cases, these are chance encounters that contain a sense of knowing before the hero leaves on his or her adventure.

5. Crossing the threshold

This is a pivotal moment in the hero’s journey, as the initiation begins. This occurs when the hero fully commits to their quest, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. This is the point of no return, where the reluctant hero embarks on their adventure, and has accepted that the way things were must change. The hero enters a new zone, one in which the call to adventure must be accepted. The hero’s resolve is hardened, and they understand they have a responsibility to confront what is ahead of them.

Whatever your life was before the call to action, this is a crossroads which is accepted, knowing your life may never be the same. This is a point of empowerment, where you realize that journeying within will lead you to greater self-understanding, even if those insights will dramatically change your life direction.

6. Test, allies, enemies

Now the hero has ventured outside of their comfort zone, the true test begins. This is a stage of acclimatizing to unknown lands. Unknown forces work against them, as they form bonds with allies who join them along the way, or face formidable enemies or encounters that have to be conquered. Throughout this testing time, the hero will be shaped and molded through adversity, finding deeper meaning in their life and mission.

Once the journey of self-discovery is underway, the initial burst of inspiration might be tested by the difficulty of the task. You might meet people who are able to offer advice or guide you, or those who reflect areas of yourself you have to work on.

Often, these are inner experiences, in the forms of memories, emotions, or outward tests, such as difficult circumstances that challenge your resolve and commitment to your new life direction.

7. Approach to the inmost cave

Having already crossed the threshold into the unknown and the uncertain, having faced obstacles and enemies, and having begun to utilize their qualities along the way, the next stage is another threshold.

This is the beating heart of the hero’s challenge, where again self-doubt and fear can arise, as another threshold has to be crossed. This is often a period of respite, giving the hero time to pause and reflect. Will the hero make the leap?

The hero’s journey has ups and downs. There may be quick wins in the beginning — your new life direction may go well, or inner-work may lead you to a new place of calm or confidence. But then, out of nowhere, comes an even bigger challenge, surfacing as a question mark to the person you’ve become. Life often has a way of presenting the right challenges at the right time…

This is the life-or-death moment. This can be a meeting with an ultimate enemy or facing the hero’s deepest fear. There is an awareness that if the hero fails, their new world, or their life, could be destroyed.

Everything the hero has fought for up to this point, all the lessons learned along the journey, all the hidden potentials actualized, will have to be utilized to survive this supreme ordeal, for the hero to be victorious. Either way, the hero will undergo a form of death, and leave the ordeal forever changed.

There are inner challenges that have to be confronted on the journey of self-discovery. This might be in the form of trauma that has to be confronted and healed, people with whom you have to have difficult conversations, or fears you have to face, actions that in the past you never thought you’d be capable of. But, with the skills you’ve learned along the way, this time you’ll be ready. But it won’t be easy.

9. Reward (seizing the sword)

Through great adversity comes triumph. Having confronted their greatest fear, and survived annihilation, the hero learns a valuable lesson, and is now fully transformed and reborn — with a prize as a reward.

This object is often symbolized as a treasure, a token, secret knowledge, or reconciliation, such as the return of an old friend or lover. This prize can assist in the return to the ordinary world — but there are still a few steps to come.

When confronting deep inner fears or challenges, you are rewarded with deep insights or breakthroughs. That might be in the form of achieving a significant goal or inwardly having a sense of peace or reconciliation with your past, or moments that have previously felt unresolved. As a spiritual process, this may also be the realization that behind suffering and pain lies freedom or inner peace.

10. The road back

Having traveled into distant, foreign lands and slain the dragon, now it’s time for the hero to make their return journey. This stage mirrors the original call to adventure and represents another threshold.

The hero may be understanding their new responsibility and the consequences of their actions, and require a catalyst to make the journey back to the ordinary world with their prize.

The hard work has been done, the ultimate fear confronted, new knowledge found. Now, what’s the next step? For many, the initial stages of growth come with a period of renunciation or are symbolized by an outward journey away from home, or away from familiarity.

Then comes the stage of returning to familiarity, or the things left behind — be it family, friends, locations, or even behaviors that were once loved and sacrificed during the journey.

11. Resurrection

When it appears the hero is out of the woods, there comes a final confrontation — an encounter with death itself. Transformed inwardly and with a personal victory complete, the hero faces a battle that transcends their individual quest, with its consequences far-reaching, for entire communities or even humanity itself.

This purification solidifies the hero’s rebirth, as their new identity fully emerges just in time to return to the ordinary world.

In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-actualization is secondary to self-transcendence. In other words, once inner battles have been faced, and the alchemy of psychological transformation is underway, the next stage is to apply the newfound insights and knowledge to a bigger cause — supporting others, or standing up a mission that will benefit the wider world.

12. Return with the elixir

Following the final battle, the hero finally returns home. By now, personal transformation is complete, they’re returning home a different person. Having faced indescribable hardship, the hero returns with added wisdom and maturity. The elixir is the treasure they’ve returned with, ready to share with the ordinary world. This could be a sense of hope, freedom, or even a new perspective to assist those originally left behind.

The hero has a new level of self-awareness, seeing the ordinary world through fresh eyes. They’ve left internal conflict behind. There’s an understanding that things will never be the same, but that the hero’s journey was part of their destiny.

Then comes the ultimate prize: a final reconciliation, acceptance from the community, celebration, redemption. Whatever the prize, there are three elements: change , success , and proof of the journey .

Following a transformative psychic process, there’s an understanding of what is within your control. The “ordinary world” may have many elements that remain the same, but this is accompanied by a realization that when you change, so does your reality. Previously modes of thinking may be replaced, as bridges are built with your past, giving opportunity for a renewed approach to life.

What can we learn from the hero's journey?

At the time of writing this article, I’m in the UK visiting my family for the first time in 18 months. As I walked down paths I’d walked throughout my childhood, I was struck by how much I’ve changed over the years. A passage from T.S Eliot’s poem Little Gidding came to mind:

“We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring. Will be to arrive where we started. And know the place for the first time.”

I reflected on the notion of coming full circle — to begin a journey, outwardly or inwardly, before finding yourself back at the beginning, transformed. In spiritual traditions, the circle is a powerful symbol of timelessness, death and rebirth, totality, and wholeness. Aptly, the 12 steps of the hero’s journey are depicted as a circle. It’s not a coincidence.

What can we learn from the hero’s journey? In a way, it is similar to the writer’s journey. Above all else, it’s a reminder that we each within us have a purpose, a quest and a mission in this life that can and will invoke our truest potential. The path isn’t easy — there are many, many challenges along the way. But at the right time, people and situations will come to our aid.

If you’re able to confront the mission head-on and take bold steps along the way — just like all the heroes of fiction before you, from Shakespeare’s characters to Luke Skywalker and Rey from the universe brought to us by George Lucas — then you will be transformed, and then you can return to where you started, reborn, ready to share your gifts and your lessons with the world.

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Little Girl's Video on Self-Love Shocks Dad and Goes Viral

Jhovan "Jay" Galberth is a single dad whose parenting style is making jaws drop. The dadfluencer posted a shocking video that his young daughter, Tatum, recorded alone — and her surprising words say everything about how she is being raised.

His no-judgment approach brought a smile to millions of faces, but it also left some questioning the impact of his "let-it-all-out" parenting style.

Her Dad Gave Her 20 Seconds To Say Anything

A new challenge on ParentTok (short for TikTok parent content) is taking the internet by storm, and it's as simple as it is enlightening.

The trend involves parents giving their children 20 seconds in a room alone to say whatever they want, with the parent promising not to get mad. Jay Galberth ( @dadsdoittoo ), tried this challenge with his daughter, Tatum, expecting some silly antics or even a few bad words. Instead, what he got was a heartwarming lesson in self-love and positivity.

After telling Tatum she had 20 seconds, Jay closed the bathroom door and let the camera roll. The toddler's confidence and positivity caught everyone off guard. Rather than using the opportunity to make mischief, Tatum declared herself a "queen," a "superstar," and expressed her love for herself and her intelligence. "I'm beautiful, I'm smart, and I love myself," she proclaimed. Her infectious energy left viewers feeling inspired and energized.

Watch Jay Galberth's Video:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hey yall Its Tatum (@dadsdoittoo)

Barbie Gives a Shout-Out: Dad's Viral Video Gets a Glamorous Endorsement

Tatum's self-love-filled monologue was not only an inspiration to viewers but also caught the attention of some significant names. Among them was the official Barbie Instagram account, which left a comment under Jay's video, saying, "And don't you forget it 😉💖."

"I was proud. Seeing the things I instilled into her and hearing her speak the words of affirmation felt good to see." Jay Galberth

This unexpected recognition from the iconic doll brand added a touch of glamour and validation to the already viral video. It also highlighted the broader impact of the message Tatum was sending, which resonated with audiences of all ages. Jay and Tatum's story is a reminder that positivity and confidence, no matter how small the voice, can echo far and wide.

She Learned Self Love From Her Dad

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jhovan Galberth (@movewitjay)

The powerful response to Tatum's words reflects the significant role parents play in shaping their children's self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Jay's dedication to instilling confidence and love in his daughter was evident in her positive words of self-affirmation.

In a world where self-doubt often takes center stage, Tatum's message of self-acceptance serves as a guiding light. Her father's positive influence is a testament to the impact that positive reinforcement and encouragement can have on a child's mindset. It’s not just about the words we say, but the actions we take to build our children's self-esteem and resilience.

"I try my best to motivate my daughter and build her up," he added. "This time she showcased her confidence and intelligence."

Jay Galberth's approach to parenting reminds us that nurturing a child's confidence can lead to a happier, more positive world. When parents shape their children's view of themselves with love and encouragement, they set the foundation for strong, self-assured adults. The viral video serves as a heartwarming reminder to always lift each other up and create a space for positivity and growth.

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School Teacher Gives Hater A Lesson They'll Never Forget

You've heard of fat shaming, you've heard of mommy-shaming, but have you ever heard of teacher-shaming?

Middle school teacher Ms. Amy Allen was on the receiving end of some serious hate when it came to how one stranger thought she conducted herself in the classroom. Thankfully, Ms. Allen was ready to teach this shamer a lesson — and in the most hilarious way possible.

This Middle School Teacher Just Wanted To Make Learning Fun Again

"I love teaching middle schoolers because they are awkward, and I’m awkward, so we get along." - Amy Allen

The comment read: "your a teacher act like it." For those who paid attention in English class, you'll notice the glaring grammatical errors. It was almost too easy. School was in session, and this was one teacher-shamer who was not going to be saved by the bell.

Ms. Allen's response was a classic teacher move. In a follow up video, she wrote the troll's comment on the whiteboard, then humorously corrected the errors, turning it into a mini-lesson for everyone watching. She added proper punctuation, fixed the grammar, and even included a tongue-in-cheek reminder to "Come see me if you have any further questions." Talk about schooling the critics!

The video quickly went viral, garnering millions of views and cheers from her followers. It wasn't just her clever correction that resonated; it was the way she handled criticism with grace and a touch of humor. After all, teachers are no strangers to spelling and grammar lessons, even when they come from unexpected places.

Watch Ms. Amy Allen's Video:

@_queenoftheclassroom Replying to @كل الكلبات تريد مني Come see me if you have any further questions. #qotc #iteachmiddleschool #weDEFINITELYdonthavefuninhere @Amy Allen ☀️ @Amy Allen ☀️ @Amy Allen ☀️ #Inverted

"My Students Are The Ultimate Hype People" – Her Class Was On Her Team

Despite the rude comment, Ms. Allen's students were firmly in her corner. They rallied behind her, tracking the video’s growing views like they were monitoring a pop quiz's success rate. As her comeback video gained traction, her class grew even more excited.

"What’s funny is I left my correction on the board accidentally, and the next day, students asked me what that was all about. When I explained it, they thought it was cool because 'why would anyone go after Ms. Allen'? At that point, the video had maybe 10,000 views. I never imagined the video would go viral." - Amy Allen

The views were racking up, so Ms. Allen made her fifth-period class a deal. If the video reached 1M views during their class time, they could sit wherever they wanted for an entire week. It was a deal too good to pass up. When the millionth view hit, the room erupted in cheers. Ms. Allen shared she was a classroom "rockstar." The support from her students was overwhelming, and it showed that a teacher's connection with their class goes beyond the four walls of the classroom.

It is moments like these that remind us why teachers do what they do. It's not just about teaching math, science, or grammar — it's about building a community where students feel supported and valued.

From Troll to Triumph — Ms. Allen Keeps It Cool and Classy

Despite the negativity from an online troll, Ms. Allen's response turned a mean-spirited comment into a viral success story. By demonstrating her teaching skills and her ability to laugh in the face of criticism, she showed everyone that the classroom is a place for learning, not just for the students, but sometimes for the critics too.

In the end, it's clear that Ms. Allen knows how to turn a classroom into a lively, welcoming space. She isn't afraid to play games, encourage laughter, and build a supportive environment. And when she faced an online troll, she handled it with the same playful energy that makes her classroom so special.

Her story is a reminder that even when faced with negativity, the best response is often a little humor, a lot of class, and a touch of teacher magic. So keep up the amazing work, Ms. Allen, because you're definitely teaching us all a thing or two about how to respond to haters with style and a smile.

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The hero's journey: a story structure as old as time, the hero's journey offers a powerful framework for creating quest-based stories emphasizing self-transformation..

Nicholas Cage as Benjamin Gates in Disney's National Treasure, next to a portrait of mythologist, Joseph Campbell.

Holding out for a hero to take your story to the next level?

The Hero’s Journey might be just what you’ve been looking for. Created by Joseph Campbell, this narrative framework packs mythic storytelling into a series of steps across three acts, each representing a crucial phase in a character's transformative journey.

Challenge . Growth . Triumph .

Whether you're penning a novel, screenplay, or video game, The Hero’s Journey is a tried-and-tested blueprint for crafting epic stories that transcend time and culture. Let’s explore the steps together and kickstart your next masterpiece.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey is a famous template for storytelling, mapping a hero's adventurous quest through trials and tribulations to ultimate transformation.

What are the Origins of the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey was invented by Campbell in his seminal 1949 work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces , where he introduces the concept of the "monomyth."

A comparative mythologist by trade, Campbell studied myths from cultures around the world and identified a common pattern in their narratives. He proposed that all mythic narratives are variations of a single, universal story, structured around a hero's adventure, trials, and eventual triumph.

His work unveiled the archetypal hero’s path as a mirror to humanity’s commonly shared experiences and aspirations. It was subsequently named one of the All-Time 100 Nonfiction Books by TIME in 2011.

How are the Hero’s and Heroine’s Journeys Different?

While both the Hero's and Heroine's Journeys share the theme of transformation, they diverge in their focus and execution.

The Hero’s Journey, as outlined by Campbell, emphasizes external challenges and a quest for physical or metaphorical treasures. In contrast, Murdock's Heroine’s Journey, explores internal landscapes, focusing on personal reconciliation, emotional growth, and the path to self-actualization.

In short, heroes seek to conquer the world, while heroines seek to transform their own lives; but…

Twelve Steps of the Hero’s Journey

So influential was Campbell’s monomyth theory that it's been used as the basis for some of the largest franchises of our generation: The Lord of the Rings , Harry Potter ...and George Lucas even cited it as a direct influence on Star Wars .

There are, in fact, several variations of the Hero's Journey, which we discuss further below. But for this breakdown, we'll use the twelve-step version outlined by Christopher Vogler in his book, The Writer's Journey (seemingly now out of print, unfortunately).

You probably already know the above stories pretty well so we’ll unpack the twelve steps of the Hero's Journey using Ben Gates’ journey in National Treasure as a case study—because what is more heroic than saving the Declaration of Independence from a bunch of goons?

Ye be warned: Spoilers ahead!

Act One: Departure

Step 1. the ordinary world.

The journey begins with the status quo—business as usual. We meet the hero and are introduced to the Known World they live in. In other words, this is your exposition, the starting stuff that establishes the story to come.

National Treasure begins in media res (preceded only by a short prologue), where we are given key information that introduces us to Ben Gates' world, who he is (a historian from a notorious family), what he does (treasure hunts), and why he's doing it (restoring his family's name).

With the help of his main ally, Riley, and a crew of other treasure hunters backed by a wealthy patron, he finds an 18th-century American ship in the Canadian Arctic, the Charlotte . Here, they find a ship-shaped pipe that presents a new riddle and later doubles as a key—for now, it's just another clue in the search for the lost treasure of the Templars, one that leads them to the Declaration of Independence.

Step 2. The Call to Adventure

The inciting incident takes place and the hero is called to act upon it. While they're still firmly in the Known World, the story kicks off and leaves the hero feeling out of balance. In other words, they are placed at a crossroads.

Ian (the wealthy patron of the Charlotte operation) steals the pipe from Ben and Riley and leaves them stranded. This is a key moment: Ian becomes the villain, Ben has now sufficiently lost his funding for this expedition, and if he decides to pursue the chase, he'll be up against extreme odds.

Step 3. Refusal of the Call

The hero hesitates and instead refuses their call to action. Following the call would mean making a conscious decision to break away from the status quo. Ahead lies danger, risk, and the unknown; but here and now, the hero is still in the safety and comfort of what they know.

Ben debates continuing the hunt for the Templar treasure. Before taking any action, he decides to try and warn the authorities: the FBI, Homeland Security, and the staff of the National Archives, where the Declaration of Independence is housed and monitored. Nobody will listen to him, and his family's notoriety doesn't help matters.

Step 4. Meeting the Mentor

The protagonist receives knowledge or motivation from a powerful or influential figure. This is a tactical move on the hero's part—remember that it was only the previous step in which they debated whether or not to jump headfirst into the unknown. By Meeting the Mentor, they can gain new information or insight, and better equip themselves for the journey they might to embark on.

Abigail, an archivist at the National Archives, brushes Ben and Riley off as being crazy, but Ben uses the interaction to his advantage in other ways—to seek out information about how the Declaration of Independence is stored and cared for, as well as what (and more importantly, who) else he might be up against in his own attempt to steal it.

In a key scene, we see him contemplate the entire operation while standing over the glass-encased Declaration of Independence. Finally, he firmly decides to pursue the treasure and stop Ian, uttering the famous line, "I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence."

Act Two: Initiation

Step 5. crossing the threshold.

The hero leaves the Known World to face the Unknown World. They are fully committed to the journey, with no way to turn back now. There may be a confrontation of some sort, and the stakes will be raised.

Ben and Riley infiltrate the National Archives during a gala and successfully steal the Declaration of Independence. But wait—it's not so easy. While stealing the Declaration of Independence, Abigail suspects something is up and Ben faces off against Ian.

Then, when trying to escape the building, Ben exits through the gift shop, where an attendant spots the document peeking out of his jacket. He is forced to pay for it, feigning that it's a replica—and because he doesn't have enough cash, he has to use his credit card, so there goes keeping his identity anonymous.

The game is afoot.

Step 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

The hero explores the Unknown World. Now that they have firmly crossed the threshold from the Known World, the hero will face new challenges and possibly meet new enemies. They'll have to call upon their allies, new and old, in order to keep moving forward.

Abigail reluctantly joins the team under the agreement that she'll help handle the Declaration of Independence, given her background in document archiving and restoration. Ben and co. seek the aid of Ben's father, Patrick Gates, whom Ben has a strained relationship with thanks to years of failed treasure hunting that has created a rift between grandfather, father, and son. Finally, they travel around Philadelphia deciphering clues while avoiding both Ian and the FBI.

Step 7. Approach the Innermost Cave

The hero nears the goal of their quest, the reason they crossed the threshold in the first place. Here, they could be making plans, having new revelations, or gaining new skills. To put it in other familiar terms, this step would mark the moment just before the story's climax.

Ben uncovers a pivotal clue—or rather, he finds an essential item—a pair of bifocals with interchangeable lenses made by Benjamin Franklin. It is revealed that by switching through the various lenses, different messages will be revealed on the back of the Declaration of Independence. He's forced to split from Abigail and Riley, but Ben has never been closer to the treasure.

Step 8. The Ordeal

The hero faces a dire situation that changes how they view the world. All threads of the story come together at this pinnacle, the central crisis from which the hero will emerge unscathed or otherwise. The stakes will be at their absolute highest here.

Vogler details that in this stage, the hero will experience a "death," though it need not be literal. In your story, this could signify the end of something and the beginning of another, which could itself be figurative or literal. For example, a certain relationship could come to an end, or it could mean someone "stuck in their ways" opens up to a new perspective.

In National Treasure , The FBI captures Ben and Ian makes off with the Declaration of Independence—all hope feels lost. To add to it, Ian reveals that he's kidnapped Ben's father and threatens to take further action if Ben doesn't help solve the final clues and lead Ian to the treasure.

Ben escapes the FBI with Ian's help, reunites with Abigail and Riley, and leads everyone to an underground structure built below Trinity Church in New York City. Here, they manage to split from Ian once more, sending him on a goose chase to Boston with a false clue, and proceed further into the underground structure.

Though they haven't found the treasure just yet, being this far into the hunt proves to Ben's father, Patrick, that it's real enough. The two men share an emotional moment that validates what their family has been trying to do for generations.

Step 9. Reward

This is it, the moment the hero has been waiting for. They've survived "death," weathered the crisis of The Ordeal, and earned the Reward for which they went on this journey.

Now, free of Ian's clutches and with some light clue-solving, Ben, Abigail, Riley, and Patrick keep progressing through the underground structure and eventually find the Templar's treasure—it's real and more massive than they could have imagined. Everyone revels in their discovery while simultaneously looking for a way back out.

Act Three: Return

Step 10. the road back.

It's time for the journey to head towards its conclusion. The hero begins their return to the Known World and may face unexpected challenges. Whatever happens, the "why" remains paramount here (i.e. why the hero ultimately chose to embark on their journey).

This step marks a final turning point where they'll have to take action or make a decision to keep moving forward and be "reborn" back into the Known World.

Act Three of National Treasure is admittedly quite short. After finding the treasure, Ben and co. emerge from underground to face the FBI once more. Not much of a road to travel back here so much as a tunnel to scale in a crypt.

Step 11. Resurrection

The hero faces their ultimate challenge and emerges victorious, but forever changed. This step often requires a sacrifice of some sort, and having stepped into the role of The Hero™, they must answer to this.

Ben is given an ultimatum— somebody has to go to jail (on account of the whole stealing-the-Declaration-of-Independence thing). But, Ben also found a treasure worth millions of dollars and that has great value to several nations around the world, so that counts for something.

Ultimately, Ben sells Ian out, makes a deal to exonerate his friends and family, and willingly hands the treasure over to the authorities. Remember: he wanted to find the treasure, but his "why" was to restore the Gates family name, so he won regardless.

Step 12. Return With the Elixir

Finally, the hero returns home as a new version of themself, the elixir is shared amongst the people, and the journey is completed full circle.

The elixir, like many other elements of the hero's journey, can be literal or figurative. It can be a tangible thing, such as an actual elixir meant for some specific purpose, or it could be represented by an abstract concept such as hope, wisdom, or love.

Vogler notes that if the Hero's Journey results in a tragedy, the elixir can instead have an effect external to the story—meaning that it could be something meant to affect the audience and/or increase their awareness of the world.

In the final scene of National Treasure , we see Ben and Abigail walking the grounds of a massive estate. Riley pulls up in a fancy sports car and comments on how they could have gotten more money. They all chat about attending a museum exhibit in Cairo (Egypt).

In one scene, we're given a lot of closure: Ben and co. received a hefty payout for finding the treasure, Ben and Abigail are a couple now, and the treasure was rightfully spread to those it benefitted most—in this case, countries who were able to reunite with significant pieces of their history. Everyone's happy, none of them went to jail despite the serious crimes committed, and they're all a whole lot wealthier. Oh, Hollywood.

Variations of the Hero's Journey

Plot structure is important, but you don't need to follow it exactly; and, in fact, your story probably won't. Your version of the Hero's Journey might require more or fewer steps, or you might simply go off the beaten path for a few steps—and that's okay!

What follows are three additional versions of the Hero's Journey, which you may be more familiar with than Vogler's version presented above.

Dan Harmon's Story Circle (or, The Eight-Step Hero's Journey)

Screenwriter Dan Harmon has riffed on the Hero's Journey by creating a more compact version, the Story Circle —and it works especially well for shorter-format stories such as television episodes, which happens to be what Harmon writes.

The Story Circle comprises eight simple steps with a heavy emphasis on the hero's character arc:

You may have noticed, but there is a sort of rhythm here. The eight steps work well in four pairs, simplifying the core of the Hero's Journey even further:

If you're writing shorter fiction, such as a short story or novella, definitely check out the Story Circle. It's the Hero's Journey minus all the extraneous bells & whistles.

Ten-Step Hero's Journey

The ten-step Hero's Journey is similar to the twelve-step version we presented above. It includes most of the same steps except for Refusal of the Call and Meeting the Mentor, arguing that these steps aren't as essential to include; and, it moves Crossing the Threshold to the end of Act One and Reward to the end of Act Two.

We've previously written about the ten-step hero's journey in a series of essays separated by act: Act One (with a prologue), Act Two , and Act Three .

Twelve-Step Hero's Journey: Version Two

Again, the second version of the twelve-step hero's journey is very similar to the one above, save for a few changes, including in which story act certain steps appear.

This version skips The Ordinary World exposition and starts right at The Call to Adventure; then, the story ends with two new steps in place of Return With Elixir: The Return and The Freedom to Live.

In the final act of this version, there is more of a focus on an internal transformation for the hero. They experience a metamorphosis on their journey back to the Known World, return home changed, and go on to live a new life, uninhibited.

Seventeen-Step Hero's Journey

Finally, the granddaddy of heroic journeys: the seventeen-step Hero's Journey. This version includes a slew of extra steps your hero might face out in the expanse.

Again, we skip the Ordinary World opening here. Additionally, Acts Two and Three look pretty different from what we've seen so far, although, the bones of the Hero's Journey structure remain.

The Eight Hero’s Journey Archetypes

The Hero is, understandably, the cornerstone of the Hero’s Journey, but they’re just one of eight key archetypes that make up this narrative framework.

In The Writer's Journey , Vogler outlined seven of these archetypes, only excluding the Ally, which we've included below. Here’s a breakdown of all eight with examples:

1. The Hero

As outlined, the Hero is the protagonist who embarks on a transformative quest or journey. The challenges they overcome represent universal human struggles and triumphs.

Vogler assigned a "primary function" to each archetype—helpful for establishing their role in a story. The Hero's primary function is "to service and sacrifice."

Example: Neo from The Matrix , who evolves from a regular individual into the prophesied savior of humanity.

2. The Mentor

A wise guide offering knowledge, tools, and advice, Mentors help the Hero navigate the journey and discover their potential. Their primary function is "to guide."

Example: Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid imparts not only martial arts skills but invaluable life lessons to Daniel.

3. The Ally

Companions who support the Hero, Allies provide assistance, friendship, and moral support throughout the journey. They may also become a friends-to-lovers romantic partner.

Not included in Vogler's list is the Ally, though we'd argue they are essential nonetheless. Let's say their primary function is "to aid and support."

Example: Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings , a loyal friend and steadfast supporter of Frodo.

4. The Herald

The Herald acts as a catalyst to initiate the Hero's Journey, often presenting a challenge or calling the hero to adventure. Their primary function is "to warn or challenge."

Example: Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games , whose selection at the Reaping sets Katniss’s journey into motion.

5. The Trickster

A character who brings humor and unpredictability, challenges conventions, and offers alternative perspectives or solutions. Their primary function is "to disrupt."

Example: Loki from Norse mythology exemplifies the trickster, with his cunning and chaotic influence.

6. The Shapeshifter

Ambiguous figures whose allegiance and intentions are uncertain. They may be a friend one moment and a foe the next. Their primary function is "to question and deceive."

Example: Catwoman from the Batman universe often blurs the line between ally and adversary, slinking between both roles with glee.

7. The Guardian

Protectors of important thresholds, Guardians challenge or test the Hero, serving as obstacles to overcome or lessons to be learned. Their primary function is "to test."

Example: The Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail literally bellows “None shall pass!”—a quintessential ( but not very effective ) Guardian.

8. The Shadow

Represents the Hero's inner conflict or an antagonist, often embodying the darker aspects of the hero or their opposition. Their primary function is "to destroy."

Example: Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender; initially an adversary, his journey parallels the Hero’s path of transformation.

While your story does not have to use all of the archetypes, they can help you develop your characters and visualize how they interact with one another—especially the Hero.

For example, take your hero and place them in the center of a blank worksheet, then write down your other major characters in a circle around them and determine who best fits into which archetype. Who challenges your hero? Who tricks them? Who guides them? And so on...

Stories that Use the Hero’s Journey

Not a fan of saving the Declaration of Independence? Check out these alternative examples of the Hero’s Journey to get inspired:

Epic of Gilgamesh : An ancient Mesopotamian epic poem thought to be one of the earliest examples of the Hero’s Journey (and one of the oldest recorded stories).
The Lion King (1994): Simba's exile and return depict a tale of growth, responsibility, and reclaiming his rightful place as king.
The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo: Santiago's quest for treasure transforms into a journey of self-discovery and personal enlightenment.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman: A young girl's adventure in a parallel world teaches her about courage, family, and appreciating her own reality.
Kung Fu Panda (2008): Po's transformation from a clumsy panda to a skilled warrior perfectly exemplifies the Hero's Journey. Skadoosh!

The Hero's Journey is so generalized that it's ubiquitous. You can plop the plot of just about any quest-style narrative into its framework and say that the story follows the Hero's Journey. Try it out for yourself as an exercise in getting familiar with the method.

Will the Hero's Journey Work For You?

As renowned as it is, the Hero's Journey works best for the kinds of tales that inspired it: mythic stories.

Writers of speculative fiction may gravitate towards this method over others, especially those writing epic fantasy and science fiction (big, bold fantasy quests and grand space operas come to mind).

The stories we tell today are vast and varied, and they stretch far beyond the dealings of deities, saving kingdoms, or acquiring some fabled "elixir." While that may have worked for Gilgamesh a few thousand years ago, it's not always representative of our lived experiences here and now.

If you decide to give the Hero's Journey a go, we encourage you to make it your own! The pieces of your plot don't have to neatly fit into the structure, but you can certainly make a strong start on mapping out your story.

Hero's Journey Campfire Template

The Timeline Module in Campfire offers a versatile canvas to plot out each basic component of your story while featuring nested "notebooks."

Simply double-click on each event card in your timeline to open up a canvas specific to that card. This allows you to look at your plot at the highest level, while also adding as much detail for each plot element as needed!

If you're just hearing about Campfire for the first time, it's free to sign up—forever! Let's plot the most epic of hero's journeys 👇

Lessons From the Hero’s Journey

The Hero's Journey offers a powerful framework for creating stories centered around growth, adventure, and transformation.

If you want to develop compelling characters, spin out engaging plots, and write books that express themes of valor and courage, consider The Hero’s Journey your blueprint. So stop holding out for a hero, and start writing!

Does your story mirror the Hero's Journey? Let us know in the comments below.

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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

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12 Step Guide to the Hero’s Journey

Every story has a hero! And every hero has a journey to achieve a goal, avert a crisis or beat incredible odds. Whether you’re a speaker looking to impress your audience with a PowerPoint presentation or someone aiming at self-improvement, the 12 Step Guide to The Hero’s Journey can help guide you towards awakening your inner hero.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

In 1871 anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor pointed out some of the common aspects of how a hero is narrated in stories. Over the following years, there was much deliberation regarding the concept of the hero’s journey by various theorists.

Different philosophers have narrated this in various stages. A 20th-century American Professor of Literature, Joseph Campbell, gave 17 stages of the hero’s journey. Another professor, David Adams Leeming, and an American author, Phil Cousineau, gave their own version of 8 stages for the hero’s journey. More recently, author and Disney screenwriter Christopher Vogler came up with 12 stages to the hero’s journey .

The Hero´s Journey Diagram Editable PPT Template

12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

In what is to follow, we will dig deep into the 12 steps based on Christopher Vogler’s concept of the hero’s journey. Like all steps outlined by philosopher’s in the past, these 12 steps are also divided into three acts, namely; Departure, Initiation and Return. As an example for each stage, we will narrate the concept of the hero’s journey by comparing it to the famous fairytale, Jack and the Beanstalk.

Act 1: Departure

This Act consists of 5 stages: the ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal of the call, Meeting with the mentor, and crossing the first threshold.

1. Ordinary world

This is where the hero is living an oblivious life, not realizing his true destiny and the adventure ahead. This is a safe place for the hero, as he lives through his ordinary life. If we are to take the example of Jack from the story Jack and the beanstalk, it is the stage when he is living an ordinary life with his mother.

If you’re delivering a business presentation, an author, or even a teacher, you can use this phase to take your audience on a journey. Starting with something ordinary can be a great way to make your audience relate to the hero.

2. Call to adventure

This is the part when the hero is called to the adventure. You might have seen this happen in movies and novels in the form of a threat to the hero or his loved ones, an impending disaster that the hero learns about, or an incident that transforms the hero’s ordinary life with a sudden jolt. This is when Jack’s mother sends him to sell the cow due to the family’s financial woes, and he comes across the tempting offer to sell the cow for magical beans instead of money.

This is the part where the audience is likely to get excited and tense at the same time, where there is a sense of mystery as to how the hero might react to the situation.

3. Refusal of the call

Every hero has fears and doubts that hold them back, at least for a while. This is the part where the hero has doubts about his abilities. Many famous stories show the hero as demoralized and beaten down in this stage; it is the part where Jack is reluctant to sell the cow to the man offering him magical beans.

Refusal to call can be a great way to describe a success story to an audience. It can resonate with people’s fears and doubts and motivate them towards an exciting storyline that they will find motivating.

4. Meeting with the mentor

This is the part where the hero meets the mentor. In the case of Jack, it is the man who offers him magical beans for his cow. Meeting the mentor realizes one’s dreams, where the protagonist might receive an object of great importance, some advice, training, or motivation from his mentor.

When narrating a story, this is when a key character is meant to transform the life of the hero forever. In a presentation, this is the defining moment that needs to be identified and explained before an audience.

5. Crossing the threshold

This is the stage where Jack climbs the beanstalk, which appears after his mother throws the magical beans away, thinking that Jack was hoodwinked into selling the cow. At this stage, the hero is now ready to heed the call to adventure and departs on the amazing journey, completing the first act, i.e., Departure. This is usually the take-off point of any story and holds immense importance in keeping your audience intact.

Act 2: Initiation

The second act consists of four vital stages, i.e. tests, allies and enemies, approach to the inmost cave, the ordeal, and finally, the reward.

6. Tests, allies and enemies

This is the part where the hero is confronted with challenges by his enemies. This is a time of trial and tribulations. The hero must decide who to trust in the wake of great obstacles and threats, testing his abilities to the bitter end.

Many presenters also use this stage to discuss the doom and gloom they or their organization faced amidst disastrous circumstances. This is where the audience is thrown into a spin, and the hero appears struggling amidst incredible odds. This is the moment when Jack finds the giant after he reaches the castle across the beanstalk.

7. Approach to the inmost cave

This represents a danger, confrontation with a foe, or an actual place where the hero must enter to face the true challenge. It is the call for the final battle. While entering the cave, the hero might once again face his fears and doubts, making the audience realize the hero’s plight. This is Jack’s face-off against the giant.

Many presenters use this stage to create sympathy for the protagonist’s struggle, be it a hero from an actual story, an organization that faced a crisis, or a historical figure under discussion confronted with incredible odds.

8. The ordeal

This is when the final battle occurs. When Jack must fight the giant, this is the moment of truth when the hero will be reborn through some ‘death,’ even if it is metaphorical. Facing all his fears, to achieve an incredible feat.

For a presenter, this is the extension of the inmost cave. Where the narrative of the final battle is laid out before an audience so that they might get a grip of the true sacrifices the hero has made to achieve something extraordinary. If you can sell your ordeal to the audience, your call to action will likely be well received.

This is when the hero achieves some success. Such as when Jack acquires the giant’s harp and golden eggs and runs for home as the giant chases him. This is when the hero has achieved a major goal and now must return home!

Whether you boast about an achievement or keep it short as a presenter will depend upon the topic, the mood of your audience, and the magnitude of the success achieved. The Reward completes the second act, where the Initiation phase is completed.

Mountain Diagram Hero´s Journey PPT Template

Act 3: Return

The Return symbolizes the effect of the achievement and what lies ahead for the hero. There would be new obstacles. However, the hero now must return home, even if it is symbolic. This act has three stages, i.e., the road back, the resurrection, and return with the elixir.

10. The road back

Going back home symbolizes the hero’s return with the reward. The hero might be returned with acclaim after achieving a great feat. It is Jack after climbing down from the beanstalk.

If you’re a presenter, the road back can be kept brief, as this is the part where your audience might be a bit tired and might be looking for a quick conclusion.

11. The resurrection

This is when the hero is reborn. The hero must face a major threat, which is often a face-off with death itself. This is the part when the giant chases Jack down the beanstalk, as Jack climbs down.

If you want to stretch out the final battle for your audience, you might want to keep some of the previous sections short during a presentation. While people read novels at a time of their convenience, the audience sitting in a hall might not be all that patient. Nonetheless, the final battle is crucial and must be played out to the satisfaction of the audience.

12. Return with the elixir

This is when the hero achieves success. Jack acquires the giant’s harp and golden eggs after defeating him by cutting the tree. In the story, the giant is never seen again, which is a reference to the giant being slain. After this stage, the hero is no longer the same. The enemy has been defeated, the challenge achieved, and death has been beaten, one way or the other. The reward is the ultimate goal of the hero that is achieved in some form. Some stories might see the hero dying in the end after achieving a goal. This might include slaying a tyrant, winning a war, or inspiring a revolution. In Jack and the Beanstalk, it is Jack living happily ever after with his mother.

Return with the elixir is the satisfaction that the audience desire, so to speak. Everyone likes a story where the protagonist achieves something great. As a presenter, you can discuss the protagonist’s success to show the audience how great the protagonist achieved a feat in the wake of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. Reward also concludes the final stage of the second act, and now the hero must return.

You will require weaving in your call to action with this stage as a presenter to use the inspirational story to achieve your final goal. The same can be done by a teacher, a student during a class presentation, or someone looking to write an inspirational story with a moral at the end to inspire people with an idea.

When working with the hero´s journey

Final Words

The hero’s journey reflects myths and legends and human nature, and the human will achieve something extraordinary. If you’re someone looking to take your audience on a journey through a presentation, story, video, or even a class lecture or school presentation, you can use the 12 step guide to create a compelling story for your audience.

If you’re someone looking to use the hero’s journey as a guide for self-improvement, you can also use this as a guide as to what phase of your life was the most impactful, what decisions you made, and how you might improve your decision making.

Finally, if you´re looking into the hero´s journey because you are creating content for marketing purposes, or even defining storyboards to understand users better in tech products, hopefully this article will have been helpful for you.

1. Hero’s Journey Diagram for PowerPoint

When creating or understanding a character, the Hero´s Journey Diagram is a fantastic way to map out the different stages of the journey. This diagram is great, not only for fantasy characters but also to use a metaphor in real-life situations.

Use This Template

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Hero’s Journey: 12 Steps, Examples, Use Cases

Post author By Punit Thakkar
Post date January 7, 2024

Once you’ve decided that you need to Outline your story before you start writing the screenplay, you will need to choose between the various storytelling structures out there. The three-act structure as a narrative breakdown can be applied to almost any story. But to further breakdown your story in beats, certain storytelling frameworks can be quite useful. One such framework is the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell.

Who is Joseph Campbell?

Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) was an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer best known for his work in comparative mythology and his exploration of the hero’s journey. Campbell’s most influential work is the concept of the monomyth or the hero’s journey. This was the result of his examination of common patterns and themes found in the myths and legends of various cultures throughout history.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

In 1949, Campbell published his book “ The Hero with a Thousand Faces “. In this seminal work, he examined common patterns and themes found in the myths and legends of various cultures throughout history. The phrase “Hero’s Journey” suggests that myths and stories from different cultures often follow a similar narrative structure. The hero typically embarks on an adventure, faces challenges and trials, undergoes a transformation, and returns home changed. It was later popularized by screenwriter, Christopher Vogler, in his book “ The Writer’s Journey “. Vogler condensed the principles into a 12-step framework.

12 Steps of The Hero’s Journey

Let’s take a look at each of the 12 steps that you can use to outline your story. To illustrate the same, we’ll be using the application of this concept with a movie where the filmmaker was famously inspired by the Hero’s Journey template while writing his film ie. Star Wars (1977).

1. Ordinary World

The hero begins in their familiar environment, often characterized by routine and unawareness of the larger journey. This setting establishes the baseline for the hero’s growth.

Application : Luke Skywalker resides on the desert planet Tatooine, leading a mundane life as a farm boy.

2. Call to Adventure

An external event or internal desire disrupts the hero’s ordinary life, presenting an opportunity or challenge that sets the journey in motion. The call often introduces a quest or a significant change.

Application : Obi-Wan Kenobi invites Luke to join him in the quest to deliver the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance.

3. Refusal of the Call

Faced with uncertainty, fear, or a sense of duty to the familiar world, the hero hesitates or rejects the call initially. This reluctance adds depth to the hero’s internal conflict.

Application : Luke hesitates to leave Tatooine, citing responsibilities and family ties.

4. Meeting the Mentor

A mentor figure appears, providing guidance, wisdom, or supernatural aid. The mentor equips the hero with the tools or knowledge necessary for the journey.

Application : Obi-Wan becomes Luke’s mentor, introducing him to the Force and encouraging his journey.

5. Crossing the Threshold

The hero decides to leave the ordinary world, venturing into the unknown or a special world. This crossing represents a commitment to change and growth.

Application : Luke, with Obi-Wan, departs Tatooine and enters the larger galaxy.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

The hero encounters challenges, forms alliances with companions, and faces adversaries. These experiences shape the hero’s character and prepare them for more significant trials.

Application : Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia face various trials, forming alliances and encountering Imperial forces.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

The hero approaches a central challenge or a crucial location that holds the key to their quest. This stage builds anticipation and sets the stage for the ordeal.

Application : The Rebel Alliance plans to attack the Death Star, a critical mission.

The hero undergoes a severe trial, facing the most significant danger or fear. This moment tests the hero’s resolve and marks a pivotal point in the journey.

Application : Luke participates in the Battle of Yavin, aiming to destroy the Death Star amidst intense opposition.

Following the ordeal, the hero reaps a reward, gains new insight, or achieves success. This stage highlights the hero’s growth and the tangible or intangible benefits of the journey.

Application : Luke successfully destroys the Death Star, earning recognition and hero status.

10. The Road Back

The hero begins the journey back to the ordinary world, often encountering new challenges or facing the consequences of their actions. This stage introduces the final hurdles.

Application : The Rebels regroup and plan their next moves after the Death Star’s destruction.

11. Resurrection

The hero faces a final, life-altering test, representing a symbolic death and rebirth. This transformative experience solidifies the hero’s evolution.

Application : Luke confronts Darth Vader and the Death Star’s destruction leads to a symbolic rebirth.

12. Return with the Elixir

The hero returns to the ordinary world, bringing back the elixir—a tangible or metaphorical boon gained during the journey. This stage showcases the hero’s ability to contribute positively to the ordinary world.

Application : Luke returns to Tatooine, having become a skilled pilot and a key figure in the Rebel Alliance.

As we saw, Star Wars follows the Hero’s Journey with Luke Skywalker as the protagonist. From his ordinary life on Tatooine to the battles against the Empire and the ultimate confrontation with Darth Vader, the film adheres to the monomyth structure.

Use Cases: Stories Tailored for Hero’s Journey

One of the common beliefs around this template is that it typically applies to fantasy and adventure genres. While those genres are more naturally suited, the Hero’s Journey is equally applicable to different kinds of movies. It is particularly useful for stories that fall within the following genres or themes:

Fantasy and Adventure

The Hero’s Journey is frequently employed in fantasy tales where characters embark on epic quests. Examples include “The Lord of the Rings,” “Harry Potter,” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

Coming-of-Age Stories

Many coming-of-age narratives use the Hero’s Journey to depict a character’s maturation and self-discovery. Films like “The Karate Kid” and “Stand by Me” exemplify this application.

Science Fiction Epics

Stories set in futuristic or otherworldly settings often utilize the Hero’s Journey. “Star Wars” and “The Matrix” showcase how this structure can be applied in the science fiction genre.

Mythology and Legends

The Hero’s Journey is deeply rooted in mythology and is thus well-suited for stories inspired by ancient myths and legends. Examples include adaptations of Greek myths or Arthurian legends.

Quest Narratives

Any story that involves a quest, whether it’s a literal journey or a metaphorical one, can benefit from the Hero’s Journey structure. “Indiana Jones” and “The Odyssey” are classic examples.

Superhero Origin Stories

Many superhero origin stories align with the Hero’s Journey as characters discover their powers, face adversaries, and undergo personal growth. Examples include “Spider-Man,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Black Panther.”

Historical and Period Dramas

Even in stories set in historical or period settings, the Hero’s Journey can be applied. Films like “Braveheart” and “Gladiator” showcase protagonists facing significant challenges and transformation.

Character-Driven Dramas

While traditionally associated with more fantastical genres, the Hero’s Journey can also be adapted for character-driven dramas. Movies like “Forrest Gump” and “The Pursuit of Happyness” demonstrate this versatility.

Let’s take a look at one such example using the poignant, “non-heroic” drama written by Greta Gerwig ie. Ladybird.

Ladybird – Hero’s Journey

1. The Ordinary World : Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson navigates her senior year in high school in Sacramento, California. Dissatisfied with her surroundings and yearning for something more, she grapples with the challenges of adolescence.

2. Call to Adventure : Lady Bird desires to escape Sacramento and attend college on the East Coast, envisioning it as the key to a more fulfilling life beyond her current circumstances.

3. Refusal of the Cal l: Lady Bird’s family faces financial struggles, and her dream of attending an expensive East Coast college seems unattainable. She initially grapples with the reality of her family’s limitations.

4. Meeting the Mentor : Sister Sarah Joan, Lady Bird’s school principal, becomes a mentor figure, encouraging her to pursue her dreams and offering guidance.

5. Crossing the Threshold : Lady Bird applies to colleges in New York, symbolizing her venture into a world beyond Sacramento and her family’s constraints.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies : Lady Bird navigates friendships, romance, and conflicts with her family, forming alliances with friends like Julie and facing challenges that shape her character.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave : Lady Bird’s relationships face challenges as she experiences heartbreak, and she confronts the reality of her family’s financial struggles.

8. Ordeal : Lady Bird’s relationship with her mother reaches a breaking point, leading to a confrontation that forces both to confront their feelings and expectations.

9. Reward : Lady Bird gains insight into her identity and aspirations, realizing the value of her family and the impact of her choices.

10. The Road Back : Lady Bird leaves Sacramento for college, symbolizing her journey back into the world with newfound wisdom and self-discovery.

11. Resurrection : Lady Bird’s return home prompts reconciliation and understanding with her family, particularly her mother, as they navigate the complexities of love and acceptance.

12. Return with the Elixir : Lady Bird’s return home marks a resolution, bringing a sense of acceptance and understanding, not only for herself but also for her family.

In Lady Bird, the Hero’s Journey is elegantly woven into the fabric of a coming-of-age story. It captures her challenges, growth, and self-discovery inherent in the journey from adolescence to adulthood, offering a nuanced exploration of identity, family dynamics, and the pursuit of dreams.

Exceptions: Not Every Plot Fits the Hero’s Journey

Whilst the Hero’s Journey is a flexible template and can be adapted to various genres and themes, it might not be the best fit for certain stories; especially the ones that intentionally subvert traditional narrative structures, focus solely on ensemble casts without a clear central protagonist, or explore experimental storytelling methods. Here are a few examples:

Experimental Films

Experimental films often prioritize unconventional storytelling methods, abstract concepts, and non-linear narratives. In such cases, the traditional stages of the Hero’s Journey may not be evident, as these films may prioritize artistic expression over a structured plot.

Example: Koyaanisqatsi (1982) Directed by Godfrey Reggio, “Koyaanisqatsi” is an experimental documentary film that uses time-lapse photography and innovative editing techniques to depict the relationship between humans, nature, and technology. The film doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure or a hero’s journey but rather offers a visual and auditory exploration of its themes.

Documentaries

Some documentaries aim to capture real-life events, explore social issues, or provide informative content. The Hero’s Journey, with its focus on fictional characters and their transformative arcs, may not align with the goals of documentary filmmaking.

Example: Grizzly Man (2005) Directed by Werner Herzog, this documentary explores the life and death of Timothy Treadwell, who lived among grizzly bears in Alaska. The film is a character study and examination of nature, presenting real-life events without following a fictional hero’s journey.

Slice-of-Life Dramas

Movies that focus on depicting everyday life without a central conflict or clear protagonist’s journey might not adhere strictly to the Hero’s Journey structure. The emphasis is often on realism and capturing ordinary moments rather than a hero’s transformative adventure.

Example : Boyhood (2014) Directed by Richard Linklater, “Boyhood” is a coming-of-age film that spans over 12 years, following the life of a boy named Mason. The film captures ordinary moments in Mason’s life without a traditional central conflict, showcasing the challenges and joys of growing up.

Art House Cinema

Art house films often prioritize artistic expression, symbolism, and unique narrative structures. These films may not follow a traditional hero’s arc, as the focus might be on creating an emotional or intellectual experience rather than a clear, linear narrative.

Example: Mulholland Drive (2001) Directed by David Lynch, this enigmatic film is known for its surreal and dreamlike narrative. Lynch weaves a complex story with multiple layers, challenging conventional storytelling structures and incorporating elements of psychological horror and mystery.

Episodic or Anthology Films

Films with episodic or anthology formats, where multiple stories or vignettes are presented, might not follow a single hero’s journey across the entire film. Each segment may have its own thematic or narrative structure.

Example: Pulp Fiction (1994) Directed by Quentin Tarantino, “Pulp Fiction” is famously known for its non-linear narrative and multiple interconnected storylines. Each segment features different characters and situations, creating an anthology structure rather than following a single hero’s journey.

Certain Comedy Films

While many comedies incorporate elements of the Hero’s Journey, certain slapstick or purely situational comedies may prioritize humor over a structured hero’s arc. The primary goal is to generate laughs rather than guide the protagonist through a transformative journey.

Example: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, this comedy classic is a parody of the Arthurian legend. The film is known for its absurd humor, satirical elements, and episodic structure, deviating from a traditional hero’s journey while delivering comedic brilliance.

Non-Narrative or Abstract Films

Films that lean heavily on visual aesthetics, abstract concepts, or non-narrative structures may not adhere to the Hero’s Journey. The focus is on evoking emotions or exploring themes through visuals rather than following a traditional story arc.

Example: Samsara (2011) Directed by Ron Fricke, this non-narrative documentary is a visual and musical journey through various cultures and landscapes. The film emphasizes stunning imagery and thematic exploration without a conventional plot or character-driven narrative.

These examples showcase the diversity of writing styles and genres that deviate from the traditional hero’s journey. There’s no one-size-fits-all. It’s important to know the technique that suits your style, be it Hero’s Journey or alternative frameworks like Save The Cat , Dan Harmon’s Story Circle , or any other. If none of those particularly suit you and you would still like to outline, you can create your custom template . Scrite allows you to use existing templates or create or own. You can download the app to get started for free.

Tags 12 steps heros journey , chris vogler , heros journey , joseph campbell , ladybird , ladybird story structure , storytelling structure , writers journey

The Hero’s Journey: Explained in 12 Steps

This article explains the hero’s journey, where it came from, and how it can help you tell better stories.

Would you like a proven way of telling better stories, ones that readers remember long after they put your work down? Well, you don’t need to sell your soul to do it either. Instead, use the Hero’s Journey to master the art of storytelling .

It’s a heroic journey that the storytellers behind popular dramas, stories, myths, legends, and even religious rituals often use it.

Living Writer contains time-saving templates for authors and novelists. iOS and Android apps available

What Is The Hero’s Journey?

Stage 1. the ordinary world, stage 2. the call to adventure, stage 3. refusal of the call, stage 4. meeting with the mentor, stage 5. crossing the first threshold, stage 6. test, allies, and enemies, stage 7. approach to the inmost cave, stage 8: the ordeal, stage 9. the reward (seizing the sword), stage 10. the road back, stage 11. the resurrection, stage 12. return with the elixir, what the hero’s journey means for writers, the hero’s journey: the final word, why is the hero’s journey important, what is the purpose of the hero’s journey, storytelling resources.

The Hero’s Journey is a popular storytelling framework used in films like Star Wars, The Matrix , Toy Story, and the recent Marvel superhero films. Although it’s in vogue today, it’s a rather old form of story structure.

In the 1949 book The Hero With a Thousand Faces, scholar Joseph writes about the Hero’s Journey:

“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.”

Essentially, the hero (it could be you or your protagonist) of any story goes on a journey and comes back a changed person. Star Wars is one of the most popular stories of the modern era, but did you know George Lucas guided his story for the first film around using the twelves stages of the Hero’sJourney?

Let’s dive into this storytelling technique using examples from Star Wars and other popular films.

We meet our hero.

Here, the reader or viewer meets an uneasy, ordinary person going about their daily lives and sympathizes with the unlikely hero.

For example:

In Star Wars , we meet Luke living a bored and isolated life on Tatooine’s backwater desert planet. He is an ordinary man with ordinary problems.

Similarly, in Lord of the Rings , we meet Frodo and his friends living a care-free life in the Shire.

Our hero goes on an adventure.

A dramatic incident calls the hero on a dangerous path and leaves the known world behind. He may encounter and disbelieve fabulous forces.

In Star Wars , Luke cleans an old droid called R2D2 and accidentally plays a help message from Princess Leia.

So, he seeks out an old hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi to help him understand what this message means. His world is about to change.

In Lord of the Rings , Gandalf visits Frodo Baggins and sends him on a mysterious adventure: to carry a magic ring to Rivendell.

In Toy Story, this is the moment Woody leaves Andy’s bedroom’s safety, albeit accidentally.

Our hero wants to turn back and go home.

The hero catches a glimpse of a new unknown world. An archetypal hero becomes reluctant and afraid to embrace this call to adventure.

In Star Wars , Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke about the age-long struggle between the evil Empire and the Rebels. Then, he says he will bring Luke to Alderaan and train him in the ways of the Force.

In Lord of the Rings , Frodo travels to Rivendell, meets Elrond, and learns the ring must be destroyed. The council immediately begin fighting with each other over what to do next.

Our hero meets a more knowledgeable teacher or guide.

The hero meets a seasoned traveler of the world and receives training and equipment from him or her.

In Star Wars , Luke meets Obi-Wan Kenobi. He offers Luke his father’s old light-saber and promises to train him in the mysterious ways of the Force.

In the recent Spiderman films , the hero meets Ironman and gains a special suit, which gives him new powers.

Our hero leaves his or her old life behind.

This moment comes at the end of the first act of the story. Here, the hero finally leaves his or her ordinary world and enters the other or unknown world.

In Star Wars , Luke returns home to find his aunt and uncle are dead. Having nowhere to go, he accepts Obi-Wan’s call to adventure and goes on a quest to rescue Princess Leia.

In The Matrix , Neo accepts the red pill from his mentor Morpheus. He swallows the red pill and learns the truth about the ordinary world.

Our hero assembles a crew.

Here, the hero is tested by his enemies and recruits some friends who can help him.

In Star Wars , Luke and Obi-Wan recruit a reluctant Han Solo and Chewbacca. Then, they battle against the Empire’s stormtroopers.

In almost any Marvel movie, our hero assembles side-kicks and friends who will help him or her.

Our hero gets ready to do battle.

Now, the hero and his or her allies get ready to achieve their goal. They prepare to do battle against the antagonists of the story.

The inmost cave is a metaphor deployed by mythologist Joseph Campbell describing an imminent conflict.

In Star Wars , Luke and his new allies travel to the planet of Alderaan so Luke can train in the ways of the Force and prepare to rescue Princess Leia.

Our hero faces their greatest challenge or ordeal yet.

In this pivotal moment of the story, the hero confronts death, his or her greatest fear, or a traumatic experience. It occurs in the innermost cave of the myth in question.

Also described by Campbell as entering “the belly of the whale,” it’s their biggest test so far. If they overcome this challenge, they will fundamentally change at a great cost. If they fail, all is lost.

In Star Wars , this is the moment where Darth Vadar and Obi-Wan Kenobi attack each other with light-sabers inside the Death Star. Luke looks on helplessly while Vadar strikes down and kills his mentor.

All is lost for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Later on, in the trilogy, Luke faces and defeats his father. All is won.

Our hero, if successful, receives a prize.

The hero, after facing and escaping certain death, takes possession of a treasure. He achieves a decisive victory over his enemies.

In Star Wars , Luke saves Princess Leia and captures the plans for the Death Star. Now, the Rebels have what they need to defeat the Empire finally.

Or do they?

Our hero tries to return with this prize to their old life.

Typically, there is a chase whereby the hero is driven to complete his adventure and bring his or her treasure home.

In Star Wars , Luke rescues Princess Leia from Darth Vadar with Han Solo and Chewbacca’s help. He joins the Rebels on their hidden base on Yavin 4. There, he is accepted as an X-Wing fighter pilot.

There, they regroup and plan an attack against Vadar’s forces and the Death Star.

Wait! Our hero has one final test, battle, or challenge.

Here, the hero is tested one last time and must make a sacrifice before he or she can defeat the primary antagonist.

Luke attempts to destroy the Death Star and is almost shot down and killed by Darth Vadar, flying a TIE Fighter.

All looks lost for Luke… until his old mentor appears in a vision, tells Luke to turn off the sensors of his X-Wing, and “Use the Force.”

In the final Lord of the Rings film, this is the moment when Frodo is about to die before being rescued by the Eagles.

Our hero returns home at last.

The hero returns home or continues with his journey, having embraced his identity and carrying some element of the treasure.

Luke uses the Force to destroy the Death Star and returns to the Rebels a hero. He will continue to fight the Empire using the Force on his side.

In the first Matrix film, Neo defeats Smith and leaves the Matrix before an electromagnetic pulse destroys the Sentinels.

He then phones Smith and reveals he will show those trapped in Matrix “a world where anything is possible.”

In Lord of the Rings, Bilbo returns to the Shire with treasure and a new understanding of the ordinary world.

I like the Hero’s Journey, not just because I enjoy superhero films or Star Wars , but because it’s a narrative device that a writer can tell more powerful stories .

Listen to what George Lucas said about the Hero’s Journey:

“Here is a lifetime of scholarship, a life of work that is distilled down to a few books that I can read in a few months that enable me to move forward with what I am trying to do and give me focus to my work.”

“It was a great feat and very important. It’s possible that if I had not run across him I would still be writing Star Wars today.”

He’s not the only successful creative person to use Hero’s Journey to tell better stories .

From the Matrix to almost all the recent Marvel offerings, the filmmakers behind popular franchises tell their stories using variations of the Hero’s Journey, as do the writers of popular thriller stories.

So what does the Hero’s Journey storytelling technique mean for you?

Well, you can…

Look for traces of the Hero’s Journey in popular works: Now that you’re aware of it, it’s easy (and fun) to find elements of this narrative device in books, films, and stories.

Use the Hero’s Journey to find creative ideas: Once you understand how a popular story is put together, you can extract elements from this story and combine them with your own to come up with more creative ideas.

Use the Hero’s Journey to overcome writer’s block: It’s not a color-by-numbers template that you must rigidly follow, but it will help you break your writing (or stories) into smaller, more approachable sections, like the opening , the middle, or the ending .

Tell stories with the Hero’s Journey: Whether you write short stories , novels, or non-fiction works, storytelling is an art that demands practice. The good news is the Hero’s Journey offers a proven way of practicing storytelling.

Remix this storytelling technique: George Lucas played with the Hero’s Journey’s order to tell his story in the first Star Wars film. There’s no reason why you can’t play around with it to tell your stories too.

Remember, the Hero’s Journey is just one way of mastering the art of storytelling. There are dozens more out there.

You have to accept your call-to-adventure and find them.

The hero’s journey is a popular form of storytelling, particularly with today’s screenwriters. It also works well for novels and even non-fiction.

Work through these 12 steps the next time you outline a book or story. Understanding the rules and mythology of this framework and see where your plot takes you.

Hero’s Journey FAQs

The hero’s journey demonstrates that change is possible for everyone. It shows us that an ordinary person can overcome great adversity and defeat their enemies or fears. With some help, they can affect the world in some way. It’s also important as it explains how popular stories and myths work.

The hero’s journey is a framework for crafting a compelling story. It charts the heroic journey of an ordinary person or main character to becoming a hero. It’s used in many popular mythical stories like Star Wars and Toy Story.

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Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Hero as a knight in an epic battle against a red fire-breathing dragon

Hero’s Journey: A Powerful 12-Step Story Structure

From ancient myths and timeless fairy tales to the latest science fiction novels, one narrative framework has withstood the test of time, captivating generation after generation with its transformative power – the Hero’s Journey. It transports us beyond the mundane to realms of courage and extraordinary growth.

It allows us to watch characters rise from their ordinary lives and embark on a harrowing adventure that shapes them into something extraordinary. The warrior, scarred by battles fought and lost, must confront his deepest fears to claim victory, or the reluctant leader, burdened by doubt and uncertainty, who finds the strength to save an imperiled world. It is within the framework of the Hero’s Journey, with its twelve steps, that this magic takes form.

In this guide, we delve into the depths of the Hero’s Journey story structure , explaining each of its steps, giving some examples from literature, and providing some tips for using it. So, join us and learn how to create heroes and stories that leave indelible marks on your readers’ memories.

What Is the Hero’s Journey?

Hero's Journey Definition: The Hero's Journey depicts a protagonist's transformative odyssey through trials, growth, and eventual victorious return to normal life.

The Hero’s Journey is a narrative structure that follows a protagonist’s transformative journey from their ordinary world to a realm of trials and challenges, leading to their ultimate return as a changed and usually victorious individual. It consists of the following three main stages:

Departure: The hero experiences a serious event that disrupts their lives, which prompts them to embark on a quest to solve the problem.
Initiation: They venture into the unknown, facing challenges, gaining allies, and confronting adversaries along the way. During this time, they endure a major trial or ordeal, often facing their greatest fear or threat, and emerge transformed.
Return: Before finally returning to their ordinary life, the hero experiences a final test, facing death or a symbolic rebirth that qualifies them to return with a gift to benefit others.

The Hero’s Journey was first popularized by Joseph Campbell , a renowned mythologist and literary scholar, in his book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” published in 1949. Campbell studied world mythologies and discovered a common pattern in their storytelling: the “monomyth” or the Hero’s Journey.

His work influenced numerous writers, filmmakers, and artists, including George Lucas, who admitted to using Campbell’s ideas as a foundation for creating the Star Wars saga. Campbell’s groundbreaking research brought to light the universal human quest for self-discovery and the transformative power of storytelling.

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3 Basic Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Basic Stages of Hero's Journey: Knight with horse starting the journey, Knight in epic dragon fight, Victorious Knight as King

The Hero’s Journey unfolds through three fundamental stages, each representing a distinct phase of the protagonist’s transformative journey.

In this initial stage, the hero is called to venture beyond their familiar world into the realm of the unknown. The journey begins with an invitation, an event, or a challenge that disrupts their ordinary life and presents them with an opportunity for growth.

Initially, the hero may experience doubt or resistance, often depicted as the refusal of the call. However, they are ultimately propelled forward by external forces or internal longing. Along the way, the hero encounters a mentor or guide who imparts wisdom, gifts, or assistance, providing them with the necessary tools to embark on their journey.

In “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien, for example, Bilbo Baggins is invited on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ homeland from the dragon Smaug by the wizard Gandalf, who becomes his mentor.

The second stage marks the hero’s immersion into a new and often perilous world, requiring them to undergo trials, face challenges, and experience profound growth. They leave behind the safety of their ordinary life and step into a realm of uncertainty. Here, they encounter a series of tests, allies, and enemies, providing the diverse obstacles and encounters that shape their character.

The hero faces their greatest trial during this journey, a moment of intense confrontation with their deepest fears, a formidable adversary, or a crucial decision. Emerging from the ordeal, the hero receives a reward, an insight, or a powerful resource that strengthens and enlightens them.

In “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien, for instance, Frodo Baggins and his companions face challenges, confront enemies, and endure hardships that challenge their courage and fortitude, such as the battles at Helm’s Deep and the Mines of Moria.

The final stage of the Hero’s Journey centers around the hero’s return to their ordinary world, carrying the resources, wisdom, and transformation gained from their adventure. They may face a final moment of heightened danger or symbolic death that solidifies their growth and transformation.

Having emerged triumphant, the hero returns with a valuable gift or insight that can benefit others in their ordinary world. This gift can take various forms, such as knowledge, a physical object, or a newfound sense of purpose. The hero’s return completes the cycle, demonstrating the cyclical nature of personal growth and the impact of their journey on both themselves and their community.

“The Lord of the Rings” sees the members of the fellowship return to the shire, defeat the oppressive regime that had taken it over, and establish peace and order.

12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

If you want to use the basic three stages of the hero’s journey for your story but need some help to flesh it out, Hollywood consultant Christopher Vogler splits it into 12 steps that spell out every detail of this classic narrative structure.

1. Ordinary World

The author first introduces the hero in their ordinary, mundane world, where they are often seen as unremarkable or unaware of their true potential. This establishes the baseline of their life before the adventure begins.

The ordinary world for Harry Potter is the mundane life he leads with his neglectful relatives, the Dursleys, who keep him unaware of his magical heritage. It is characterized by routine, boredom, and a sense of not belonging.

2. Call to Adventure

Blond knight riding a horse that begins a journey through a forest

The hero receives a call to embark on a quest or journey that will take them away from their ordinary world. It can come in various forms, such as a destructive event, a message, a prophecy, or a personal revelation.

In “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll, Alice experiences a whimsical and unconventional “Call to Adventure” when she follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole.

3. Refusal of the Call

The hero may resist the call due to fear, doubt, or a sense of inadequacy. They may hesitate or decline the invitation, longing for the security and comfort of their familiar surroundings.

“The Odyssey” by Homer sees Odysseus going so far as pretending to be mad to avoid going to war.

4. Meeting the Mentor

Blond knight speaking to a wizard with a long beard and blue robe

The hero encounters a mentor or guide who provides wisdom, guidance, or tools to assist them on their journey. The mentor often imparts knowledge, shares experiences, and inspires the hero to embrace their potential.

In “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho, Santiago meets the alchemist, a wise and knowledgeable figure who becomes his mentor. The alchemist imparts profound insights, teaches Santiago about the universe’s secrets, and guides him on his quest for self-discovery.

5. Crossing the Threshold

This is the point where the hero takes a definitive step into the unknown, leaving behind their ordinary world and entering the realm of adventure. This marks the point of no return, where the hero commits to the journey and embraces the challenges ahead.

Katniss in “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins crosses the threshold when she volunteers as a tribute for the Hunger Games, leaving behind her familiar district and entering the deadly arena where her survival skills will be tested.

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Two knights in a dramatic sword fight in a shadow world

Once on the journey, the hero faces a series of challenges, meets allies who help them along the way, and faces adversaries or enemies who oppose their progress. These experiences and relationships shape their development, expose their strengths and weaknesses, and provide opportunities for learning and transformation.

Frodo and his companions in “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien face challenges in treacherous landscapes, battles against Orcs and other creatures, and the corrupting influence of the One Ring. They gain allies like Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas while being pursued by enemies such as Sauron’s forces and the treacherous Gollum.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

This is the part of the story where the hero approaches a significant challenge or obstacle, often symbolizing their greatest fears or the story’s central conflict . It represents a crucial turning point where they must gather their courage and prepare for a major confrontation.

In Danielle Steel’s “Wings,” Cassie O’Malley accepts a contract to fly a world tour for the airplane manufacturer run by her husband.

Blond knight standing ready to attack in front of a huge red dragon

The hero undergoes a major ordeal, a high-stakes challenge or battle that tests their resolve, pushes them to their limits, and often requires them to confront their deepest fears or face death in a symbolic or literal sense.

In Nicci French’s thriller “Land of the Living,” Abbie Devereaux is physically confronted by the man who kidnapped her weeks earlier and killed one of her best friends.

After overcoming the ordeal, the hero reaps a reward or achieves a significant breakthrough. It can be a physical object, newfound knowledge, valuable insight, or an emotional transformation that empowers and motivates them to continue their journey.

During her quest to catch a serial killer red-handed, Kaylie, the main protagonist in Michael Prescott’s thriller “Stealing Faces,” manages to escape from the cell in the psychiatric hospital in which he had locked her up. She has proven she can match him on wit, strength, and resilience and bravely sets out to escape the hospital grounds.

10. The Road Back

Blond knight with light wounds on his face sneaking through a forest

With this reward, the hero begins their journey back to their ordinary world, facing further trials and obstacles. This stage marks the transition from the adventures and revelations of the special world to the familiar realm.

In Tess Gerritsen’s medical thriller “Harvest,” Dr. Abby DiMatteo escapes a shooting attack by participants in an illegal organ transplant ring. The detective who helps her to escape now believes that she is correct about the illegal transplants, and she goes home believing that the police will investigate further.

11. Resurrection

The hero faces a final and often ultimate test, representing a metaphorical death and rebirth. It is a moment of heightened danger, a final showdown with a powerful adversary, or a significant sacrifice demonstrating the hero’s growth, resilience, and transformation.

In Blake Crouch’s science fiction novel “Dark Matter,” Jason2 finds the main protagonist Jason and tries to kill him and take over his wife and son. However, Jason kills him and escapes with his family to their new life.

12. Return with the Elixir

Blond knight with golden crown victoriously raising his sword in front of a crowd of people

This is the final act of return, in which the hero returns to their ordinary world, bringing back a gift or newfound wisdom that can benefit their community or society. The elixir symbolizes the hero’s transformation and serves as a catalyst for positive change and growth in the ordinary world.

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling ends with Harry returning with the elixir of friendship, love, and the knowledge of his true identity as a wizard. He brings back the Philosopher’s Stone, which grants immortality and healing, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.

Examples of the Hero’s Journey

While the hero’s journey works best in the science fiction, fantasy, adventure, superhero, and coming-of-age genres, it can be found in almost any novel in which a protagonist is drawn out of their ordinary life into a series of challenging conflicts that physically and/or emotionally transform them.

Let’s look at two examples from the literature: a thriller and a supernatural novel.

“Intensity” by Dean Koontz

“Intensity” by Dean Koontz is a thriller that follows the harrowing journey of Chyna Shepard, a young woman who finds herself thrust into a terrifying 24-hour period that starts with her best friend being killed by a serial killer. She then follows the murderer to try to save his next victim, gets captured by him, escapes from his house with the future victim in tow, and ends up killing him in a life-or-death confrontation when he catches her.

Here is a breakdown of the story mapped onto the steps of the hero’s journey:

The ordinary world: Chyna accompanies her best friend, Laura, to her childhood home for a weekend visit. They are both psychology students, and Chyna struggles with trauma from an abusive upbringing.
Call to adventure: Their plans for a peaceful getaway are shattered when a ruthless murderer named Edgler Vess breaks into the house, brutally killing Laura’s family. Laura is still alive, and Chyna feels a responsibility to save her.
Refusal of the call: Chyna cannot locate a gun or any other effective defensive weapon. She is terrified of being caught, so she hides and watches helplessly as the killer loads Laura into his motor home.
Meeting with the mentor : Because there is no one who can help her, her mentor takes the form of her guilt and moral conscience. She remembers how she suffered from a lack of a savior while being abused as a child, and she recalls Laura’s selfless love and friendship. These considerations thrust her into the adventure.
Crossing the threshold: She enters the killer’s motor home and stays there with a knife as he drives off.
Tests, allies, and enemies: After discovering that Laura is dead, she remains committed to following Vess, as she learns from his boasting to workers in a convenience store that he is holding a 16-year-old girl named Ariel captive. Throughout the events that follow, her main allies are her fierce determination to survive and her love for abused girls, while her main enemies are Vess and her lack of appropriate skills for this situation.
Approach to the inmost cave: When they arrive at his house, she quietly enters behind him and finds Ariel still alive.
The ordeal: Vess finds her, knocks her out, ties her up, and asks her to tell him her story. She sinks into a deep depression, wishing to die before being killed by him.
The reward: When he goes to work in the evening, he leaves his vicious guard dogs to patrol the property. Chyna notices an elk wandering among the vicious dogs, giving her new confidence that hopeless situations may not be as futile as they seem.
The road back: Through a series of actions that destroy furniture and badly injure her, Chyna frees Ariel and escapes from the house in the motor home.
The resurrection: Vess spots her driving his motor home, shoots at her, and causes the motor home to crash. She sets him alight and manages to escape the flames.
The return with the elixir: Chyna swaps her psychology studies for literature, adopts Arial, and gently guides her through her recovery from extreme trauma.

“The Dead Zone” by Stephen King

“The Dead Zone” by Stephen King is a supernatural novel that follows the life of Johnny Smith, a man who develops psychic abilities after emerging from a coma caused by a devastating accident.

Mapped onto the steps of the hero’s journey, it would look like this:

The ordinary world: Johnny Smith is a teacher along with his girlfriend, Sarah. They go to a county fair one night, and while being driven back home by a taxi, Johnny is in a serious accident that leaves him in a coma for 55 months.
Call to adventure: When Johnny wakes up from the coma, he discovers that he possesses an extraordinary power whereby he can see glimpses of the past, present, and future of the people or objects he touches. He uses this power to find his doctor’s long-lost mother and to prevent his physical therapist’s house from burning down.
Refusal of the call: Johnny realizes he doesn’t want to use this power, not even to help people, since everyone stares, treats him like a curiosity, and refuses to touch him.
Meeting with the mentor: His doctor, father, and mother believe in his psychic abilities; they treat him normally, and the former encourages him to use them to solve a series of murders in the town of Castle Rock. This, combined with his sense of social responsibility, drive him to accept the call.
Crossing the threshold: Johnny meets with the main detective on the case and manages to identify the serial killer.
Tests, allies, and enemies: Through the years that follow, his psychic abilities are tested in small ways without massive publicity. His main allies are his father, doctor, and Sarah, and he meets his chief adversary in the form of a ruthless political candidate called Greg Stillson.
Approach to the inmost cave: After touching him, Johnny is sure that Stillson will become president, start a world war, and destroy large parts of the planet with weapons of mass destruction. But he knows that no one will believe him, as the only evidence lies in his psychic perceptions.
The ordeal: He successfully predicts a fire at a venue hosting a graduation party, but many children die because no one believed him before it burned.
The reward: This event gives him complete faith in his psychic abilities, but it also teaches him that no one else will believe his predictions of disaster before they occur.
The road back: Johnny takes a series of restaurant and roadwork jobs away from all the attention and media coverage while still following Stillson’s activities in the media.
The resurrection: After experiencing severe headaches and blackouts, he realizes that his brain damage is almost certainly fatal and that he doesn’t have years to observe Stillson and decide when to act. As a result, he attempts to assassinate him, but the bullet misses. Journalists film Stillson using a child as a shield to keep bullets from striking him.
The return with the elixir: At the novel’s end, Johnny Smith dies in peace, knowing that he has saved the world from the machinations of a monster.

How to Use the Hero’s Journey

A table covered by a typewriter, a sketch of the Hero's Journey structure and several scenes of a knight's narrative

Embarking on the storytelling adventure of the Hero’s Journey can be both exciting and daunting. Use this collection of beginner-friendly tips and practical techniques as a guide to tell a powerful story while still maintaining your creativity and unique voice.

Balance Structure with Creativity

Embrace the structure as a framework for your story while allowing room for creative twists and unique elements. You need to understand the key stages of the Hero’s Journey and how they can enhance your storytelling without feeling constrained by them.

Your primary task is to write a story, not to complete a list of steps., For example, if your hero is immediately enthusiastic about the journey and doesn’t experience fear or uncertainty about jumping into the challenge, omit the “refusal of the call” step. If there is no mentor and your protagonist needs to work everything out for themselves, that is perfectly fine.

Craft an Engaging Call to Adventure

Begin your story with an intriguing event, question, or situation that sparks curiosity and leaves readers wanting to know more. Introduce an element of mystery or uncertainty that compels both your protagonist and readers to embark on a journey of discovery.

Establish what is at stake for your protagonist and why the adventure is personally significant to them. Convey their desires, dreams, or ambitions that drive them to venture into the unknown, creating a strong emotional connection with readers.

Present a conflict or disruption in the protagonist’s ordinary world that forces them to confront a challenge or make a choice. Show the consequences of inaction or the potential for personal growth and transformation through the adventure.

Develop Compelling Heroes

Create relatable and multidimensional protagonists with flaws , desires, and relatable struggles.

They must have flaws for there to be a transformational journey. If they are already perfect, there is no necessary transformation for them to undergo, no skills to learn, and no difficult struggles to experience because they can already do it all.

They must also have desires for there to be a journey. If they desire nothing, then there is no adventure on which to embark because their current lives are already perfect.

Fill in all these details and ensure they fit with the challenges your heroes will confront.

Design Memorable Allies and Adversaries

While the emphasis is on your hero, it is important to develop memorable supporting characters who aid or challenge the hero’s journey, providing depth and dynamic interactions.

Give each character distinctive traits, quirks , and motivations that make them memorable and believable. Consider their values, fears, and desires, ensuring they have depth and complexity beyond their role in the story.

Develop allies and adversaries with contrasting personalities, beliefs, or goals that generate interesting dynamics and conflicts. Explore how these differences shape their interactions and create tension or unexpected alliances throughout the narrative.

Create Tension and Conflict

Clearly define your protagonist’s goals and desires, making them relatable and compelling for readers. Then introduce obstacles, challenges, or antagonistic forces that stand in the way of them achieving their goals, creating a sense of conflict and tension.

Employ a combination of fast-paced and slower moments to build tension and provide a sense of anticipation. Alternate between action-packed scenes and quieter, reflective moments to create a dynamic rhythm that keeps readers engaged.

Develop internal conflicts within your protagonist, such as moral dilemmas, self-doubt, or conflicting emotions. Highlight their inner struggles, as these can be just as compelling as external conflicts, adding depth and complexity to their character.

Introduce external conflicts, whether through antagonistic characters, opposing forces, or external events that threaten the protagonist’s progress. Consider physical confrontations, emotional confrontations, or clashes of beliefs and values to create a variety of external conflicts.

Showcase Transformational Ordeals

Establish the initial state of your character before the ordeal, portraying their flaws, weaknesses, or limitations. Show their dissatisfaction or lack of fulfillment in their current circumstances, setting the stage for their transformational journey.

Then present challenges or obstacles that test their beliefs, abilities, or values, pushing them to their limits. Make these difficult and impactful, requiring the character to confront their fears, make tough choices, or face their past.

Highlight the emotional impact of the ordeals on them, showcasing their struggles, fears, and internal conflicts. Dive into their emotional journey, exploring their reactions, doubts, and moments of vulnerability, allowing readers to empathize with their experiences.

Illustrate internal and external changes that occur due to the ordeals. Depict shifts in the character’s beliefs, values, mindset, self-perception, and concrete changes in their behavior, skills, or relationships.

Build Satisfying Resolutions

Address any outstanding plot threads or unanswered questions established throughout the story. Ensure that important elements, events, or characters are given appropriate resolutions or explanations, avoiding loose ends that leave readers unsatisfied.

Let your main characters experience personal growth and development, completing their character arcs. Show how they have changed, learned valuable lessons, or achieved their goals, giving readers a sense of closure and fulfillment for their journeys.

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our FAQ section, where we address the most common questions and concerns regarding the Hero’s Journey and its application in storytelling.

Are There Variations to the Hero’s Journey?

Yes. Christopher Vogler’s 12-step model is currently the most popular. It is a simplification of the 17 steps in the original composition by the first person that formulated it explicitly, Joseph Campbell . Many other theorists have also offered versions. For example, David Adams Leeming proposed a seven-step plan from the hero’s birth to death, and Phil Cousineau put forward a few possible modifications after interviews with Campbell.

What Are Alternative Story Structures?

Other story structures include the three-act structure, the Five-Act Structure, Dan Harmon’s Story Circle, Freytag’s Pyramid, the Fichtean Curve, and the Save the Cat beat sheet.

Can the Hero’s Journey Be Applied to All Genres?

Yes. The Hero’s Journey can be applied to various genres . While the Hero’s Journey is frequently associated with fantasy and adventure stories, the underlying principles of the Hero’s Journey can be adapted to suit various genres and narrative styles. The first person who made this story structure explicit, Joseph Campbell , formulated it after reading classics, including the bible and other religious texts.

What is the Role of the Mentor in the Hero’s Journey?

The role of the Mentor in the Hero’s Journey is vital and normally serves as a guide or teacher to the protagonist. The Mentor provides wisdom, guidance, and support to help the hero navigate the challenges and obstacles they encounter.

Why is the Hero’s Journey So Popular?

The Hero’s Journey is popular because it integrates universal storytelling elements that resonate with audiences across cultures and time. It provides a recognizable structure that guides the narrative, creates suspense, and fosters emotional engagement. By following the hero’s transformational journey, readers and viewers can relate to the protagonist’s challenges, triumphs, and growth, ultimately satisfying their desire for meaningful and impactful stories.

Who Invented the Hero’s Journey Story Structure?

A single person did not invent the Hero’s Journey story structure, as it had been used for millennia before being formulated explicitly by the American mythologist Joseph Campbell . His influential work, particularly his book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” explored the common patterns found in myths, legends, and religious stories from various cultures, ultimately outlining the framework of the Hero’s Journey as a recurring narrative pattern throughout human history.

Hero’s Journey vs. Heroine’s Journey: What’s the Difference?

The Hero’s Journey and the Heroine’s Journey explore the journeys of male and female protagonists and follow the same basic structure. Beyond the common structure, the Heroine’s Journey may emphasize different themes, challenges, and character arcs that are more aligned with the experiences and struggles of female characters.

Final Thoughts

The Hero’s Journey is a powerful and timeless story structure that captivates audiences and resonates deeply with the human yearning for transformation. Its twelve distinct steps provide a framework to guide you in crafting compelling narratives filled with growth, transformation, and emotional resonance. Whether used in fantasy, science fiction, romance, or any other genre, the Hero’s Journey offers a versatile tool that you can adapt as you see fit while writing a story that you and your readers will love.

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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.

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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.

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The Hero’s Quest: Understanding the 12 Stages of Adventure for Self Development

Let’s talk about the most important person in the world.

It’s not someone on the TV screen, it’s not someone on the Internet. It’s not a politician, it’s not an athlete.

It’s… you . You are the most important person in the world from your point of view.

You are the catalyst and originator for any major change in your life.

Because of that, it’s very important that you get familiar with a quest (that you most likely are already on).

That quest is “the monomyth” or “The hero’s journey”. It’s a quest that will help sharpen the sword of your life and allow you to face any obstacle you encounter head on.

In this article you’re going to learn:

What exactly is the hero’s journey
The different stages of the journey
Being the archetypal hero in your life
Things to be aware of in the journey
How to integrate this philosophy into your own life

Answering the Call: What Is the Hero’s Journey?

The hero’s journey is just what it sounds like: a grand undertaking performed by someone of interest (a hero).

It’s a scenario where the main character or protagonist of a story embarks on a quest full of danger and discovery, ultimately emerging as a different person than the one at the start of the journey.

By its nature, the journey involves trials and tribulations that change the very consciousness of the person who undergoes it.

Simply put: the hero’s journey is a necessary journey for all of us to go on regardless of who you are or where you’ve come from .

The Hero Archetype and Jungian Psychology

In the early 1900s, a Swiss psychoanalyst named Carl Gustav Jung or (C.G. Jung for short) developed a system known as analytical psychology.

This branch of psychology is heavily centered around archetypes, which is a universal image or motif embedded in the human psyche.

In other words, think of it as a pre-existing mold that guides actions, behavior, and character traits.

An example would be the character archetype of a “bad boy”. “Bad boys” come in all different flavors and backgrounds, but they still follow the same mold. Same goes with a “nice guy”.

When we talk about the hero’s journey, we are talking about a journey ultimately grounded in an archetypal cornerstone, meaning it has deep roots in human consciousness.

The journey from “zero to hero” or “boy to man” is something that has been repeated endlessly in various different cultures, stories, and movies from time immemorial.

Archetypes are something that goes very deep, but in this context, it is a universal journey that touches the core of the human and masculine soul.

Joseph Campbell and Archetypal Foundations

“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.” – Joseph Campbell, The Hero With a Thousand Faces

Joseph Campbell is another cultural touchstone who used archetypes to explain the hero’s journey and why it is so quintessential to the human consciousness.

In fact, he can be thought of as the one who pulled the hero’s tale from its murky esoteric surroundings and exposed it to the light of mainstream thought.

His book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces was one of the first books to use the archetypal psychology developed in part by Jung and use it as a roadmap for navigating the mental landscape of modern life.

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The 12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey: The Hero Cycle Explained

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The Hero’s Journey via Rebecca Ray, Storyboard That

The hero’s journey is a circular episodic drama that happens in stages with subtle gradations.

These stages have differing steps, each with definitive landmarks. This cycle is something that is seen in every quest large or small, and every person, old or young. This happens in 12 stages. What are the 12 stages of the hero’s journey?

Well, the 12 stages are as follows:

The Ordinary World – If ignorance is bliss, the hero is living it in. In this stage, the hero is unaware of the tasks that lie before him and what is required of him to complete them. At this stage, he is clearly mortal with specific character traits that will help or hinder him in his journey.
Call to Adventure – Like a clarion signal that flashes across the night sky, the hero knows this is the time to pick up his metaphorical sword and shield and thrust out into the world. He must confront a challenge that threatens either him and his way of life or his immediate loved ones. It will push him out of his comfort zone .
Refusal of the Call – The hero may encounter a blow to his self-confidence and sense of self-worth. He will then doubt himself entirely. He may head home with his tail tucked between his legs, wishing this was all a bad dream.
Meeting the Mentor – At this stage of the hero’s journey, the hero will encounter someone who can offer guidance and counsel. This may come in the form of a past hero who completed his own hero quest or someone who was near the end of the quest and failed to complete it. This mentorship will dispel his doubts about himself and give him the second wind to continue.
Crossing the Threshold – For many heroes, this is the point of the true beginning. Often a point of no return, it can symbolize the hero’s willingness and commitment to complete his quest.
Test, Allies, Enemies – This is the juicy part of the story. At this point, the hero meets his allies and adversaries in the form of intangibles such as shadows from the past or tangibles such as another companion on the journey. Each of these tests and figures will challenge and sculpt the hero in their own way and define his character even further.
Approach to the Inmost Cave – “Inside the cave you fear to tread lies the treasure you seek”. This stage gives meaning to that statement. This is where the hero will make a leap of faith into the unknown and test himself.
The Ordeal – This is a dangerous test that must be faced and defeated in order for there to exist a world in which the hero continues to exist. At this point, it will take everything the hero has to emerge victorious.
Seizing the Sword – The hero is then rewarded a prize for defeating his Ordeal. It may be in the form of great power, secret knowledge, reconciliation with himself or others, or even a fair maiden.
The Road Back – This is a reverse call out to the beginning of the journey and he will need one final boost to return to his previous world. At this point, he may choose between a personal objective or a higher calling.
Resurrection – This is a climax where the hero will have his final encounter – death itself. The battle also represents a far reaching consequence concerning his return to the ordinary world. At this point, he will emerge victorious or literally die, but this stage is a transformation.
Return With the Elixir – At this point, the hero returns home to his ordinary world a changed person. He is not the same and his life afterwards will never the be same. He often gains a large degree of self-acceptance and self-awareness of himself and his world around him.

Masculine Psychology and the Hero Archetype

Deep down every man wants to be an effective force in his life. He wants to have passionate relationships, a life of adventure, and lots of masculine energy.

The hero’s journey is required in some sense for the boy to become a man .

In times past, there were rites of passage for emerging men, usually which followed the hero’s quest more or less. Today, there are no real rites of passage, but that process of becoming a man is still necessary

Many modern men are accepting (even willing) to forgo this journey and watch other people live life.

Because many men have fallen to the ease in modern society, they have the mental and spiritual effectiveness of a boy half their age. They are literally stuck in some sort of “stasis” adolescent period.

So let’s say you are willing to go on this journey. That’s great. But as with any hero’s journey, there are some dangers on the path.

Dangers to the Journey

There are some uniquely modern dangers that threaten even starting the journey. Here’s a few of them:

Downplaying the Importance of the Call to Adventure

We live in the safest society that has ever existed, despite what people say on the news and such.

Our society is the accumulation of the work of millions of people past and present.

Because of this, we feel as if our life should be one of ease. We don’t really need to do hard stuff. We don’t need to go on the hero’s journey. It just isn’t that important – some would say.

If you fall into this trap, you risk the frustration of your innate potential and the chance that you will live a very stagnant life.

Spectatorism

It is better to blend in than to stand out. As a spectator, you can watch other people take the fall and take the blame. You can live a safe, comfortable, and passive existence due to the conveniences of our modern society.

But as just mentioned in the point above, you will most likely live a life of stagnation and lethargy because you aren’t “the man in the arena” who is consistently taking action and moving towards an ideal.

Lack of Crisis

“The drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of all our behavior, while everything else is a proximate cause.“ – Nir Eyal, Indistractible

Simply put, there is no urgency to do anything in life. Everything is already provided. There is no drama, no climax, no real sense of impending destruction that will arouse his latent capacities.

Even if you aren’t necessarily in a super well-off state, chances are low (especially if you’re reading this) that you’re in a state of scarcity and abject survival. You aren’t hard pressed for day to day necessities, even if money is a little tight. It’s something you can live with.

As Nir Eyal said in his book Indistractable , all behavior is a desire to relieve tension or pain. If there is no pain, if there is no tension, it will be very difficult for you to act much less go on the hero’s journey.

To circumvent all of these, you have to be willing to be the hero in your own movie.

Wrapping Up + Conclusion

If you want to get the max out of your life, you have to be willing to be proactive and pragmatic in your life. Seeing yourself as the center at the massive chain of cause and effect helps you to be less compulsive and more conscious about your actions and effect on other people.

The mindset that every action you take may save the world or damn it depending on what it is will give seemingly minor and innocuous actions heavier weight.

If you feel like the world is waiting with bated breath for you to “do good”, it makes it much easier to “do good” whether that be in the form of volunteerism, making more money, or having productive conversations with other individuals.

If we all brought a quality of responsibility to our lives, it would have a ripple effect that would spread out amongst the world and change it for the better.

This is where the desire to save not only the world but yourself comes into play in the hero’s journey – being an asset to people instead of a liability.

The hero’s journey is ultimately a journey where you think in terms of solutions instead of problems and progression instead of regression.

It’s one where you will ultimately become a different man than the one who started it. IF you decide to take it.

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12 Stages of a Hero Journey

This essay about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey outlines the twelve stages of this narrative framework, illustrating how a hero moves from an ordinary world to a realm of challenges and returns transformed. It starts with the hero in a familiar setting, facing a call to adventure which they initially refuse. With guidance from a mentor, they cross into an unknown world, facing tests and forming alliances. The central challenge occurs at the narrative’s midpoint, after which the hero receives a reward. The return to the ordinary world involves protecting this reward and a final resurrection where the hero must prove their transformation. The essay concludes with the hero’s return, bearing new wisdom or power. Campbell’s model not only serves as a blueprint for storytelling across cultures but also mirrors personal growth and life’s challenges, emphasizing the universal relevance of these narratives.

How it works

Joseph Campbell’s concept of the Hero’s Journey, as articulated in his influential work “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” has embedded itself deeply within the fabric of narrative storytelling. This framework, comprising twelve stages, sketches the archetypal journey of a hero who ventures from an ordinary world into a realm of supernatural wonders, confronts formidable challenges, and returns transformed. The elucidation of these stages enriches our understanding of narrative structures and offers profound insights into human psychology and the universal process of transformation.

The journey begins in the Ordinary World, where the hero’s initial state of normalcy is depicted. It is in this familiar setting that they experience the Call to Adventure, which disrupts their regular life with an invitation to face the unknown. Often, heroes exhibit a Refusal of the Call, where fear, insecurity, or a strong sense of duty hinders their willingness to engage with this new quest. However, the arrival of a Mentor brings wisdom, encouragement, and sometimes magical gifts that equip the hero for the trials ahead, nudging them towards Crossing the First Threshold into the unknown.

As the hero advances into new territories, they navigate a series of Tests, form Allies, and confront Enemies. These experiences serve as preparation for the greater ordeals that lie ahead. Approaching the Inmost Cave, the hero must make significant preparations, facing setbacks and inner conflicts that test their resolve and readiness for the central challenge of their adventure.

The Ordeal, often positioned at the narrative’s midpoint, presents a formidable challenge that threatens the hero’s survival. This critical confrontation demands everything the hero has learned thus far. Upon surviving, the hero claims a Reward, which might be a crucial insight, a powerful artifact, or a significant personal transformation, marking their capability to face the final parts of their journey.

The hero then takes The Road Back to their Ordinary World, a journey that can be as fraught with danger and challenges as their initial departure. This stage often involves a pursuit that forces the hero to protect their reward. The Resurrection represents a final cleansing and rebirth, a test where the hero must prove that they have transformed by applying all their lessons and insights.

Finally, the hero Returns with the Elixir, bringing newfound wisdom, power, or perhaps a literal token from their journey back to the Ordinary World. This return signifies the completion of their cycle of growth and the potential to improve the lives of others with the knowledge or power they have gained.

The Hero’s Journey, with its deep roots in mythological studies, continues to be a dynamic tool for understanding storytelling across cultures and epochs. It resonates because it parallels the human experience of growth through adversity, reflecting our own life’s quests for meaning and transformation. As such, it transcends the boundaries of mere storytelling to offer a lens through which to view our own life’s journeys, portraying the indomitable human spirit and its unending quest for improvement. Through Campbell’s framework, we not only see a formula for crafting compelling narratives but also a map for personal development and understanding the transformative adventures of our lives.

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Breaking Down the Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

You’ve read about George Lucas’s use of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth found in his 1949 book, A Hero with a Thousand Faces , which is a common narrative pattern found in many stories from many different cultures worldwide. This narrative journey typically involves several character archetypes that affect the hero’s journey from beginning to end.

After the successful debut of Star Wars and Lucas’s discussions on using Campbell’s work as inspiration for his space opera, many producers, development executives, filmmakers, and screenwriters have explored the Monomyth with deeper and simplified approaches.

Christopher Vogler's Interpretation of the Hero's Journey

When Christopher Vogler, a development executive and screenwriter at Disney, was inspired by Joseph Campbell's concept of the story monomyth, he crafted a seven-page memo for Disney's development team and incoming screenwriters.

This memo, A Practical Guide to Joseph Cambell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces , laid the groundwork for what would later become Vogler's 1992 book, The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters . In this book, Vogler expanded upon Campbell’s ideas.

He adapted Campbell's mythical story structure into twelve distinct stages (from Campbell’s initial seventeen). Our concise interpretations of these stages include:

The Ordinary World : We see the hero's normal life at the start of the story before the adventure begins.
Call to Adventure : The hero faces an event, conflict, problem, or challenge that makes them begin their adventure.
Refusal of the Call : The hero initially refuses the adventure because of hesitation, fear, insecurity, or any other issues.
Meeting the Mentor : The hero encounters a mentor who can give them advice, wisdom, information, or items that ready them for the journey ahead.
Crossing the Threshold : The hero leaves their ordinary world for the first time and crosses the threshold into adventure.
Tests, Allies, and Enemies : The hero learns the rules of the new world and endures tests, meets friends, and comes face-to-face with enemies.
The Approach : The initial plan to take on the central conflict begins, but setbacks cause the hero to try a new approach or adopt new ideas.
The Ordeal : Things go wrong, and added conflict is introduced . The hero experiences more difficult hurdles and obstacles, some of which may lead to a life crisis.
The Reward : After surviving The Ordeal, the hero seizes the sword — a reward that they've earned that allows them to take on the biggest conflict. It may be a physical item or piece of knowledge or wisdom that will help them persevere.
The Road Back : The hero sees the light at the end of the tunnel, but they are about to face even more tests and challenges.
The Resurrection : The climax. The hero faces a final test, using everything they have learned to take on the conflict once and for all.
The Return : The hero brings their knowledge or the " elixir " back to the ordinary world.

Within these stages are character archetypes that help to shape the hero’s journey, and their eventual character arc throughout the story.

Read More: Exploring the Twelve Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Two people racing on light motorcycles in 'Tron: Legacy,' Breaking Down the Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

'Tron: Legacy' (2010)

What Are Character Archetypes?

A character archetype is a common recurring representation of a character that embodies a set of universal and recognizable traits or characteristics. These archetypes are seen throughout literature, film, and other storytelling mediums—and they resonate with audiences because they are based on common human experiences or cultural norms.

Archetypes work well because they are instantly recognizable to readers and audiences. For writers, character archetypes can be adapted and molded with ease during character development.

Character archetypes are not specific characters in a story but rather broad categories or templates that individual characters can be based on or inspired by. They represent typical roles characters play in the narrative, and their actions and motivations are often predictable based on the archetype they represent.

However, writers can also choose to subvert those expectations to create a more dynamic character , as well as introduce much-needed twists and turns within the story.

Read More: 10 Character Archetypes in Comedies

Chunk (Jeff Cohen), Mikey (Sean Astin), Mouth (Corey Feldman), and Data (Ke Huy Quan) looking a treasure map in 'The Goonies,' Breaking Down the Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

'The Goonies' (1950)

The benefits of using character archetypes include:

Universality : Archetypes are universally understood and have similar meanings across cultures and historical contexts. This can especially help in the cinematic realm as movies are released in multiple countries and languages.
Symbolism : These character traits can symbolize a particular aspect of human experience or life. Once again, symbolism is identifiable across many cultures.
Predictability : Because they are based on common patterns, their behaviors and roles in stories can often be anticipated . Because of that anticipation, writers can choose between subverting those expectations or using the predictability of the archetypes to service the story and protagonist with ease.
Variability : While archetypes are typical patterns, they allow for variations and depth, meaning a single archetype can manifest in different ways across various stories, allowing writers can adapt these traits to any character.

Character archetypes can be used as tools to tell a compelling and universal story.

Four fishes in the dentist fish tank smiling at Nemo in 'Finding Nemo,' Breaking Down the Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

'Finding Nemo' (2003)

What Are the Character Archetypes in the Hero's Journey?

Many archetypes in the hero's journey—the threshold guardian, the herald, the shapeshifter, the trickster, the ally, and the tempter/temptress—are more defined in later interpretations and expansions of Campbell's work. People like Vogler applied his theories to modern storytelling so writers, readers, and audiences could more easily understand the dynamics of Campbell’s monomyth.

Here, we’ll break down the main character archetypes in the hero's journey utilized in Campbell’s Monomyth and Vogler’s expanded breakdowns and interpretations.

The hero is the central figure of the story (protagonist) who undergoes a journey, facing challenges and transformations. The hero often starts as an ordinary person who is then called to adventure. They are present throughout the entire journey , from the ordinary world to the return with newfound knowledge or power.

Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), Indiana Jones ( Raiders of the Lost Arc ), Katniss Everdeen ( The Hunger Games ), Barbie ( Barbie ), and Harry Potter (the Harry Potter series) are perfect examples of the hero character archetypes. You can include any protagonist within a story that goes on a physical or emotional journey.

As mentioned above, the hero in the hero’s journey usually begins their adventure within their ordinary world. This offers readers and audiences the chance to relate to the protagonist, empathize with their plight, and see the beginning of their character arc.

Read More: Why the 'Barbie' Movie is the Perfect Example of the Hero’s Journey

The shadow is the main antagonist of the story. The shadow reflects the darker aspects of the hero, sometimes represented as the mirror image (opposite) of the hero and their beliefs. Overall, they are the antagonist or villains present throughout the whole story in varied ways.

Read More: 15 Types of Villains Screenwriters Need to Know

The shadow can also be represented in metaphorical terms. If a story’s hero journey is the protagonist dealing with alcoholism or addiction, those vices can serve as the shadow/antagonist/villain.

The quintessential shadows in cinema include characters like Darth Vader ( Star Wars ), Voldemort (the Harry Potter series), and Sauron ( The Lord of the Rings series). But you can also find a less villainous shadow that takes on a lighter antagonistic role without purely evil intentions.

A perfect example of that would be Principal Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off . He doesn’t have evil intentions like a villain does. However, he is the shadow or mirror image of Ferris Bueller. Ferris believes in freedom an expression . Rooney believes in order and control of others.

Edward "Ed" R. Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) smiling at a group in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,' Breaking Down the Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (1986)

This character serves as a guide or teacher to the hero, providing them with advice, training, or magical assistance. The mentor is often a wise or experienced figure, although there have been literary and cinematic variances.

Look no further than the likes of Obi-Wan Kenobi ( Star Wars ), Yoda ( The Empire Strikes Back ), Mr. Miyagi ( The Karate Kid ), and Gandalf ( The Lord of the Rings series ) as core examples of the mentor.

Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) watching Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) in 'The Karate Kid'

'The Karate Kid' (1984)

Allies are friends or companions who support and accompany the hero through their journey. They often complement the hero's skills and help them face challenges.

In Star Wars , the allies of Luke Skywalker include Han Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids. In The Lord of the Rings series , the fellowship companions of Frodo encompass this character archetype. You can also look to any sidekick-type character as the perfect example of an ally:

Goose in Top Gun
Patrick in Spongebob Squarepants
Ron in Harry Potter
Billy in Big
Julie in Lady Bird
Rod in Get Out
Ned in the Spider-Man movies
Sam in The Lord of the Rings
Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Allies can also be characters who aren’t as close to the hero but offer some type of help along the way.

Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) and Julie (Beanie Feldstein) looking at houses in 'Lady Bird'

'Lady Bird' (2017)

The Threshold Guardian

These characters serve as obstacles the hero must overcome or circumvent on their journey. They are not always enemies but are present within the story to test the hero and give them the belief and ability to continue on their adventure.

Little John in the Robin Hood stories is initially the threshold guardian of the Sherwood Forest.

He eventually becomes an ally to Robin. But he’s initially a threshold guardian.

You can turn to Monthy Python and the Holy Grail as well. The Black Knight isn’t necessarily King Arthur’s foe. However, he’s there to defend the bridge at all costs.

The Herald

The herald is the character that initiates the call to adventure, pushing the hero to action, or providing the news or event that triggers their journey.

In Star Wars , R2-D2 is the herald of Luke’s journey because he delivers the message from Princess Leia to him . If Luke doesn’t see that message, he doesn’t show it to Obi-Wan Kenobi. And if Obi-Wan doesn’t see that message, he doesn’t convince Luke to come with him to join the Rebellion.

In Barbie , Weird Barbie is the one who tells Barbie the truth about what she is going through and what she must do to seek out the answers she needs.

The herald can be a major character, a supporting character, or even a minor character. In The Lord of the Rings , Gandalf is both mentor and herald, as he is the one who appears to Frodo, telling him he must bring the ring to Mordor.

The Shapeshifter

This archetype's loyalty and role are often unclear, and they can serve as an ally or an enemy to the hero. Sometimes both. Their unpredictable nature adds complexity to the story, usually resulting in twists and turns within the plot.

Snape in the Harry Potter series is one of the greatest shapeshifters in literature and film. His motives are unknown, mistaken, and hidden. He acts as both a shadow to Harry and later an ally.

Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series is another great example, embodying the role of an unpredictable ally whose loyalty is often questionable. Yes, he can be looked upon as an antihero protagonist of the movie. However, the clear hero of the story is Will.

Captain Jack Sparrow standing on the top of his sinking ship in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'

'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' (2003)

The Trickster

The trickster usually adds levity to the story through comic relief. They can be allies or enemies, but typically they cause trouble for both.

Jack Sparrow falls under this character archetype as well. But a better example may be Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. He embodies the definition of a trickster. He brings more comic relief to the movies after his initial first appearance in Thor .

Perhaps the better example would be Genie in Disney's Aladdin . He uses his powers for humorous and unexpected effects, often bending the rules and adding a lighthearted element to the story.

Tempter/Temptress

This archetype can be of any gender and represents temptation or distraction that diverts the hero from their path.

Catwoman in the Batman movies often plays the role of a temptress to Batman, combining allure with a morally ambiguous character.

Many of the Bond Girls in the James Bond films serve as temptresses, combining allure and mystery and often leading Bond into dangerous situations.

The Indiana Jones variation would be Elsa from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade .

One of the best examples of the Tempter playing a more pivotal role in the story is Avery Tolar in The Firm . He’s a senior partner at the law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke. His role is crucial in seducing the protagonist, Mitch McDeere, into the luxurious and corrupt world of the law firm.

He has a charismatic and persuasive personality. He mentors Mitch and exposes him to the high-stakes, high-reward lifestyle that the firm offers, including wealth, prestige, and power. Tolar's character is complex. He is a nuanced character who embodies the charm and allure that the firm uses to entice and trap its young associates.

His influence on Mitch is significant, as he represents the allure of success and the moral compromises that often accompany it. Tolar's character effectively demonstrates how the tempter archetype can be used to explore themes of corruption, temptation, and ethical dilemmas in a narrative.

The character archetypes found within the h ero’s journey offer writers the ability to take universal character templates and mold them to fit into stories that embrace the monomyth structure or use it as a starting point to tell a compelling and engaging story.

Use them in whatever way you’d like. They can encompass the more traditional definition within your story, or you can use these archetypes to set up expectations and later subvert those expectations to create a more enthralling and surprising plot.

Read More: Is Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey" Dead in Screenwriting Today?

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76

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

What is the Hero’s Journey?

The 12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

1. Ordinary World

2. Call to Adventure

3. Refusal of the Call

4. Meeting the Mentor

5. Crossing the First Threshold

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

10. The Road Back

11. Resurrection

12. Return with the Elixir

Examples of The Hero’s Journey in Action

The Martian

When should writers use The Hero’s Journey?

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

When your focus is on a single protagonist

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12 Hero’s Journey Stages Explained (+ Free Templates)

Stage 1: The Ordinary World

What is the hero’s journey?

12 Hero’s Journey Stages

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