An Introduction to The Hero's Journey

Understanding the hero's journey can make creative writing class, literature class, any English class, easier to ace. Even better, chances are you'll enjoy the class immeasurably more when you understand why the hero's journey structure makes for satisfying stories.

Christopher Vogler's book, "The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers," draws from the psychology of Carl Jung and the mythic studies of Joseph Campbell—two excellent and admirable sources.

Jung suggested that the archetypes that appear in all myths and dreams represent the universal aspects of the human mind. Campbell's life work was devoted to sharing the life principles embedded in the structure of stories. He discovered that world hero myths are all basically the same story told in infinitely different ways. Elements of the hero's journey can be found in some of the greatest and oldest stories. There is a good reason they stand the test of time.

Students can use their remarkable theories to understand why stories like The Wizard of Oz, E.T., and Star Wars are so beloved and so satisfying to watch over and over. Vogler knows because he is a longtime consultant to the movie industry and, specifically, to Disney.

Why It Matters

We'll take the hero's journey apart piece by piece and show you how to use it as a map. In literature class, it will help you understand the stories you read and allow you to contribute more to class discussions about story elements. In creative writing, it will help you write stories that make sense and are satisfying to your reader. That translates into higher grades. If you happen to be interested in writing as a career, you absolutely must understand what makes stories with these elements the most satisfying of all stories.

It's important to remember that the hero's journey is a guideline only. Like grammar, once you know and understand the rules, you can break them. Nobody likes a formula. The hero's journey is not a formula. It gives you the understanding you need to take familiar expectations and turn them on their heads in creative defiance. The values of the hero's journey are what's important: symbols of universal life experience, archetypes.

We'll be looking at common structural elements found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams, and movies. It's important to realize that "the journey" can be outward to an actual place (think Indiana Jones), or inward to the mind, the heart, the spirit.

The Archetypes

In upcoming lessons, we'll look at each of Jung's archetypes and each stage of Campbell's hero's journey:

• Hero
• Mentor
• Threshold Guardian
• Herald
• Shapeshifter
• Shadow
• Trickster

The Stages of the Hero's Journey

Act One (first quarter of the story)

• The Ordinary World
• Call to Adventure and the Refusal of the Call
• Meeting with the Mentor
• Crossing the First Threshold

Act Two (second and third quarters)

• Approach to the Inmost Cave
• The Ordeal
• The Reward (Seizing the Sword)

Act Three (fourth quarter)

• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return with the Elixir