The Hero's Journey
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The “Hero’s Journey” is a plot pattern coined by Joseph Campbell and detailed in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. I won’t get into the details here (you can Google it) except to share the following quote:
"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."
A Google search of the “hero’s journey” returns pages and pages of results; it is a topic well read, explained and discussed. The same holds true when I Google “plot methods and styles” because writers around the world share the methods to their madness.
How the journey relates to stories like The Wizard of Oz or Harry Potter I clearly understand. But does it apply to romance? Does my story need to follow the hero’s journey in order to capture my reader’s interest and leave her satisfied?
And what of the stories that come to us in our dreams, the ones that start out as big chunky pieces and then spread into details night after night? What of these plots, dreamed up and set in our subconscious before they spill onto paper?
I decided to take the test, to see if my “dream work” backs into the “Hero’s Journey” as best I understand it. I wonder if the journey rests deep within us, we who have read tens of thousands of books over a lifetime. Hmmmm.
Act I:
Does my hero/heroine start out in an ordinary world? I think so. My heroine is a 16-yr-old girl whose ordinary world is full of rules and punishments where she is stuffed in a neat little black and white package and beaten when she shows a little color. In spite of the confinement in her life she manages to have a strong spirit and a sense of adventure and she believes in love. My hero is a 17-yr-old boy who had a troubled youth and whose ordinary world is full of loss and betrayal and he has no faith in love and commitment.
Did my hero/heroine get a call to adventure? My hero’s call to adventure is a plea agreement sending him to live with a family friend where he meets my heroine and where he must stay out of trouble else his punishment will be hard time. My heroine’s call to adventure is when she sees my hero for the first time and suffers an immediate attraction.
Are they reluctant to go on the adventure/refuse the call? My heroine knows she should ignore the attraction but can’t deny it. My hero is sentenced to his adventure and when he meets my heroine he feels the pull of her attraction but denies it.
Do they have a mentor? My heroine has a grandfather figure that helps her deal with obstacles life throws her way, and a best friend who helps her transition from a plain girl to a beautiful young woman. My hero shuts himself off to others because of past hurts, and relies on no one but himself until he confides in my heroine.
Do they cross the first threshold? My heroine and hero go on a school trip and are thrown together as partners. The attraction and discovery begins to stitch together their souls. They share secrets and fall in love. The first kiss seals the deal; they’re committed to the journey.
Act II:
Do they encounter tests and helpers? Obstacles are thrown my heroine’s way but she doesn’t allow them to defeat her. My hero is afraid of what he is feeling and has second thoughts.
Do they approach the innermost cave? My heroine has not consummated a physical relationship with my hero because of her morals, but is overcome with passion and love and decides to risk everything. My hero stops himself from taking her because he knows when the passion cools she’ll have regrets. She’s sacrifices her morality; he sacrifices his cynicism and freedom. His heart now belongs to her.
Do they endure the supreme ordeal/secondary conflict? The week after my heroine almost gave herself to my hero; she is hurt by a villain. She blames herself for what happened and punishes herself by breaking up with my hero. She lies to my hero and tells him she’s found someone else and doesn’t want him anymore.
The villain taunts my hero who loses control and beats up the villain. My hero is betrayed and imprisoned.
My heroine reaches out to him to tell him the truth, but he denies her. She is thrown a big obstacle that gets her thrown out of her home and cut off from her parents.
Do they seize the sword/reward? My heroine is a survivor and against the odds she has made a good life for herself. But something is missing. My hero was released from prison with the help of a mentor. He has made a good life for himself. But something is missing.
Act III:
Do they have trouble on the road back? My heroine has a life threatening problem and must turn to my hero for help. He feels betrayed again and rejects her, but agrees to help her to save a life. She tries to explain why she hurt him, he refuses to listen.
Is there a resurrection? My hero learns the truth, my heroine didn’t betray him. My heroine is hurt but knows it all started with her lie; she is grateful for his help and forgives him.
Insert passion scene here.
Do they return with an elixir? The heroine gets the guy, the hero gets the girl, and the life is saved. They return to the ordinary world and live happily ever after.
Did I force fit my story to the Hero’s Journey? Did I get it right? Where did I go wrong? Is the Hero’s Journey essential to a good story? Is it relevant to a romance? Do you use the hero’s journey to plot your stories?
"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."
A Google search of the “hero’s journey” returns pages and pages of results; it is a topic well read, explained and discussed. The same holds true when I Google “plot methods and styles” because writers around the world share the methods to their madness.
How the journey relates to stories like The Wizard of Oz or Harry Potter I clearly understand. But does it apply to romance? Does my story need to follow the hero’s journey in order to capture my reader’s interest and leave her satisfied?
And what of the stories that come to us in our dreams, the ones that start out as big chunky pieces and then spread into details night after night? What of these plots, dreamed up and set in our subconscious before they spill onto paper?
I decided to take the test, to see if my “dream work” backs into the “Hero’s Journey” as best I understand it. I wonder if the journey rests deep within us, we who have read tens of thousands of books over a lifetime. Hmmmm.
Act I:
Does my hero/heroine start out in an ordinary world? I think so. My heroine is a 16-yr-old girl whose ordinary world is full of rules and punishments where she is stuffed in a neat little black and white package and beaten when she shows a little color. In spite of the confinement in her life she manages to have a strong spirit and a sense of adventure and she believes in love. My hero is a 17-yr-old boy who had a troubled youth and whose ordinary world is full of loss and betrayal and he has no faith in love and commitment.
Did my hero/heroine get a call to adventure? My hero’s call to adventure is a plea agreement sending him to live with a family friend where he meets my heroine and where he must stay out of trouble else his punishment will be hard time. My heroine’s call to adventure is when she sees my hero for the first time and suffers an immediate attraction.
Are they reluctant to go on the adventure/refuse the call? My heroine knows she should ignore the attraction but can’t deny it. My hero is sentenced to his adventure and when he meets my heroine he feels the pull of her attraction but denies it.
Do they have a mentor? My heroine has a grandfather figure that helps her deal with obstacles life throws her way, and a best friend who helps her transition from a plain girl to a beautiful young woman. My hero shuts himself off to others because of past hurts, and relies on no one but himself until he confides in my heroine.
Do they cross the first threshold? My heroine and hero go on a school trip and are thrown together as partners. The attraction and discovery begins to stitch together their souls. They share secrets and fall in love. The first kiss seals the deal; they’re committed to the journey.
Act II:
Do they encounter tests and helpers? Obstacles are thrown my heroine’s way but she doesn’t allow them to defeat her. My hero is afraid of what he is feeling and has second thoughts.
Do they approach the innermost cave? My heroine has not consummated a physical relationship with my hero because of her morals, but is overcome with passion and love and decides to risk everything. My hero stops himself from taking her because he knows when the passion cools she’ll have regrets. She’s sacrifices her morality; he sacrifices his cynicism and freedom. His heart now belongs to her.
Do they endure the supreme ordeal/secondary conflict? The week after my heroine almost gave herself to my hero; she is hurt by a villain. She blames herself for what happened and punishes herself by breaking up with my hero. She lies to my hero and tells him she’s found someone else and doesn’t want him anymore.
The villain taunts my hero who loses control and beats up the villain. My hero is betrayed and imprisoned.
My heroine reaches out to him to tell him the truth, but he denies her. She is thrown a big obstacle that gets her thrown out of her home and cut off from her parents.
Do they seize the sword/reward? My heroine is a survivor and against the odds she has made a good life for herself. But something is missing. My hero was released from prison with the help of a mentor. He has made a good life for himself. But something is missing.
Act III:
Do they have trouble on the road back? My heroine has a life threatening problem and must turn to my hero for help. He feels betrayed again and rejects her, but agrees to help her to save a life. She tries to explain why she hurt him, he refuses to listen.
Is there a resurrection? My hero learns the truth, my heroine didn’t betray him. My heroine is hurt but knows it all started with her lie; she is grateful for his help and forgives him.
Insert passion scene here.
Do they return with an elixir? The heroine gets the guy, the hero gets the girl, and the life is saved. They return to the ordinary world and live happily ever after.
Did I force fit my story to the Hero’s Journey? Did I get it right? Where did I go wrong? Is the Hero’s Journey essential to a good story? Is it relevant to a romance? Do you use the hero’s journey to plot your stories?
Tune in next month when I dissect a popular bestselling contempory romance to help answer the "to hero's journey or not hero's journey" question.
Great post, Jill! I devoured Joseph Campbelly when I was a teenager (weird, I know) and always found it a little disturbing how well it applies to stories all over the world.
Can't wait for your "dissection"!
Excellent post, Jill. Very interesting, the Hero's Journey.
<3