The
Hero’s Journey
In the book, “The Hero
with a Thousand Faces,” Joseph Campbell unfolds his understanding and gives
insight to comparative mythology, and outlines something that Campbell refers
to as the “Hero’s Journey,” which is a universal motif of adventure and
transformation that, “…runs through virtually all of the world’s mythic
traditions.” In this essay, I’d like to present the first three steps of the
Hero’s Journey, along with evidence that the design of the Hero’s Journey is
indeed a universal storytelling tool, and that many successful storytellers
have structured their stories in this way. I’m also going to present evidence
that bits and pieces of the Hero’s Journey are present (in one form or another)
in our everyday lives.
To begin, Campbell delves
into comparative mythology, looking to the stories of the past that have
inspired millions, to lay out the structure of the journey. To introduce the
first element of the journey, called, “The Call to Adventure,” Campbell calls
upon one of Grimm’s fairy tales, namely “The Frog King,” wherein he describes one
of the ways that the protagonist is called on the adventure, which in the case
of “The Frog King,” is by a blunder, or accident. Campbell states that, “A
blunder – apparently the merest chance – reveals an unsuspected world, and the
individual is drawn into a relationship with forces that are not rightly
understood…[and] the blunder may amount to the opening of a destiny” (Campbell,
p. 42).
Campbell calls the next
step in the Hero’s Journey, if the hero does not refuse the call to adventure,
“Supernatural Aid,” wherein the hero is helped along by a protective figure,
who Campbell notes is “…often a little old crone or old man, who provides the
adventurer with amulets against the dragon forces he is about to pass”
(Campbell, p. 57). These figures provide purpose and confidence to our main
character on their journey, but this mentor figure cannot stay with our hero
for the duration of their journey, for the hero’s sake.
The third step in the
journey is called, “The Crossing of the First Threshold.” This is the point of
no return for the protagonist, the moment where the hero becomes profoundly
aware that they’re not in Kansas anymore. The protagonist must move past the
first threshold, even though they may feel uncomfortable or uncertain about
doing so.
Many storytellers have
used and adapted Campbell’s model of the Hero’s Journey as they have told their
own stories. Some of the filmmakers who have used the Hero’s Journey include
George Lucas (Star Wars), Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings), and JJ Abrams
(Star Trek). Luke Skywalker is called on his journey by his mentor, Obi-Wan
Kenobi. James Kirk is called on his adventure by Captain Pike, and Frodo
Baggins is called on his adventure by Gandalf the Grey. Luke is also aided by a
few other forms of supernatural aid on his journey, those being the Force, and
another mentor figure, Yoda. Once on the Hero’s Path, Luke crosses the first
threshold in the form of the space port Mos Eisley. Almost nothing here is
familiar to him as he has his first hostile encounter with the alien at the bar
who threatens to kill him.
Star Wars has become a
cultural phenomenon: something that has become so deeply rooted into the fabric
of our society, that almost everybody knows what it means when they’re told, “May
the Force be with you.” Lucas’ adaptation of Campbell’s model was critically
successful as well as commercially successful. According to boxofficemojo.com,
Star Wars (A New Hope) has earned over $775,398,007 worldwide, ranking among
the most commercially successful films of all time. Film critic Roger Ebert
gave the 1977 film five out of five stars, stating that, “The movie relies on
the strength of pure narrative, in the most basic storytelling form known to
man, the Journey. All of the best tales we remember from our childhoods had to
do with heroes setting out to travel down roads filled with danger, and hoping
to find treasure or heroism at the journey's end…Here, all mixed together, were
whimsy and fantasy, simple wonderment and quietly sophisticated storytelling.”
On that day in 1977, Roger Ebert became one of the millions of fans the world
over who relate with the farm-boy Luke Skywalker, as he defies all odds and
becomes the Hero that we all wish we could become.
Joseph Campbell’s model
of the Hero’s Journey has had an influence on many influential filmmakers and
storytellers, and is a model of patterning stories that continues to affect
popular culture to this day. The Hero’s Journey resonates with so many people
because of our innate desire to be the Hero: To be called on an adventure to
quell the forces of evil and to save the galaxy, and to become a better person
throughout the adventure.
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