Joseph Campbell is a mythologist who studied mythologies in a different method than did others. Instead of studying by contrasting how they were different, he compared how they were the same. This led to the development of the heros journey. It is used both by authors to direct their plots, and by individuals to direct their lives.
This idea is much more than just a story structure. It is much more than a plotting element, though it is valuable as that in and of itself. It is a road map for self-development, however. Though it is recognized in psychological perspectives, it is a strong way to plan a story using the same principles to make the protagonist in a story become real to the reader.
Departure is one of the steps of this journey. The character or person has to depart to the unknown, leaving the safety of the familiar and venture out to adventures, whether it be a character in a story or a person on a personal journey that must leave the familiar into a future they do not know about.
Initiation is the stage when the hero faces all the trials and tribulations. They must face the dangers, monsters, or whatever their challenges are. The hero's skill and ability to handle conflict is tested. He may not always triumph, in fact he will not, but must persevere regardless to the outcome he faces.
The hero comes home during the stage appropriately named return. He is no longer the same person, however. The trials he has endured has changed him into a more mature person. He has achieved a goal, and is now a more mature person. This is the ultimate journey, with the growth and maturation desired of the character.
This journey can be related to the drama of a story. The departure stage is the same as the thesis. This is the world as it currently is for the protagonist. The antithesis is when the character faces opposing forces, and the antagonist. The synthesis stage is when the hero has accomplished, or not, all he sets out to do, and goes home to try and combine the old world and the new one.
The three stages in the journey translates to ten steps. These are include: Step 1-The Ordinary World; Step 2-The Call to Adventure; Step 3-Cross the First Threshold (point of no return); Step 4-Trials, Friends, and Foes; Step 5-Magical Mentor (or the Mentor with Supernatural Aid); Step 6-Dragon's Lair; Step 7-Moment of Despair; Step 8-Ultimate Treasure; Step 9-Homeward Bound; Step 10-Rebirth & The Champion's Return.
Each of the steps fit into the three stages. These same stages and steps can be seen in a person's personal development as well. Sometimes a character that is part of a series remains static, not maturing. Just as a character can be "stuck" in one or more steps, not showing maturity but remaining static, so too can a person's personal development get stuck. The whole process has been detailed in depth in several book length works, but the process can be seen in outline form to guide a writer's plot.
This idea is much more than just a story structure. It is much more than a plotting element, though it is valuable as that in and of itself. It is a road map for self-development, however. Though it is recognized in psychological perspectives, it is a strong way to plan a story using the same principles to make the protagonist in a story become real to the reader.
Departure is one of the steps of this journey. The character or person has to depart to the unknown, leaving the safety of the familiar and venture out to adventures, whether it be a character in a story or a person on a personal journey that must leave the familiar into a future they do not know about.
Initiation is the stage when the hero faces all the trials and tribulations. They must face the dangers, monsters, or whatever their challenges are. The hero's skill and ability to handle conflict is tested. He may not always triumph, in fact he will not, but must persevere regardless to the outcome he faces.
The hero comes home during the stage appropriately named return. He is no longer the same person, however. The trials he has endured has changed him into a more mature person. He has achieved a goal, and is now a more mature person. This is the ultimate journey, with the growth and maturation desired of the character.
This journey can be related to the drama of a story. The departure stage is the same as the thesis. This is the world as it currently is for the protagonist. The antithesis is when the character faces opposing forces, and the antagonist. The synthesis stage is when the hero has accomplished, or not, all he sets out to do, and goes home to try and combine the old world and the new one.
The three stages in the journey translates to ten steps. These are include: Step 1-The Ordinary World; Step 2-The Call to Adventure; Step 3-Cross the First Threshold (point of no return); Step 4-Trials, Friends, and Foes; Step 5-Magical Mentor (or the Mentor with Supernatural Aid); Step 6-Dragon's Lair; Step 7-Moment of Despair; Step 8-Ultimate Treasure; Step 9-Homeward Bound; Step 10-Rebirth & The Champion's Return.
Each of the steps fit into the three stages. These same stages and steps can be seen in a person's personal development as well. Sometimes a character that is part of a series remains static, not maturing. Just as a character can be "stuck" in one or more steps, not showing maturity but remaining static, so too can a person's personal development get stuck. The whole process has been detailed in depth in several book length works, but the process can be seen in outline form to guide a writer's plot.
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