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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”.)

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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The 12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

The hero’s journey is a timeless storytelling pattern found in many works of literature and mythology. It provides a framework for creating compelling stories that resonate with audiences. This article explores the hero’s journey in detail, providing a complete resource for those seeking information on this topic and a guide for recognizing and understanding it in writing .

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What is the hero’s journey?

The hero’s journey is a widely recognized storytelling pattern that has been used for centuries in literature and mythology. It is a framework that helps writers create compelling stories that resonate with their readers by depicting a protagonist who goes through a transformative journey. The journey usually involves a series of challenges that the protagonist must overcome in order to achieve their goal. The hero’s journey is also known as the monomyth , a term coined by Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces .

The monomyth , or hero’s journey, is a storytelling pattern that transcends genres and time periods. It is a timeless concept that continues to be relevant today because it speaks to universal themes such as self-discovery, transformation, and growth.

Variations on the hero’s journey

While the twelve steps of the hero’s journey have become the most widely recognized pattern for storytelling, there are variations of the hero’s journey that have been developed over time. Some feature additional steps, while others emphasize different aspects of the journey. For example, Christopher Vogler developed a seven-step variation of the hero’s journey that emphasizes the role of archetypes in storytelling. Another variation, developed by Maureen Murdock, focuses on the journey of the female hero and includes steps such as separation, initiation, and return.

What is the purpose of the hero’s journey?

The purpose of the hero’s journey is to create a compelling narrative that resonates with readers on an emotional level. The hero’s journey is a timeless plot that has been used to create some of the most memorable works of literature and mythology. It speaks to themes of human experience, including self-discovery, transformation, and growth.

The 12 steps of the hero’s journey

The hero’s journey typically involves a series of specific steps that the hero must take to achieve their goal or complete their quest. The fundamental steps include:

The call to adventure , where the hero is presented with a challenge or opportunity that sets them on their path; the crossing of the threshold , leaving behind the known world and venturing into the unknown; various tests, trials, and allies that help the hero overcome obstacles along the way; a confrontation with a major enemy or obstacle; and finally, the return home , transformed and changed by their experiences.

Here are the twelve steps of the hero’s journey:

1 The call to adventure

This is the moment when the hero receives a call to adventure, which could come in the form of a message, a dream, or an encounter with a mentor or guide.

2 The refusal of the call

At this stage, the hero may initially refuse the call to adventure, often due to fear, doubt, or a sense of inadequacy.

3 Meeting the mentor

The hero encounters a mentor or guide who provides support, advice, and guidance on the journey ahead.

4 Crossing the threshold

The hero leaves behind the known world and crosses the threshold into the unknown, often encountering tests, trials, and challenges along the way.

5 Tests, allies, and enemies

The hero must navigate a series of tests, trials, and challenges, often with the help of allies and the opposition of enemies.

6 The approach to the inmost cave

The hero approaches the innermost cave or the heart of darkness, often facing their greatest fears and challenges.

7 The ordeal

This is the moment of the hero’s greatest challenge, where they face a major obstacle or enemy and must overcome it to continue their journey.

8 The reward

The hero achieves a reward—often in the form of knowledge, insight, or a powerful object—that helps them on their journey.

9 The road back

The hero begins the journey back, often encountering new challenges and obstacles along the way.

10 The resurrection

The hero experiences a moment of death and rebirth, often symbolized by a physical or metaphorical transformation.

11 The return

The hero returns home, transformed and changed by their experiences, armed with new knowledge and insights that they can use to benefit their community.

12 The freedom to live

The hero achieves a state of freedom and enlightenment, often living happily ever after or in a state of balance and harmony.

These steps provide a roadmap for creating powerful and impactful stories that audiences can relate to across cultures and time periods.

Examples of the hero’s journey

Examples of the hero’s journey can be found in many works of literature and mythology. Some examples include:

• The Odyssey by Homer
• The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
• Star Wars by George Lucas

Hero’s journey FAQs

The hero’s journey typically involves a protagonist who goes on a journey of self-discovery. The journey usually involves a series of challenges that the protagonist must overcome in order to achieve their goal.

What are the steps of the hero’s journey?

Some common elements of the hero’s journey include the call to adventure, refusal of the call, meeting the mentor, crossing the threshold, tests, allies, and enemies, the approach, the ordeal, the reward, the road back, the resurrection, the return, and the freedom to live.

Are there different types of hero’s journeys?

Some examples of variations on the hero’s journey are the heroine’s journey, the antihero’s journey, and the tragic hero’s journey. These variations add depth and complexity to the basic structure of the hero’s journey.

This article was written with support from Grammarly’s generative AI.

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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.

FREE RESOURCE

Hero's Journey Template

Plot your character's journey with our step-by-step template.

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.

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.

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?

Take this quiz and we'll match your story to a structure in minutes!

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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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:

“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.” 

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. 

Read more about perspective and POV here.

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

• What is your story’s ordinary world setting? 
• How is this ordinary world different from the special world that your hero will enter later in the story? 
• What action in this story will reveal the setting? 
• Describe your hero and their personality. 
• What action in the story will reveal details about your hero? 

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. 

Read more about Inciting Events here. 

The Call of Adventure can take many forms. It can mean a literal call like one character asking another to go with them on a journey or to help solve a problem. It can also be an event in the story that forces the character to act. 

The Call of Adventure can include things like the arrival of a new character, a violent act of nature, or a traumatizing event. The Call can also be a series of events like what we see in our example from Men In Black.  

The first Call of Adventure comes from the alien that Agent J chases to the roof of the Guggenheim. Before leaping from the roof, the alien says to J, “Your world’s going to end.” This pique’s the hero’s interest and hints at future conflict. 

The second Call of Adventure comes after Agent K shows up to question J about the alien. K wipes J’s memory after the interaction, but he gives J a card with an address and a time. At this point, J has no idea what’s happened. All he knows is that K has asked him to show up at a specific place the next morning. 

The final and most important Call comes after K has revealed the truth to J while the two sit on a park bench together. Agent K tells J that aliens exist. K reveals that there is a secret organization that controls alien activity on Earth. And the Call- Agent K wants J to come to work for this organization.  

• What event (or events) happen to incite your character to act? 
• How are these events disruptive to your character’s life? 
• What aspects of your story’s special world will be revealed and how? (think action) 
• What other characters will you introduce as part of this special world? 

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? 

• What will your character have to sacrifice to answer the call of adventure? 
• What fears does your character have about leaving the ordinary world? 
• What risks or dangers await them in the special world? 

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. 

• Who is your hero’s mentor? 
• How will your character find and encounter with their mentor? 
• What tools and resources will your mentor provide? 
• Why/how does your mentor know the special world? 

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? 

Read more about MacGuffins here.

• What event will push your hero into the special world? 
• Once they enter the special world, what keeps them from turning back?
• What is the dramatic question you will introduce?
• How will your hero’s life change once they’ve entered the special world?

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. 

Read more about creating villains here. 

J and K arrive at the city morgue to investigate the body of a slain member of Arquillian royalty. While there, J encounters the villain of the film. He is lured into a standoff with Edgar. Edgar isn’t Edgar. He’s a 10 foot tall, alien cockroach wearing an “Edgar suit.” 

J doesn’t know that yet, though. 

Edgar has also taken a hostage. He threatens the life of Dr. Laurel Weaver who has discovered the truth about aliens living on Earth. Dr. Weaver becomes an ally of J’s as he continues his search for the Arquillian’s galaxy. 

J is faced with a new test as well. Just before he dies, the Arquillian alien tells J that the galaxy is on Orion’s Belt. J must discover the meaning behind this cryptic message if he hopes to save Earth. 

• Who is the villain of your story, and what is their goal?
• Who are your hero’s allies?
• How will your hero meet them? And, How do everyone’s goals align? 
• How will your hero be tested? Through battle? A puzzle? An emotional trauma? 

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. 

• Where and how will your hero slow down and regroup? 
• What information or resources will they need to go into the final battle? 
• How can you introduce some humor or character development into this section? 
• What kind of “ticking clock” will you introduce to increase the stakes of your final act? 

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 

• What death will your hero confront? 
• What does “rock bottom” mean for your character? 
• How will your hero be changed on the other side of this death event? 

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.  

• What reward will your hero win?
• A physical treasure, hidden knowledge, inner wisdom, or all of the above? 

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? 

• How will your hero have to recommit to their journey? 
• What event will push your hero through their final test? 
• What final test will your hero face before they return to the ordinary world? 

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. 

• What final challenge will your hero face? 
• How will your hero use the skills they’ve used to overcome their last challenge?
• How will your hero’s allies help save the day?  

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. 

• How will you show that your character has changed from their journey? 
• What reward will they bring back to the ordinary world? 
• In what way will they change the ordinary world when they return? 

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

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: 

• Overcoming the Monster
• Rags to Riches
• Voyage and Return

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

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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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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:

• What the hero’s journey is and why it’s so prevalent in storytelling
• The origins of the hero’s journey concept by Joseph Campbell
• The 12 main stages of the journey outlined by Christopher Vogler
• Examples of the hero’s journey in famous myths, films, novels, and stories
• Tips for using the hero’s journey structure in your own writing

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:

• Ordinary World
• Call to Adventure
• Refusal of the Call
• Meeting the Mentor
• Crossing the Threshold
• Tests, Allies, Enemies
• Approach to the Inmost Cave
• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return with the Elixir

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

• The Call to Adventure
• Supernatural Aid
• Crossing the First Threshold
• Belly of the Whale

Act II – Initiation

• The Road of Trials
• Meeting with the Goddess
• Woman as Temptress
• Atonement with the Father
• The Ultimate Boon

Act III – Return

• Refusal of the Return
• Magic Flight
• Rescue from Without
• Crossing the Return Threshold
• Master of Two Worlds
• Freedom to Live

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:

• The Odyssey – This classic epic by Homer shaped much of the hero’s journey template through Odysseus’s long difficult voyage home after the Trojan War.
• Star Wars – Luke Skywalker’s journey follows the hero template faithfully, one reason the film resonates so powerfully.
• The Matrix – Neo’s journey from hacker to hero/savior closely aligns with the monomyth. Facing Agent Smith is akin to an ordeal and resurrection.
• Harry Potter – Harry progresses through each stage, mentored by Dumbledore, gaining allies like Hermione and Ron, facing enemies like Voldemort, dying and returning to defeat evil.
• The Lion King – Simba’s epic quest contains numerous stages like crossing a threshold into the elephant graveyard, undergoing an ordeal facing his evil uncle, and returning to restore the kingdom.

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:

• Have a clear vision of your hero and their ordinary world before disrupting it with the call to adventure.
• Make your mentor, allies and enemies dimensional, memorable characters that impact the hero.
• Structure key events like the ordeal, the climax, and the hero’s resurrection around the middle and end to shape the emotional arc.
• Customize the template to fit your unique story needs. Not all 17 stages must be included.
• Outline the stages before writing, but also allow some to emerge organically from story and characters.
• Include symbolic thresholds like crossroads, gates, bridges, or actual magical portals marking transitions into new worlds.
• Use tests in the special world to allow your hero to grow incrementally through small wins and losses.
• Consider how bringing back the “elixir” transforms not just the hero but also their community.

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!

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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!

• The origins of the Hero’s Journey
• The 12 Steps of the Journey
• Examples of the Hero’s Journey
• How to incorporate this story structure into your writing

Table of contents

• What is the Hero’s Journey?
• The Hero’s Journey: An Overview
• 1. The Ordinary World
• 2. The Call to Adventure
• 3. Refusing the Call to Adventure
• 4. Meeting the Mentor
• 5. Crossing the Threshold
• 6. Test, Allies, and Enemies
• 7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
• 8. The Ordeal
• 9. The Reward
• 10. The Road Back
• 11. Resurrection
• 12. Return With the Elixir
• Star Wars: A New Hope
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• The Hunger Games
• Bonus Option: Use the Hero's Journey in a Series
• What Stories Work With the Hero’s Journey?

Get it for FREE here: Get the PDF Here

Popularized by mythologist Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces , the Hero’s Journey is a story structure that has been used to tell exciting and captivating stories for centuries. Campbell, a literature professor, found that this was a common mythic structure. It’s widely known by the moniker the Hero’s Journey, but this name didn’t come around until well after Campbell’s 1949 book.

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.

• The Ordinary World
• The Call to Adventure
• Refusing the Call to Adventure
• Meeting the Mentor
• Crossing the Threshold
• Test, Allies, and Enemies
• Approach to the Inmost Cave
• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return With the Elixir

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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. 

• Introduce the world and the character in an interesting way. Readers will give you some leeway at the beginning of the book, but if it reads like a textbook, you’ll lose them pretty quickly!
• Give the character personality and dimension . Needs, wants, flaws, and characteristics don’t all have to come out right away, but there should be enough for the reader to want to follow the hero through 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.

• Most heroes will resist this initial call to action. The stakes should be very real and clear to the reader at this point. In many stories, the stakes will be life or death.
• Remember that your story needs to grow in intensity until it peaks at the climax. So the call to action should be dramatic, but things will get worse for the protagonist from here.

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.

• It’s good to have the character refuse the call for a reason that ties in with the need or want established in the first step of the Hero’s Journey. 
• Give them a good reason to refuse — and an even better reason to finally heed the call to adventure. 

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. 

• Make it clear that, without the mentor, the protagonist would likely fall flat were they to continue on unaided. 
• The hero’s time with the mentor should ultimately result in a revelation , giving the hero exactly what they need (or at least what they think they need) to face the antagonist or challenge. 

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. 

• Until this point, the hero has had one foot in their ordinary world. Now, there’s no choice but to go forward into unknown territory, otherwise called the special world. 
• The hero’s reaction to this pivotal story beat should be in line with what the reader knows about them. They need to work for any major changes that come about in this section. 

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. 

• While the allies may want the same thing as the hero, they may have conflicting views on how to get it. Everyone in agreement all the time makes for a boring story. 
• The hero’s abilities should be in doubt — both by the hero and the reader. 

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.

• This is a good place for the characters to formulate a plan of attack, clarifying the price of failure and the prize for success. 
• At this point, the hero has redoubled his effort and believes he is ready to face the challenge, despite his setbacks. The ordinary world is now far behind and impossible to get back to. The only way out is through. 

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 . 

• This section is a long one, taking nearly a fifth of the story. It should be dramatic, compelling, and speak directly to the heart of both the external and internal conflicts of the story.
• Don’t be afraid to make things hard on your characters in this section. Even though the reader knows the hero will prevail, they should be left wondering in this section. 

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. 

• It should be clear to the reader how the reward will help the hero to finish the journey.
• This is a major milestone in the journey and should be treated as such. It also marks the end of act two.  

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. 

• It should be clear to the reader why the hero must face the antagonist once and for all. There should be no choice, given who the hero has become and the stakes they now face. 
• This is a good place to re-establish the central conflict of the story and make clear the results of failure. 

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. 

• Like every other challenge, the hero needs to earn this victory by sacrificing something for it. In some stories, the hero may even sacrifice him or herself.
• By vanquishing the antagonist, the hero should find the strength or gain the knowledge to address their internal conflict in a satisfactory manner. 

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.

• Re-establish the hero’s internal conflict and show how solving it has changed their view and life, completing the character arc . 
• If you’re writing a series, provide a hook for the next story here by hinting at another conflict the hero will need to deal with. 

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.

• Luke Skywalker — an archetypal hero — in his Ordinary World, living with his aunt and uncle, hoping for adventure. 
• Luke’s Call to Adventure comes when he activates a hidden message from Princess Leia that R2D2 is carrying for Obi-Wan Kenobi. 
• Luke initially Refuses the Call — until he returns home to discover his aunt and uncle have been killed by Imperial forces.
• While Luke has already met his Mentor (Obi-Wan), the active mentoring really starts after Luke's home has been destroyed and the only family he's ever known killed.
• When Luke, Obi-Wan, and the droids step into the dangerous Mos Eisley Spaceport, it signifies the beginning of Luke's heroic journey and the Crossing of the Threshold. 
• Luke and Obi-Wan hire a couple of Allies, Han Solo and Chewbacca, to transport them off the planet. Once on the Millennium Falcon, Luke's Tests begin. 
• The Approach to the Inmost Cave happens when the Death Star captures the Falcon in a tractor beam and pulls them in. 
• The Ordeal happens while Obi-Wan goes off to try and disengage the tractor beam. Luke, Han, and the others rescue Princess Leia. Obi-Wan confronts Darth Vader and sacrifices himself so the others can get away. 
• With the Rewards (the Death Star plans and the princess), Luke thinks he should be able to defeat the Empire. And while Obi-Wan's death weighs on him, he can see success ahead.
• The Road Back is interrupted as the Falcon is attacked. They have no choice but to go to the Rebel base to deliver the Death Star plans, even though they’re being tracked.
• As the Rebels are attacking the Death Star, Obi-Wan's voice speaks to Luke, telling him to use the Force. Luke does, using all that he's learned and finally “sacrificing” his old self, embracing the Force and “Resurrecting” as a true hero. He fires and blows up the Death Star.  
• Luke Returns to the Rebel base triumphant. Both he and Han Solo receive medals and accolades for delivering the (temporary) blow to the evil Empire.
• We get to see Frodo’s idyllic Ordinary World in the Shire. The idea of adventure is attractive to him, but not overly so.  
• Frodo’s Call to Adventure begins after Bilbo disappears, leaving behind the Ring, which Gandalf entrusts to young Frodo. 
• Frodo Refuses the Call not just once, but repeatedly throughout the story. He feels he is not the one to be entrusted with such a job of carrying and disposing of the Ring. 
• Gandalf acts as Frodo’s Mentor, instructing him on what he must do to protect the Ring and, in so doing, protecting the Shire. 
• Frodo and Sam quite literally Cross the Threshold as they leave the Shire after splitting from Gandalf. 
• Frodo and Sam run into Allies Merry and Pippin on their way toward Bree. They are also Tested by Enemies as they’re pursued by the Nazgûl. These tests continue until the group gets to Rivendell. 
• The Approach to the Inmost Cave is the group’s approach to the Mines of Moria — literal caves. 
• The Ordeal happens inside the Mines of Moria as the group is attacked by orcs and then Balrog, which Gandalf fights off, falling down into the depths and presumed dead. 
• The Reward is sparse in The Fellowship of the Rings. Gandalf is gone, and the group escapes with their lives. 
• The Road Back isn’t signified in this story by a turn back to the Ordinary World. Instead, it’s Frodo’s stay in Lothlórien, where he sees the stakes of his failure in a vision. 
• The Resurrection is the climax of the story, where the Uruk-hai catch up with the group and Boromir betrays Frodo, trying to take the ring from him. Frodo realizes he must travel alone to Mordor. 
• The Return with the Elixir portion is Sam’s refusal to let Frodo journey alone. Frodo pulls him into the boat and they cross the river together. Meanwhile, the rest of the Fellowship are determined to save Merry and Pippin. To be continued . . . 
• We see Katniss Everdeen living in her Ordinary World (District 12) with her mother and sister. It’s a bleak, depressing world, but it’s her Ordinary World nonetheless.
• After Prim, Katniss’s sister is called for Tribute, Katniss volunteers in her stead. This is the Call to Adventure. 
• This is one example of a story with no real Refusal of the Call. She may not want to take part in the Hunger Games, but she makes the decision and sticks with it to save her sister. 
• Katniss meets Haymitch, her Mentor. Though a drunk, he guides her on the politics and gives her tips on surviving the Games. 
• Katniss Crosses the Threshold when she’s put on the train to the capital, leaving her Ordinary World behind.
• The Tests, Enemies, and Allies section starts when she has to navigate the preparation for the Games. She meets Rue and has Peeta as an ally, as well. The Careers are clearly enemies to contend with later. 
• Katniss Approaches the Inmost Cave when the Hunger Games begin. 
• The Ordeal is plain to see as the Games commence, and Katniss struggles to stay alive amid the chaos. 
• The Reward comes when only Katniss and Peeta are left alive in the arena. They don’t have to fight, thanks to a rule change; they can both claim victory. 
• It looks good for Katniss and Peeta until the Capital changes the rules again, putting an obstacle in the path of the Road Back. Suddenly, they’re forced to decide which of them gets to live. 
• The Resurrection portion of the story plays out as Katniss and Peeta threaten to kill themselves, leaving no winner and possibly sowing the seeds of revolution. The Capital changes the rules again, allowing both of them to claim victory. 
• Katniss gets to live, Returning from the Games as a hero. One who just may be able to make some real change to her Ordinary World.  

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.

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• Progression

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

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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