95
Chapter 3 Story Composition
CASE STUDY
The Hero’s Journey
One of the most used story structures is the
hero’s journey. Twentieth century American
mythologist Professor Joseph Campbell
analyzed thousands of myths and found
a group of common elements. He detailed
a complete list of these elements in his
books. The basic framework of just the most
essential elements is discussed here to help
you understand the role of the hero. This
story framework applies well to video games
and movies where a central hero is used.
The hero’s journey describes the typical
adventure for the hero archetype. The hero
can be male or female as gender is not part of
the hero’s conflict. The hero must achieve an
objective to save the tribe, city, civilization, or
other group that makes up his world. When
completed in order, the hero’s journey is a
cycle that returns the character home with
both the world-saving elixir and a personal
transformation or rebirth.
Similar to the hero’s journey is the heroine’s
journey. In addition to all the same internal
character development of the hero, the
heroine must also battle and balance the
elements of masculine and feminine traits
or roles. Unique to the heroine is that
she must remain a female throughout the
story. To complete the quest, she must also
master masculine skills as the hero. Use of
shape shifting is a common element in the
heroine’s journey. Shape shifting is a change
in the physical or outward appearance of a
character. An example is a lycanthrope like
a werewolf; the human form is shifted to the
wolf form. Shape shifting allows the heroine
to take on the persona of both the male hero
and the female heroine.
H
e
ro's
J
o
u
r
n
e
y
I
n
n
er
J
o
u
r
n
e
y
Ordinary World
Special World
1. Ordinary world
1. Limited awareness of problem
2. Call to adventure
2. Awareness of need for change
3. Fear; resistance to change
4. Overcoming fear
5. Commit to change
6. Experiment with new conditions
7. Prepare for change
8. Big change
9. Accept new life
11. Final attempt
10. New challenge; redirection
12. Mastery
3. Refusal of call
4. Meeting the mentor
5. Crossing the threshold
6. Allies, enemies, and heroic
tests or deeds
7. Approach
8. Ordeal
9. Reward
10. Road back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with treasure
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher