Joseph Campbell adapted his monomyth on the 12 stages of a hero from the work of Christopher Vogler. The movie is ranked among the most successful stories of its generation. The Heros Journey highlights stages that everyone must pass through in order to overcome the adversities of life. These stages are worth following to understand the deep structure of characters in movies.
The genesis for all characters is an ordinary existence. There is nothing special in life about the person. This position is preferred in drama and scripts because people can easily identify with it. It shows that there is not extraordinary about the heroes we encounter in life.
Call to Adventure is the point at which the ordinary person is summoned to take a particular action. This call to action is triggered by something that happens to people around him. There could be a threat to life, family or a situation that requires intervention. While the situation might not involve guns, but it is a scenario that requires the hero to come out of his comfort zone. There is usually resistance to this call at the beginning.
The hero then encounters a mentor who trains him on vital skills that will help him face the challenge ahead. These skills are rare and will define his performance once he is facing the ultimate challenge. The doubts that used to slow him down will be eliminated. The mentor trains him on very specific skills that will make him courageous and confident to face the challenge ahead.
Crossing the Threshold occurs when a star moves on to take up his call or task. The act to take on the call may come from compulsion or voluntarily. Such a hero finds himself doing something he has never done in his life. This is a point that signifies the commitment to pursue his calling and take on what life throws his way.
Tests, Enemies and Allies. The conqueror is now going into confrontation with the issues that lay ahead. These challenges could be emotional, physical, spiritual or of any other nature. They usually prevent him from moving forward. He has to find allies and deal with the enemies. It is this confrontation that will test his strength and resolve. It will reveal his character.
Approaching the Innermost Cave. This refers to the situation where the ultimate obstacle has to be dealt with. There is an actual location and the specific battle to be fought. Special preparations are required. The doubts that confronted him at the beginning resurrect. There are people whose fate depends on him overcoming the situation. This becomes an incredible source of tension in a plot.
Every hero must finally face his demon. This ordeal will demand that he summons all his strength. For victory to be realized, all the strength possible must be summoned. He faces a situation of life or death. It is after fighting the battle that he seizes the sword in order to claim his reward. There is the brief journey back to where it all began and a resurrection takes place. The hero then sublimes back into ordinary life.
The genesis for all characters is an ordinary existence. There is nothing special in life about the person. This position is preferred in drama and scripts because people can easily identify with it. It shows that there is not extraordinary about the heroes we encounter in life.
Call to Adventure is the point at which the ordinary person is summoned to take a particular action. This call to action is triggered by something that happens to people around him. There could be a threat to life, family or a situation that requires intervention. While the situation might not involve guns, but it is a scenario that requires the hero to come out of his comfort zone. There is usually resistance to this call at the beginning.
The hero then encounters a mentor who trains him on vital skills that will help him face the challenge ahead. These skills are rare and will define his performance once he is facing the ultimate challenge. The doubts that used to slow him down will be eliminated. The mentor trains him on very specific skills that will make him courageous and confident to face the challenge ahead.
Crossing the Threshold occurs when a star moves on to take up his call or task. The act to take on the call may come from compulsion or voluntarily. Such a hero finds himself doing something he has never done in his life. This is a point that signifies the commitment to pursue his calling and take on what life throws his way.
Tests, Enemies and Allies. The conqueror is now going into confrontation with the issues that lay ahead. These challenges could be emotional, physical, spiritual or of any other nature. They usually prevent him from moving forward. He has to find allies and deal with the enemies. It is this confrontation that will test his strength and resolve. It will reveal his character.
Approaching the Innermost Cave. This refers to the situation where the ultimate obstacle has to be dealt with. There is an actual location and the specific battle to be fought. Special preparations are required. The doubts that confronted him at the beginning resurrect. There are people whose fate depends on him overcoming the situation. This becomes an incredible source of tension in a plot.
Every hero must finally face his demon. This ordeal will demand that he summons all his strength. For victory to be realized, all the strength possible must be summoned. He faces a situation of life or death. It is after fighting the battle that he seizes the sword in order to claim his reward. There is the brief journey back to where it all began and a resurrection takes place. The hero then sublimes back into ordinary life.
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