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Peter Torpey
Professor Jacobo
Cinema 26
11 April 2015
The Hero’s Journey
The Hero’s Journey has been used as a framework for many American made
films throughout the 20th century. Also referred to as the monomyth, it was described by
Joseph Campbell in his book, A Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell argues that
many myths from different cultures use this basic pattern in various stories. Years of
research lead him to discover several basic stages that every hero goes through.
Although there are many variations of “the monomyth” they all contain the same basic
structure.
Campbell’s work has influenced many American filmmakers. George Lucas, the
creator of Star Wars, claims that Campbell’s monomyth was the inspiration for his
groundbreaking films. Lucas also believes that Star Wars is such a popular saga
because it taps into a timeless story-structure which has existed for thousands of years.
Other popular films that have used the monomyth include: The Wizard of Oz, Lord of
the Rings, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and many more. It is used in many
different kinds of movies varying from action movies like star wars, fantasy movies like
Lord of the Rings, and Disney movies such as The Lion King.
As I mentioned before there are many different variations of the Hero’s Journey.
People have different components to the story. There are many different forms of it
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which have been revamped and changed slightly over the years. This essay will analyze
the twelve part monomyth illustrated and described by Joseph Campbell himself. I will
explain each section thoroughly and give examples from popular films.
The First part of the hero’s journey is often called, “The ordinary world.” In the
ordinary world, we see our hero in his/her original state of being. Here they are often
unsatisfied or just bored with their current situation. The main character never really
seem to fit in and are yearning for something exciting to happen. In this stage, we see
the character often trapped in a situation they are not happy with but are not really
aware a deeper problem exists. A good example of this would be Harry Potter. He is
stuck living with his Uncle and Aunt who repress him, and do not give him the basic
freedoms his cousin has. Harry wants out of his current situation but is not currently
aware of any possibilities. He does not now about his magical powers therefore he is
not aware of the great wizard he is. It is similar in Star Wars, where we see Luke not
satisfied working his Uncles harvest and seeks to join the rebellion. Luke is unaware of
the force and that he has the potential to be a hero and the ongoing battle with the
empire (Introduction 1).
The second part of the hero’s journey is the call to adventure. This is where our
main character becomes aware of an alternative situation and gets called away from the
ordinary world. Although this is the call our protagonist has been waiting for, they are
still reluctant to leave their family/friends/home. It is often a bizarre circumstance that
does not usually occur in the hero’s ordinary world. As Campbell describes it, “A
blunder-the mearest chance- reveals an unsuspected world (Namaste 1).” In Star Wars
we see this occur when R2-D2 plays a message to Luke which shows the princess
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pleading for help against the empire. Luke wants to help the princess by joining the
rebellion, thus he is called.
The next stage is refusal of the call. In the call, the hero is given a task or quest
in which only they can complete. They can either accept or deny this quest. By
accepting it, they would leave the ordinary world and set off on a dramatic adventure.
Although this is what the hero has always wanted, there is still something holding them
back (Introduction 1). We witness our hero reluctant to change and go out of their
comfort zone. In Star Wars we see Luke reluctant to follow Obi Wan because he feels
obligated to stay and help out his Aunt and Uncle on the farm. In the hunger games we
see Katniss hesitate to step up and replace her younger sister in the games. By refusing
the call, they are refusing a chance to leave the ordinary world and explore a world they
have not yet seen. We see this refusal of the call in just about every movie, but they
ultimately end up accepting it, otherwise it wouldn’t be a good movie.
Meeting the mentor is the next part of the journey. Here we see the hero
overcome reluctance and accept the challenge with an influence of a mentor. The
mentor is often a supernatural character that gives them the means to complete the
quest. These mentors have often lived through the experiences our hero is called to or
wants. They provide wisdom and insight to our hero and have the experience to back it
up. They are often an older person with a lot of background knowledge that the hero
needs in order to understand the task at hand (The Hero’s Journey-TV Tropes 1). In The
Hobbit we see Gandalf as a mentor to Bilbo Baggans who informs him of his call and
gives him the tools and intellect he needs to complete the task. In the Harry Potter
series Dumbledore serves as a teacher to Harry Potter and often guides Harry in the
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right direction. Without the mentor, our hero would be lost and have no direction in
which to follow. The mentor serves as a wise, knowledgeable leader who lays out a path
which our hero can choose to follow.
After meeting the mentor, our hero will almost always cross the threshold. This is
where they leave the ordinary world and enter into the special world. Here we see our
hero overcome their reluctance and leave the ordinary world. They are committed to
change and seek to gain a new life in an unpredictable setting. As they embark on their
journey, the hero is entering the unknown, in a world they have never experienced
before (Introduction 1). Luke realizes this is Star Wars once his Aunt and Uncle are
killed. He understands he is now able to accept the challenge and go along with Obi-
Wan to Mos Eilsley Spaceport where they will find a ship to deliver the plans to
