Sunday, July 29, 2018

The Heros Journey, Stages Explained

By Kevin Edwards


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 points at a stage where there is need for the potential hero to act. It happens because of an extraordinary incidence in his life and that of people around him. The people face such challenges as injuries or safety threat to the people who are important in their life. Though not all situations involve guns, it will trigger the need for the star to ditch his comfort zone. Most heroes show resistance to the 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. This is a stage where there is enough pressure for the hero to answer to the call. The crossing happens voluntarily or he is forced. This is the point he will take on risks and engage in tasks that were previously difficult. He also shows the commitment to undertake the tasks that previously seemed impossible.

Tests, enemies and allies refer to a moment of confrontation. There are different challenges that have to be overcome. The obstacles could be spiritual, emotional or physical. Any whichever way, the obstacles stop our hero from progressing. The process of finding allies and overcoming them shows that this hero has what it takes. It presents a chance to test his strength and 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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