The document discusses Joseph Campbell's theory of the monomyth or the hero's journey, which is a pattern of narrative archetypes that appears in stories across cultures. It describes the typical stages of the hero's journey as defined by Campbell, including the ordinary world, the call to adventure, crossing a threshold, trials and ordeals, and return with experience. The document also discusses related concepts from Carl Jung and James Joyce and examples of the hero's journey pattern in stories like Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, and The Hunger Games.

1. The Hero’s Journey
David P. Wood
@prototypo
January 2015
Updated March 2015

2. All my stories are like the Greek
and Roman myths, and the
Egyptian myths, and the Old and
New Testament.
— Ray Bradbury

3. Joseph Campbell, mythologist
Developed the theory of
the hero’s journey in
literature and mythology

4. “In his study of world hero myths
Campbell discovered that they are all
basically the same story –
retold endlessly in infinite variations.”
— Christopher Vogler

5. Carl Jung, psychiatrist
Developed concepts of
archetypes, and the
collective unconscious

6. James Joyce, novelist
Combined many symbols from
mythology, history, and literature
Coined the term “monomyth”

7. The hero’s journey
monomyth archetypes

8. The Hero’s Journey
8. Abyss
Ordeal, Death &
Rebirth
Known: Ordinary World
Unknown: Special World

9. The Hero’s Journey
8. Abyss
Ordeal, Death &
Rebirth
Mentor
Helper
Threshold
Guardians
Threshold
Guardians

10. The Hero’s Journey
8. Abyss
ordeal, death &
rebirth
1. Ordinary world
2. Call to adventure
3. Refusal of the call
4. Meeting
the mentor
5. Crossing the
threshold
6. Tests, allies,
enemies
7. Approach
9. Reward, seizing
the sword
10. The road
back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with elixir

11. The Hero’s Journey
8. Abyss
ordeal, death &
rebirth
1. Ordinary world
2. Call to adventure
3. Refusal of the call
4. Meeting
the mentor
5. Crossing the
threshold
6. Tests, allies,
enemies
7. Approach
9. Reward, seizing
the sword
10. The road
back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with elixir
“Revelation”
“Transformation”
“Atonement”
“Gift of the
god/goddess”

12. Infinite variation allows you to
twist, remove, add any aspects
of the pattern you like!

13. Archetypes
Heroes
MentorsShadows Heralds
Threshold
Guardians
Shapeshifters
Tricksters
Allies
(change)

14. The Hero’s Inner Journey
Big
change
feeling of rebirth
1. Limited awareness of problem
2. Increased awareness
3. Fear, resistance
to change
4. Overcoming
fear
5. Committing
to change
6. Experimenting
with new
conditions
7. Preparing for
major change
9. Accepting
consequences
of new life
10. New
challenge and
rededication
11. Last-minute
dangers
12. Mastery

15. The Heroine's Journey
Maureen Murdock, author,
and Jungian psychotherapist
http://maureenmurdockblog.com

16. The Heroine's Journey
7. Initiation
descent to the
goddess
1. Separation from the feminine
2. Identification with
the masculine
3. Gathering of
allies
4. Road of
trials
5. Finding the
boon of success
6. Awakening to feelings
of spiritual aridity; death
8. Urgent yearning
to reconnect with
the feminine
9. Healing
the mother/
daughter split
10. Healing the
wounded
masculine
11. Integration of
feminine &
masculine

17. Christopher Vogler, Screenwriter:
• Beowulf
• The Spiderwick Chronicles
• I am Legend
• Hancock
• 10,000 B.C.
• Then She Found Me
• The Wrestler

18. Examples

19. The Hunger Games
12. Mastery 3. Fear
8. Abyss

20. Wizard of Oz
1. Limited awareness
of problem
7. Approach
11. Resurrection
5. Crossing the
threshold

21. Star Wars Episode IV
10. The road
back
4. Meeting
the mentor

22. Star Wars Episodes I-VI
AnikinLuke
Ordinary world
Ordinary world Special world
Special world
9. Reward,
seizing
the sword
9. Reward,
seizing
the sword

23. The Hero’s Journey is
not history
The hero grows up as they progress through the story.
The archetypes help or impede progress.

24. References
★ The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph
Campbell
• Man and his Symbols by Carl Jung
• Finnegans_Wake by James Joyce
★ The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
✴Hero’s Journey summary by Christopher Vogler
• Monomyth article at Wikipedia