Joseph Campbell's Heroes Journey Monmyth, with each of the steps explained and shown. No images so that students can use this for their own summaries of the texts, fairy tales or Disney films that they have chosen.

1. Twelve Stages of the Hero’s
Journey
“The Hero Quest”

2. Stage 1: Status Quo (Life in the
ordinary world)
• Normal everyday existence.
• No conflict.
• Life as usual.
• Peaceful, calm, quiet, ordered.

3. Stage 2: A “call” to adventure
• A serious situation emerges that
threatens life in the ordinary
world.
• The hero is “summoned” or
“called upon” to undertake a very
important task or mission.

4. Stage 3: Assistance and Refusal of
the call
• The hero sees the task as overwhelming and
feels inadequate or unable to fulfill the quest.
• Or the hero doesn’t want to undertake the task or
quest.
• Or the hero doesn’t believe the quest is
essential.
• Or someone refuses the call for him/her.
• The Herald / Mentor encourages, compels, or forces them to
continue.

5. Stage 4: Departure /
Discovering a Mentor
• The hero leaves their old life and meets a
mentor = Guide
• The hero finds a mentor / “friend” who will
guide, instruct, or lead them.
• The mentor typically convinces the hero that
the task or mission is necessary.

6. Stage 5: Trials / Passing the
“threshold”
• The hero leaves their world, their “home,”
behind and embarks on a journey.
• This marks the beginning of the quest.
• Small challenges and trials are met.

7. Stage 6: Approach / Finding Allies
and encountering enemies
• Along the way, the hero discovers a
band of allies who will help them along
their quest.
• The hero also learns who there enemies
are.
• The hero approaches the challenging
place with their allies.

8. Stage 7: Crisis / Tests and
challenges
• The hero, alone or with allies, faces small
challenges in the form of henchmen /
threshold guardians
• Hero undergoes many tests and challenges.
• Each challenge brings them closer to their
goal
• Each challenge makes them stronger,
bolder, wiser, etc…

9. Stage 8: Enters the innermost cave
and collects / learns “the treasure”.
• The hero must enter a place of darkness.
• Literally: a deep cave, underground, a very
dark and scary place.
• Figuratively: emotional depression,
sadness, melancholy.
• Hero learns something of extreme value
during this stage, claims the “treasure”
(which will be key in the final battle).

10. Stage 9: Showdown / Result
• The Hero undergoes the most challenging
test.
• Usually face-to-face with their mortal
enemy.
• The fight / battle is resolved.

11. Stage 10: Return / Resurrection
• Literal or figurative
• The hero dies and is miraculously brought
back to life.
• The hero is thought to be dead, only to
return again, surprising everyone.
• The hero is reborn into a higher state of
being or consciousness.

12. Stage 11: New Life / Returning with
the elixir
• An “elixir” is a potent potion that restores
one to health.
• The hero brings back an “elixir” that
restores their ordinary world.
• The “elixir” can be peace, calm, hope,
order, a cure, an actual healing potion,
etc…
• The hero has gained or learnt or fought for
some new part of themselves.

13. Stage 12: Resolution
•The hero/es have improved / changed,
now they receive their reward, or claim
their new place in the world. Awards or
fame or riches or importance are earnt.