What are the stages of a hero's journey?

Answer 1

There are key elements which are very commonly used for stories and plot lines that we come across in everyday life, whether it be for a novel, a movie etc. There are three main phases in a story, and this process is called the hero's journey. This is most commonly found in mythology; however it is still used in current times. Different modern authors have imagined the archetype in slightly different ways. See one immediately following, then check the link below for a longer treatment.

Joseph Campbell viewed in seventeen steps, divided into three parts:

Campbell's Monomyth:

1. Separation:
2. 1. -Call to adventure
   2. -Refusal of the call
   3. -Crossing the first threshold
   1. -The road of trials
   2. -Meeting with the god or goddess
   3. -Meeting the temptress
   4. -Atonement
   5. -Apotheosis
   6. -The ultimate boon
3. Initiation:
   1. -Refusal of the return
   2. -The magical flight
   3. -Rescue from without
   4. -Crossing the return threshold
   5. -Master of two worlds
   6. -Freedom to live
4. Return:

1. The call
2. The threshold
3. The challenges
4. The abyss
5. The transformation
6. The revelation
7. The atonement
8. The return

DETAILS BELOW:

Here are the eight, count 'em 8 steps of the Hero's Journey

1. THE CALL

*Invites adventure, offer the opportunity to foce the unknown, and gain something of physical or spiritual value

*The hero = naturally obscure or mysterious origin & is superior in some regard, but not invinsible and may choose or be dragged into journey

*The Call or The Quest

a) Something is taken from us (quest to reclaim)

b) sense of something lacking (quest to find whats missing)

c) need to save or restore honor (quest to claim honor)

d) something is not permitted by members of society (quest to win rights)

2. THE THRESHOLD

*"Jumping off point" for the adventure

*Interface between the known and unknown

*Encounter beings of situations that block the passage. These "gaurdians" protect us when we are unprepared for the journey and later step aside and point the way

*encounter companions who assist and direct and guides who mento

Initiation and Transformation

3. THE CHALLENGES

*hero faces unclear path

*the way is beset with danger, temptation, and loneliness

*hero matures

*temptations try to pull hero away from path with fear, doubt, and distraction

*challenges strike the heros greatest weakness

4. THE ABYSS

*the greatest challenge that must be faced alone

*possible that the challenge beats the hero. If the hero does not try again, life is left unfulfilled

5. THE TRANSFORMATION

*hero has conquered Abyss; transformation is complete

*final step is a moment of death and rebirth (aka decent into darkness)

a)fear must die to make way for courage

b)ignorance must die tomake way for courage

c)dependency and irresponsibility mus die for independance and power

6. THE REVELATION

*sudden dramatic change in the way the hero views life and the hero realizes the attained goal is symbolic (ie. the newfound maturity is more important than the ring, cup, fleece etc.)

*occurs during of after Abyss

7. THE ATONEMENT

* hero is "at-one" with new self

*incorperates the changes caused from the Journey and is fully "reborn"

* imbalance is corrected....until the next call

The Return

8. THE RETURN

*the final stage of the journey = return to everyday life

*hero discovers new gift

*essence of the return is to begin contributing to society (but not always)