The Hero’s journey
The 12 steps of the scenario
Understanding the book of Campbell is not necessarily easy. It uses lots of specialised terms and techniques. I’ll explain by giving you examples of very specific films that everyone knows. Of course, you can your tower take the movies that you want (closer to your world) to work on your scenario.
Tell yourself that even though the examples I give are very far away from your history, you will find similarities. This is where all the magic of the journey of the Hero. I invite you to read the book to Campbell that you can find here : The Hero with The Thousand And One Faces.
Here is what it looks like the schema of the hero’s journey if it were to be synthesized.
- the ordinary world
- the call of adventure
- refusal of the adventure
- meeting the mentor/ guide
- crossing the threshold of adventure
- event, meeting allies and enemies
- approach/access to the cave
- last event : death and rebirth
- award/ decision of the sword
- way back
- renaissance
- return with the object of the quest
Ok ! Super. But, really, what does it mean ? Here are the keys of a scenario.
1 – the ordinary world
Most of the stories that are written have a character exceptional of part : their characters, the time, the world where they take place etc, The first rule is to show your character in the world in which he lives. This will create this is a contrast with the rest of the story.
Take Back to the future / back to the future. We see Marty take action as every day. He does skate, he runs through Hill valley. This is a student who likes to go play the guitar, he auditioned for the ball of the end of the year. He has a girlfriend. And he has as a friend a crazy inventor. Moreover, the presentation of the Doc is stunningly staged by Zémeckis. Because through inventions failed, which are turned on one after the other, we can guess that it is a little wacky, messy, but incredibly resourceful.
2 – the call of adventure
This is the time where your hero is faced with a problem. His friend Doc gives him an appointment in the night because he has something to show him.
Marty must go back to the lake with the car of its parents, but Biff was a little damaged. The relations between Lorène (her mother), and George (his father) are pathetic. In short it has a life of shit.
3 – The refusal of the adventure
At this point in the story, your main character is reluctant to change his life. He hesitates to enter in the adventure because this is in front of it, either someone or a situation, made him extremely afraid.
For Marty, this is the time when it is in front of Biff then he exploded the car. He sees his father being bullied by Biff, but Marty said nothing. Especially when Biff faces him and says to him ” you want my photo Banana ! “. And then he falls asleep, until the phone call from doc. Marty gets up and goes to join him.
4 – Meeting the Mentor / Guide
It is important to know that your character alone can’t understand the adventure in which he embarks. This is why at this precise moment, it is necessary to submit a guide, a person who can explain the basics, give him his first weapons, so that he can continue the adventure. In back to the future, Doc explains how the Delorean works and the principles of time travel.
You can use this guide in several ways :
- It is not necessary that it follow the hero after this passage for your character to face alone the unknown.
- On the contrary, it can accompany him very far, but watch the hero must pass the final test alone.
- The guide/ mentor is not obliged to give something material. This may simply be a discussion between your character and the mentor. It just gives it a boost so that the character ” lance “.
5 – Crossing the threshold of adventure
This is an important moment. This is the node drama. The story switches permanently. The journey of your hero starts and he can not turn back. When The Delorean returns from the future with the dog, the libyans arrive, Doc is killed. Marty is a lack of to die but the weapon of the terrorist is jammed. He gets in the car and puts the gas. The car snaps and disappears.
So much for this first part on the journey of the hero. Next week I will outline for you the points 6 to 9, in 2 weeks we will see the last points of the passage, and then in 3 weeks I will explain how to apply the hero’s journey through the method of the Timeline.
Please do not hesitate to ask me questions by leaving a comment at the bottom of this article. You can also return to the plan of the site to read other articles.
A bientot,
Tom