Advanced Creative Writing Post #6: The Hero's Journey

In Irelan's AP Literature class, we were going over what a quest type of story is. The most common type of quest story is the Hero's Journey. So, we decided to tie that into my creative writing and make that my topic this week.


The Hero's Journey has many steps, but can broken down into three distinct phases: the Departure, the Initiation, and the Return.

The Departure begins with the Hero's call to adventure. This is usually some sign given to the hero that everything is going to change. This is usually followed by the refusal of the call, or at least the refusal to believe that it is happening. For example, in The Lord of the Rings, Frodo is told by Gandalf when he finds the ring that he must take it to Mount Doom and destroy it. Frodo refuses to believe that he is in danger until the Wraiths attack them. The next stage of the quest is the appearance of supernatural aid. The purpose of this guide is to help the Hero transcend into adventure. After the supernatural aid comes the Crossing of the First Threshold. This is the true beginning of the journey for the Hero. This is the first experience in the other world. Going back to the Lord of the Rings, this is when Frodo and Gandalf meet with the others to create the Fellowship. The last piece in the first Departure is referred to as the Belly of the Whale. In this stage, the Hero has become fully submerged in the adventure. Their old life is left behind and their new life begins. This is usually symbolized by something dark, unknown, and frightening. This is the transition for the Hero in becoming their new self. In LOTR, I think this is when the Fellowship fights the Orcs and Boromir dies.

The second phase of the Hero's Journey is the Initiation. The second phase revolves around the Hero's trials and transformation into the new self that will ensure the Hero comes out, well a Hero at the end. The phase begins with The Road of Trials. This is usually a series of tests, most of the which the Hero often fails. The next step of the journey is the Meeting with the Goddess. This is where the Hero finds him- or herself through an all-powerful love. This is usually when the Hero sees him- or herself as non-dualistic. There is no longer an old self and a new self, only the Hero as a whole. After the Goddess comes the Woman as the Temptress. This portion of the journey is where the Hero is tempted to stray from his journey. As with the Goddess, this does not necessarily have to be woman. However, woman is a metaphor for the phyiscal or material temptations of life, since the hero-knight was often tempted by lust to abandon his spiritual journey. After temptation comes atonement. The hero atones with the highest authority, usually a father-figure. All of the steps in the journey before this lead up to it and all the steps after it move forward from this point. This step usually involves the "death" of the hero's old self and a grand transformation into the Hero figure. In LOTR, the "death" of Gandalf the Grey and the transformation into Gandalf the White is arguably an example of this. The next step, depending on the story, either becomes the transformation of the Hero from the mortal plane into a deity-like state, or simply the peace before the Hero's return from their destination. The last step is known as the Ultimate Boon.

The last phase of the journey is The Return. The first thing the Hero usually does is refuse the return. After all, after having achieved so much and dined with the deities and gods, why return to the world of mortals? If the Boon had to be taken from the gods, the Hero must escape with it, making up the next step of the journey, called the Magic Flight. The next step incurs supernatural aid. Just as the Hero needed assistance to get this far, help is usually required on the return trip as well. After this comes the Crossing of the Return Threshold, wherein the Hero must integrate the wisdom gained on the journey into their normal lives. The Hero then becomes the Master of Two Worlds. This is the Hero becoming comfortable and competent in both the inner and outer worlds. The last and final step of the journey is the Freedom to Live. The Hero is no longer fearful of death and is therefore free to live. This usually consists of the Hero neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past.