January Theme: From Zero to Hero

Using a mythic structure to tell resonating stories

Every hero has a journey.

But what exactly is that journey, and how can it be used to create powerful and compelling stories?

This month, we’ll explore the hero’s journey, a common story structure that has been used for centuries to create myths, legends, and modern stories that resonate with audiences around the world.

It was first described by mythologist Joseph Campbell in his book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” and was later adapted for use in the film industry by Christopher Vogler, a Hollywood screenwriter and story consultant.

Vogler’s hero’s journey consists of 12 stages: the ordinary world, the call to adventure, refusal of the call, meeting the mentor, crossing the threshold, tests, allies, enemies, approach to the inmost cave, the ordeal, the reward, and the road back.

As always any bit of story theory comes to life with a few examples.

Three Famous Examples

One famous example of a story that follows the hero’s journey is the “Star Wars” franchise, with each of the main characters following a version of the journey. Luke Skywalker begins in the ordinary world on Tatooine, is called to adventure by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and eventually confronts and defeats the evil Empire.

In “The Lion King,” the main character, Simba, starts in the ordinary world as a young prince, is called to adventure by Rafiki, and eventually returns home as a mature and capable leader.

In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Harry begins in the ordinary world with his abusive aunt and uncle, is called to adventure by the wizarding world, and eventually confronts and defeats the dark wizard Voldemort.

Showing the Structure Using Finding Nemo

Here’s an example plot showing how the movie “Finding Nemo” matches each step of Vogler’s hero’s journey:

1. The ordinary world: Nemo is a young clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef with his family.
2. The call to adventure: Nemo is captured by a diver and taken to an aquarium in a dentist’s office.
3. Refusal of the call: Nemo initially resists his captivity and tries to escape.
4. Meeting the mentor: Nemo meets Gill, an older fish who has also been captured and is living in the aquarium. Gill encourages Nemo to take control of his situation and find a way to escape.
5. Crossing the threshold: Nemo and Gill hatch a plan to escape from the aquarium and return to the ocean.
6. Tests: Nemo and Gill must overcome various obstacles and challenges on their journey, such as avoiding the filters in the aquarium and evading predators in the open ocean.
7. Allies: Nemo meets other sea creatures who become his allies, including a friendly sea turtle named Crush and a group of forgetful fish called the Tank Gang.
8. Enemies: Nemo and his allies must also confront enemies, including the fish-hating diver who captured Nemo and a giant pelican named Nigel.
9. Approach to the inmost cave: Nemo and his allies reach the Sydney Harbour, where Nemo’s father Marlin is searching for him.
10. The ordeal: Nemo must confront his fear of swimming and prove to his father that he is capable of taking care of himself.
11. The reward: Nemo is finally reunited with his family and returns home to the Great Barrier Reef.
12. The road back: Nemo has grown and learned from his journey, and he is now more confident and self-sufficient.

Update: Reader Feedback

Richard Koman makes a good point in the comments (spot the well-aligned pun too) that Marlin is the real hero. I agree, but what I’ve found helpful is to consider every character as going through their own Hero’s Journey. Then when writing a novel you “just” braid these threads together esp when changing POVs every chapter. Remembering to give primary focus and airtime to the ‘Marlin’ in your story, the character undergoing the most growth.

Benefits of Using the Hero’s Journey

Using the hero’s journey as a storytelling structure can offer a number of benefits for writers looking to improve their craft and create compelling and meaningful stories.

1. A well-defined structure that can help writers organize their stories and ensure that they have all the necessary elements.
2. It helps create tension and conflict in the story, as the hero must face challenges and obstacles along the way. This can help keep readers engaged and invested in the story.
3. Allows for character development, as the hero undergoes significant personal growth and change throughout the journey. This can help create relatable and dynamic characters that readers will connect with.
4. Allows writers to explore a variety of themes, such as self-discovery, courage, and perseverance, which can make their stories more meaningful and resonant with readers.

The Main Takeaway

The hero’s journey is a powerful and compelling narrative structure that can be used to create engaging stories that resonate with audiences.

It allows the hero to undergo a transformative journey of self-discovery and growth. Overcoming challenges and emerging as a stronger, more capable individual.

Whether it’s in myths and legends from ancient cultures or modern movies and books, the hero’s journey continues to be a popular and enduring storytelling structure.

Weekly Prompts

Each week I’ll share a story prompt and a hero’s journey stage for you to take on the challenge of writing a complete story within that mini-arc.

In that way, you can keep writing flash fiction while learning how to write novels too.

Here’s how to write with Microcosm.

Share your stories.

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