The Heros Journey

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GAD212 Digital Storytelling

• - The Heros Journey

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The Heros Journey

• Most of us were introduced to the Heroic Journey
  through mythology
• Mythological stories of great journeys
• - to slay Medusa
• - to kill the minotaur
• - to find the golden fleece

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The Heros Journey

• Not just a pattern from myth
• A pattern of life, growth and experience
• Very common in even today's world
• We see it reflected everywhere, from a television
  comedy to the great works of literature to the
  experiences in our own lives.

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The Heros Journey

• In the end your game should be your heros story
• Gameplay comes first BUT
• You can almost always make gameplay better by
  wrapping a good story around it

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The Heros Journey

• Joseph Campbells Heroes
• The Hero with a Thousand Faces
• Further refined by Christopher Vogler
• A hidden structure underlying civilizations most
  powerful myths and legends
• Flexible but common

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The Heros Journey

• Departure (or Separation)
• Initiation
• Return

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The Heros Journey

• Departure (or Separation)
• The Ordinary World
• The Call to Adventure
• Supernatural Aid
• Crossing the Threshold
• The Belly of the Whale

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The Heros Journey

• Initiation
• The Road of Trials
• The Meeting with the Goddess
• Woman as a Temptress
• (aka Temptation From the True Path)
• Atonement with the Father
• Apotheosis
• The Ultimate Boon

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The Heros Journey

• Return
• Refusal of the Return
• The Magic Flight
• Rescue from Without
• The Crossing of the Return Threshold
• Master of Two Worlds
• Freedom to Live

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Departure (or Separation)
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The Ordinary World

• This is the hero's home environment where his
  friends and family are located.
• The story starts here so that the separation
  becomes apparent.
• This is the land of the "mother" where the hero
  feels comfortable.

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The Call to Adventure

• There is an awakening of the "self" to an
  unknown, unexpected world.
• The hero becomes aware of a new, unusual,
  exciting, forbidden, and/or foreign world.

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Refusal of the Call

• In many stories, the hero initially refuses the
  call to adventure.
• When this happens, the hero suffers somehow, and
  eventually chooses the quest.

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Supernatural Aid

• Provides the hero with something (physical or
  mental) which will help the hero move forward in
  his adventure.
• Perhaps a sword to fight the dragon or a
  confidence boost to help the hero believe in
  him/herself.

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Crossing the Threshold

• The hero ventures into an unknown world which
  breaks tradition, and the hero meets some
  dangerous presence.

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The Belly of the Whale

• Once the hero has crossed the threshold, his old
  world is destroyed (literally or figuratively).
• He moves into a world of darkness (the belly of
  the whale) and will not come out until he is
  ready to return (so the hero stays in the belly
  of the whale through all of initiation).

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Initiation
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The Road of Trials

• Hero experiences miraculous tests or ordeals on
  the road of trials.
• There are usually several incidents that affect
  the hero at this point.
• The hero will appear weak and vulnerable, but he
  will also begin to show growth.

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The Meeting with the Goddess

• The hero meets a "goddess" that shows him/her
  what perfection is truly like. The hero witnesses
  all that can be accomplished and often times,
  his/her mission becomes much clearer.
• The goddess encourages the hero to continue.

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The Woman as Temptress

• AKA Temptation From the True Path
• The hero meets a presence that attempts to
  destroy the hero's mission.
• Often the temptress is sent by the evil forces
  working against the hero in order to try to stop
  the hero.

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Atonement with the Father

• Father symbolizes judgment the hero overcomes
  fear, judgment, and mental blocks that may have
  been holding him/her back.

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Apotheosis

• Hero recognizes the "big picture" (spiritual
  understanding can be known).
• The hero finally understands why he has been on
  his journey.
• The journey is not over, but the hero understands
  what it takes to return.

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The Ultimate Boon

• The hero receives the prize that he has been
  after.
• The boon may come in the form a physical reward
  (like the dragon's treasure), but will more
  importantly include a mental / emotional reward
  (like inner peace).

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Return
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Refusal of Return

• The hero should bring their wisdom back to their
  kingdom of humanity.
• The hero often wishes to remain in isolation with
  his boon.

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The Magic in Flight

• The hero has his reward, now he must return to
  safety.
• There may be forces still working against him
  (possibly trying to get the treasure back that
  the hero has taken).
• A "chase" ensues.

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Rescue from Without

• The world may have to come to retrieve the hero.
• Attaining the boon has drained the hero and he
  needs assistance in returning.

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The Crossing of theReturn Threshold

• Before the hero can return to the real world, he
  must confront another threshold guardian.
• The first threshold was a symbolic death this is
  now a symbolic rebirth.

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Master of Two Worlds

• Hero has attained wisdom in both the spiritual
  and material world (conscious world).
• The hero gives up completely all attachment to
  his personal limitations, hopes and fears.
• The hero no longer tries to live, but willingly
  relaxes to whatever may come to pass in him.

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Freedom to Live

• With the journey now complete, the hero has found
  true freedom, and can turn his efforts to helping
  or teaching humanity.

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Questions?