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Hero's Journey
Joseph Campbell's 12-stage monomyth found in myths and modern stories.
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Structure Diagram
How It Works
The Hero's Journey follows a protagonist who leaves their ordinary world, faces trials in a special world, and returns transformed. Key stages include: Call to Adventure, Meeting the Mentor, Crossing the Threshold, Tests and Trials, Ordeal (symbolic death), Reward, Return, and Resurrection.
Famous Examples
- 📖The Matrix: Neo learns the truth, trains, defeats agents
- 📖Harry Potter: Leaves Dursleys, Hogwarts training, defeats Voldemort
- 📖The Lord of the Rings: Frodo leaves Shire, destroys ring, returns home
See It In Action
Generate a 250-word flash fiction story using this structure.
💡 Tips for Using This Structure
- •Not every story needs all 12 stages—use what serves your narrative
- •The Ordeal is the emotional core where the hero confronts their deepest fear
- •The hero must return changed with new wisdom or power
- •Modern stories often compress or reorder stages