What You Might Not Know About The Heros Journey

By Kevin Jackson


It would be hard to find someone who has never heard of this type of literary device before since it has appeared in so many popular films and books, and will probably continue to be used for a long time. The heros journey has been around for so long that people might even recognize it once they hear a little bit about it. It is these easy-to-spot elements that keep people coming back to any book or movie that uses them.

While there are numerous aspects that come into play in these journeys, perhaps the most notable is the hero journeying from their home, or the known, into the unknown. This almost always puts the hero in some kind of mortal peril from which they must defend themselves and fight off some kind of evil. Only once this is done can the hero eventually make it back home with their reward.

Star Wars is a franchise that has been around for decades, and the film that started it all was highly derived from this mythological template. Although George Lucas wasn't necessarily aware that he was doing it, there are plenty of elements of this type of a quest that are quite plainly present in the story. As soon as the film was released, people were talking about the presence of these classic elements in a modern popular movie.

While there are many who think that this formula has maintained such a wide popularity for so long for a good reason, others think that the categories in the journeys are far too vague. According to critics, there is not much meaning that can be derived from the template itself. That is why the stories that use it have to be able to back it up with their content.

It might sound surprising to some that this literary device can even be used in therapy, but it is true. There are a number of self-help and therapeutic techniques that base their methods on the journeys that these heroes from stories have gone through. Just as the steps in this kind of a quest work together to create a satisfying and emotionally deep story, they can work the same way for a person's psyche to help them live a fuller, happier life.

Like many classic stories, these journeys seem to only focus on how it applies to men. Women who also want to be represented might look up some of the authors who have written a more inclusive heroine's path. This is an excellent response to a one-sided story.

Many people know that a person has to rely on his or her own wits and judgment in order to truly make it in the world. The drawback that some people see with this kind of mythological motif is that it seems to present the message that people have to rely on these special heroes. Some authors who are critics of this have written their own books that present a different message.

There are always reasons why a writer or production company might choose to go with a storytelling formula that is safe and familiar to audiences. When a big budget movie is in production, it is often imperative that a lot of people go to the theaters to see it. By applying a narrative that everyone knows even if they don't realize it, ticket sales can be boosted to ensure that the company makes enough money.




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