The 188 stage Hero’s Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188 stage template.
Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.
[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].
THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY
THE 188 STAGE HERO’S JOURNEY involves a number of major phases, including:
a) The arrival from Another World into an Ordinary World.
b) The Ordinary Self, that has come about as a result of being in the Ordinary World.
c) The encouragement from the Ordinary World into a New World.
d) The gradual dissolution of the Old Self.
e) The becoming of the New Self.
f) The thrusting away from the New Self and New World.
g) The confrontation with challenges.
h) The mastering of the Old and New Worlds and Selves.
more…
(simply go to heros-journey.info/ heros-journey.info/ for full details)
ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:
THE ROMANTIC CHALLENGE IS ABLE TO TRAVERSE BOTH WORLDS
The Hero must cross from an Ordinary World into a New World to transform from an Ordinary Self to a New Self. However, the Romantic Challenge is already a member of the New World and often able to cross backwards and forwards at will. This is one reason for the initial polarity between them (this does not negate the fact that the Romantic Challenge is also able to evolve). This is also why the Romantic Challenge is often representative of the Hero’s establishment in the New World and the becoming of the New Self.
In Scarface (1983), Elvira is already a doper’s girl.
In Gladiator (2000), Lucilla is already a member of the royal household.
In Dances with Wolves (1990), Stands with a Fist is already a Sioux.
Learn more…
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at monomyth.info/ monomyth.info/
188 stages of the Hero’s Journey can also be reached from story-structure.org/ story-structure.org/
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Kal Bishop, MBA