II. Narrative ↑

19. We are drawn towards the hero’s journey.

Many writers of the twentieth century observed that human stories often take the form of a singular monomyth that came to be know as the hero’s journey, or the heroic quest.

Such a structure can be expessed in different ways. Let me suggest one such way here.

1. Ordinary World – We start with a state of settled, secure knowledge and action.

2. Call to Adventure – This is an opporunity to leave the ordinary world and venture into a realm of possibility where valuable new things may be discovered, but also where there is an element of risk, a chance to suffer loss.

3. Challenges – Having accepted the call to adventure, the hero encounters challenges of various kinds. There are advances and setbacks and tests. The hero encounters others and must determine whether they are allies, mentors, or enemies. The hero must distinguish between reality and illusion. This phase of the journey is sometimes known as “the messy middle.”

4. Reward – The hero secures a reward for their efforts, something of value, something that will improve the hero’s world.

5. Return – The hero must navigate a return to the world from which they started.

6. An Improved World – The returns to their world, but with a reward that will somehow improve that world, elevating it to a higher or more exalted state. The hero generally shares their reward with others.

This hero’s journey is often considered for its entertainment value, but it is most fundamentally an enduring model for human development.

That is, the hero’s journey encapsulates the story of human growth.

This is how we grow and develop – as individuals, as groups or communities, and even as a species.

And so yes, this sort of narrative arc appeals to us in a deeply satisfying way, but it also represents a basic narrative we need to employ over and over again, in order to grow and develop, to fulfill whatever potential we might have.