Heroine’s Journey at Midlife

In further exploring my writers’ craft, I recently listened to a video interview between Jerry Jenkins and Gloria Kempton in which Gloria spoke of the Hero’s Journey. A few days later, at the library, a title popped out at me, “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers” by Christopher Vogler — so I checked it out and ended up skimming through each chapter, pulling key points, from what was otherwise a quite dense read. This hero’s journey is rooted in the work of Joseph Campbell.

According to Joseph Campbell, professor of comparative mythology and comparative religions, “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered, and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” [Joseph Campbell. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1968, p. 30 / Novato, California: New World Library, 2008, p. 23.]

The concept has been applied to literature and film for decades, with variations of interpretation but the key elements are outlined in 12 stages:

1. Start in ordinary world — going about business.
2. Call to adventure into special world.
3. Refusing the call.
4. Meeting with mentor.