Hero's Journey (Monomyth) : Star Wars, The French Connection, Little Miss Sunshine

One purpose of the Inciting Incident, and another reason for it to be separate and distinct from the Call to Adventure, is that it establishes polarization between the Hero and the Antagonist or Greater Antagonism.

For example:

In The French Connection (1971), the Inciting Incident establishes Pierre as the bad guy and the context of heroine export from France to the USA.

In Star Wars (1977), the first sequence introduces the Antagonist and the need for a resolution [Vader kidnaps Leia].

In Little Miss Sunshine (2006), the first sequence shows us Olive watching the beauty parade. This Inciting Incident establishes the distance between plain old Olive and the possibility of her winning such a competition (polarization).

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Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Harry Potter and Star Wars

The Harry Potter and Star Wars stories are good examples of the applicability of the Hero's Journey (Monomyth.)

Both are orphans living with distant relatives (foster parents or aunts and uncles).

Both meet magical wizards as mentors (Hagrid or Ben Kenobi).

Both have unique skills (a great little pilot and a quidditch player)

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Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Physical Change

The Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is about Transformation.

And a Transformation starts by initiating change. Hence it is not unusual to find that during the phase of the First Threshold or Belly of the Whale, a physical change begins. This most often is a wound of some kind.

In The Godfather (1972), Captain McCluskey punches Michael, causing his jaw to bruise.

In Silence of the Lambs (1991), Clarice's skin is ripped by a nail in the garage door.

In Gladiator (2000), Maximus is slashed on the upper arm with a sword.

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Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) is a great movie that follows the Hero's Journey (Monomyth) to a T and along the way shows that the Hero's Journey doesn't necessarily apply to big budget Hollywood flicks.

Hero's Journey (Monomyth) stages include:

Ordinary World: everyone around the dinner table.

Call to Adventure: the call for the contest.

Refusal: Richard et al not wanting to go.

The Supernatural Aid: Grandpa

The Magical Gift: Grandpa teaches Olive the moves.

Seizing the Sword: taking Grandpa out of the hospital.

Shape Shifter: Richard Hoover

Denial: the lady not allowing them to register for being five minutes late.

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Hero's Journey (Monomyth): First Threshold

There is often confusion about many of the Hero's Journey (Monomyth) steps. We have isolated and identified more than 188 of them; most of which commonly appear in many of Hollywood's most successful stories.

One area of confusion is the First Threshold.

It must be remembered that the Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is both a physical and a psychological journey. The physical journey is just that, a journey. The psychological aspect is a transformation.

Thus the psychological movement is represented by physical change of location.

Psychologically the First Threshold is that place which the Hero is most afraid to go and from where he cannot return (that fear is enhanced by the earlier Interdictions and the Refusal).

Physically this is often represented by some New World, a dangerous place, with dangerous and unfamiliar creatures.

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