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 HERO'S JOURNEY:
a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.
b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.
c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).
d) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.
and more...
*****First Catharsis*****
Post the Unbearbale Antagonism and Inner Resolve stages, the Antagonist is brought to his (or her) knees. In Return of the Jedi (1983), Luke brings Vader to his knees. In The Matrix (1999), Neo finally defeats Smith easily. In Lethal Weapon (1987), Riggs brings Joshua to his knees. In Spiderman (2002), the Green Goblin in brought to his knees.
The Hero has no need to kill the Antagonist (Gods need not kill) and lets him live or hesitates. The Antagonist is after all, a shadow of the Hero's Own Self. In Return of the Jedi (1983), Luke critically wounds Vader, he does not kill him.
In fact, the Antagonist is offered a chance of redemption. In Return of the Jedi (1983), Luke takes off Vader's mask.
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Go to http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html for more info on the 188+ stage Hero's Journey....
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