What Your 6 Favorite Movies Have in Common [Infographic]
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:57 am
the hero's journey
It's a story we've seen many times: an unlikely hero embarks on a journey that's been forced upon him.
Along the way, the hero makes some allies and enemies, and may even fall in love. At first, they become stronger and wiser than they were when they set out on their journey.
Whatever the genre or setting of the story, the central narrative follows the structure of the hero’s journey. This is known in literary circles as the “monomyth” or, in pop culture, as the “hero’s journey.”
Here are 6 iconic films that perfectly capture the hero's journey:
The hero's journey
This infographic shows the progression of the hero's journey in six iconic films: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), Star Wars (1977), The Matrix (1999), Spiderman (2002), The Lion King (1994) and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003). Click to enlarge.
CREATE A TIMELINE INFOGRAPHIC
Want to learn how to create your own timeline infographic? Scroll to the end of this article for a quick guide to designing timelines.
NEW! Presentation: Marketing Statistics Report 2022
It’s already 2022. Sellers, are you still using data from pre-COVID times?
Don’t make decisions based on outdated data that no longer works. It’s time to stay informed about the latest marketing statistics and trends over the past two years, and learn how COVID-19 has affected marketing efforts across different industries, with this FREE marketing statistics report from Venngage and HubSpot .
The report uses data collected from over 100,000 HubSpot CRM List of Democratic Republic of the Congo Consumer Email customers. Additionally, you'll also learn about trends in the use of visuals in content marketing and the impacts of the pandemic on visual content, from over 200 marketing professionals from around the world interviewed by Venngage.
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A very brief history of the hero's journey
The monomyth was first conceptualized by Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949).
In Campbell's monomyth, the hero undertakes a circular journey composed of seventeen stages. The book identifies a narrative pattern throughout works of mythology (and narrative in general).
The monomyth has since been adapted and condensed into twelve stages by Hollywood executive Christopher Vogler.
Vogler developed his version of the monomyth while working at Disney, and once you recognize the pattern, you can identify it in some form in almost any movie. He was the one who popularized the so-called “hero’s journey,” and his version focuses specifically on cinematic narratives.
Vogler's 12 stages of the hero's journey
Let's break down each step of the hero's journey (warning: there will be plenty of GIFs along the way).
1. The Ordinary World
The hero is introduced in his ordinary world. The mundane, ordinary world is presented in stark contrast to the “special world” the hero will enter when he accepts his quest.
In Spiderman , Peter Parker is presented as a normal, especially nerdy, teenager in Queens, the opposite of what he will be when he becomes an expert at stopping crime.
giphy
via GIPHY
2. The call to adventure
The opening incident of the story takes place. The hero is presented with the challenge or problem that his quest will attempt to overcome.
In Star Wars , the call to adventure comes in the form of a message from Princess Leia, delivered by R2-D2.
giphy
via GIPHY
3. Call rejection
The hero is hesitant to accept the call to adventure. This may be because they don't feel equipped to undertake the quest or because they don't want to leave the life they know.
In The Lord of the Rings trilogy , Frodo is reluctant to leave his comfortable, familiar life in the Shire to face the unknown dangers that await him on his journey.
It's a story we've seen many times: an unlikely hero embarks on a journey that's been forced upon him.
Along the way, the hero makes some allies and enemies, and may even fall in love. At first, they become stronger and wiser than they were when they set out on their journey.
Whatever the genre or setting of the story, the central narrative follows the structure of the hero’s journey. This is known in literary circles as the “monomyth” or, in pop culture, as the “hero’s journey.”
Here are 6 iconic films that perfectly capture the hero's journey:
The hero's journey
This infographic shows the progression of the hero's journey in six iconic films: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), Star Wars (1977), The Matrix (1999), Spiderman (2002), The Lion King (1994) and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003). Click to enlarge.
CREATE A TIMELINE INFOGRAPHIC
Want to learn how to create your own timeline infographic? Scroll to the end of this article for a quick guide to designing timelines.
NEW! Presentation: Marketing Statistics Report 2022
It’s already 2022. Sellers, are you still using data from pre-COVID times?
Don’t make decisions based on outdated data that no longer works. It’s time to stay informed about the latest marketing statistics and trends over the past two years, and learn how COVID-19 has affected marketing efforts across different industries, with this FREE marketing statistics report from Venngage and HubSpot .
The report uses data collected from over 100,000 HubSpot CRM List of Democratic Republic of the Congo Consumer Email customers. Additionally, you'll also learn about trends in the use of visuals in content marketing and the impacts of the pandemic on visual content, from over 200 marketing professionals from around the world interviewed by Venngage.
Get your copy now – it’s unlike any other marketing report, and it’s 100% free!
Marketing Statistics Report Thumbnail
GET YOUR FREE COPY
A very brief history of the hero's journey
The monomyth was first conceptualized by Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949).
In Campbell's monomyth, the hero undertakes a circular journey composed of seventeen stages. The book identifies a narrative pattern throughout works of mythology (and narrative in general).
The monomyth has since been adapted and condensed into twelve stages by Hollywood executive Christopher Vogler.
Vogler developed his version of the monomyth while working at Disney, and once you recognize the pattern, you can identify it in some form in almost any movie. He was the one who popularized the so-called “hero’s journey,” and his version focuses specifically on cinematic narratives.
Vogler's 12 stages of the hero's journey
Let's break down each step of the hero's journey (warning: there will be plenty of GIFs along the way).
1. The Ordinary World
The hero is introduced in his ordinary world. The mundane, ordinary world is presented in stark contrast to the “special world” the hero will enter when he accepts his quest.
In Spiderman , Peter Parker is presented as a normal, especially nerdy, teenager in Queens, the opposite of what he will be when he becomes an expert at stopping crime.
giphy
via GIPHY
2. The call to adventure
The opening incident of the story takes place. The hero is presented with the challenge or problem that his quest will attempt to overcome.
In Star Wars , the call to adventure comes in the form of a message from Princess Leia, delivered by R2-D2.
giphy
via GIPHY
3. Call rejection
The hero is hesitant to accept the call to adventure. This may be because they don't feel equipped to undertake the quest or because they don't want to leave the life they know.
In The Lord of the Rings trilogy , Frodo is reluctant to leave his comfortable, familiar life in the Shire to face the unknown dangers that await him on his journey.