Hero’s Journey as Psychological Journey

When we think of the Hero’s Journey, what comes to mind is a geographical adventure. The Heroine starts out in their Ordinary World, ventures into a New World, goes through a set of challenges, and returns home a transformed individual.

Separation. Initiation. Return. Joseph Campbell’s three-part distillation of the Hero’s Journey.

Yes, a Heroine may go on a physical journey, literally traveling from Point A to Point B and everywhere in between. There are, however, Hero’s Journey in which the Protagonist doesn’t travel anywhere, at least in a geographic sense.

For example, It’s a Wonderful Life: George Bailey never leaves Bedford Falls.

In 12 Angry Men, they never leave the courthouse where they deliberate a possible guilty verdict.

Pulp Fiction: Jules and Vincent never leave Los Angeles.

Yet in each movie, the characters go on a psychological journey.

George Bailey does get to see Bedford Falls in a fantastical scenario in which he had never been born and in the end realizes he has a wonderful life.

Each of the jurors in 12 Angry Men goes on an emotional journey, 11 of them switching their votes from guilty to not guilty, and learning something about themselves along the way.

Jules and Vincent enter a new world after they miraculously escape being killed.

Jules gets it, he believes it’s a miracle — and lives.

Vincent does not get it, thinks it was nothing more than an aberration — he dies.

The point is, physical journey or not, the Hero’s Journey always involves characters going on a psychological journey.

Indeed, Joseph Campbell said the whole point of the Hero’s Journey is transformation. So in a way, everything that happens in the plot services the psychological journey of the Protagonist.

Takeaway: Reflect on the story you’re currently writing. Consider the synergy between the Protagonist’s psychology journey and their physical journey. Think about how the former may drive the latter.