When using the archetypal pattern of the hero’s journey to structure a story, writers can carefully look through the elements and design their characters and story around those elements. This article is the last in a series that explains how to use the hero’s journey pattern in writing a story. Each article explains one or more elements of the journey, ending with this last stage: The Return.
The Steps in The Return
In the traditional versions of the popular Greek myth of Psyche and Eros, Psyche’s story ends with several elements of the hero’s journey: rescue from without, magic flight, crossing the return threshold, becoming master of two worlds, and freedom to live. These elements occur very quickly together, as is true in most stories, because these elements represent the falling action of the story.
Eros closes the box Psyche has brought back from the Underworld and wakes her up (rescue from without). Then Hermes brings Psyche to heaven (magic flight), and Psyche joins her new husband Eros back in paradise (crossing the return threshold). The soul and the divine are combined in Psyche (master of two worlds), and her soul-self recognizes her own power (freedom to live).
Questions for the Hero’s Return
Even though these may seem like fantastical elements, writers can and do use them for any type of story. The writer should simply ask of the character: When the character reaches the end of a cycle, when a climactic point occurs, and events quickly spiral away from that event into a conclusion, what remains? What has been kept and what has been lost?
Who are the key figures in the hero’s return to the world left behind? What awaits the hero now? A simple exercise to brainstorm some ideas for the hero’s return in one’s own writing is to envision one’s sellf as the character and answer these questions:
What sights do I see in this new place?
What fills my dreams
What do I hear calling me from home?
What have I turned away from?
What am I turning toward?
Joseph Campbell, in his book on the hero’s journey The Hero with a Thousand Faces, says of the turn that at this point, “If the powers have blessed the hero, he now sets forth under their protection (emissary); if not he flees and is pursued (transformation flight, obstacle flight).” Eventually, the return continues with the hero crossing a return threshold and then “re-emerges from the kingdom of dread (return, resurrection). The boon that he brings restores the world (elixir).”
While not every writer is focusing on a hero’s journey that culminates in a restoration of the world, this final element is vital. The resolution can come in a number of ways, but readers will be most satisfied with the story if they – as well as the hero – is blessed in some way by returning to a place of triumph at the end of the journey.
For the nine preceding articles in this series, see:
Journey in Words: The Hero Pattern as Writing Guide
Journey in Words: The Writing Year with the Hero’s Journey
Journey in Words: The Call to Adventure and the Refusal
Journey in Words: Supernatural Aid and Crossing the 1st Threshold
Journey in Words: Belly of the Whale
Journey in Words: Road of Trials
Journey in Words: Meeting with the Goddess
Journey in Words: Benefit and Atonement
Reference:
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. New World Library, 2008.
Shaun Perkins - Shaun Perkins, teacher, poet, storyteller, porch-sitter, beekeeper, gardener, writer, has been a high school and university teacher for ...
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