In 1949 Joseph Campbell published The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he outlined a monomyth called the Hero's Journey, which would last for generations and provide a model for thousands of stories. Considering how popular the Hero's Journey has been, it's worth asking why. Why do most people seem to love it so much? An examination of films from different eras and genres shows why Campbell's hero's journey is the most influential monomyth in cinematic history. It mirrors the process that all humans go through to grow from teenagers to adults: leaving home, being guided, overcoming challenges, and finally returning as a new person. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first step in the hero's journey is the call to adventure. According to a note from former Disney executive Christopher Vogler, the call to adventure is when “the hero is presented with a problem, challenge, or adventure. In other words, the hero is living his normal/boring life when something or someone comes along to change everything forcing him to adapt. In The Wizard of Oz (1939), the call to adventure takes the form of a tornado. Dorothy is living a boring life in Kansas when a tornado hits her and literally drags her into her adventure. In Star Wars (1977) the call to adventure comes when Luke Skywalker finds R2D2. Luke is bored on Tatooine and then a droid arrives with a hidden message from a beautiful princess who needs the help of someone named Obi-Wan Kenobi. This development leads Luke to search for this mysterious figure. Finally, in The Matrix (1999), the call to adventure comes when Neo, bored at work, opens a mysterious package and finds a cell phone. As soon as he answers he hears Morpheus' voice telling him that he is in danger and must leave the office immediately. These heroes, no matter if they live on a distant planet or in Kansas, have one thing in common. Everything around them is familiar, even boring. And on some level they want to break free from that familiarity. In this sense, I'm like most teenagers. We usually want to get away from our parents and go on our own adventure. The next step in the journey is the rejection of the call, when the hero decides not to leave his comfort zone and go on adventure. Whatever the reason, the hero thinks he would rather stay home even if it isn't exciting there. In Star Wars Luke Skywalker initially refuses to join Obi-wan Kenobi in going to Alderaan to find Princess Leia. His decision shows a character's conflict of emotions and turmoil when he rejects the call. Here, Luke wants to go to Alderaan but can't go because he feels that his responsibilities to his family are much more important than a personal adventure. In The Matrix, when Morpheus calls Neo and shows him the way out of the building, Neo first deems him too dangerous, which allows us to see Neo decide whether to trust this voice on his phone. Finally, in The Lion King (1994), after Mufasa is killed, Simba refuses to return to Pride Rock and accept his destiny as king. What they all have in common is that the hero is reluctant to begin the adventure, no matter how exciting it may be. The reluctance to leave home and stick with the familiar is an experience that most people can identify with. This may also help explain the popularity of the hero's journey. If the hero always acted fearlessly, he would be much less relatable. We all feel some anxiety about leaving home. The next step in the journey is to meet the mentor, a mythical being who provides.