In 1949, Joseph Campbell published The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he described a monomyth called the Hero's Journey, which would last for generations and provide a template for thousands of stories. Given the popularity of the Hero's Journey, it's worth asking why. Why do most people seem to like 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 cinema history. It reflects the process that all human beings go through to transition from adolescent to adult: leaving home, receiving mentorship, overcoming challenges, and ultimately returning as a new person. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayThe first step in the hero's journey is the call to adventure. According to a memo from Christopher Vogler, former Disney executive, the call to adventure is the moment when “the hero finds himself confronted with a problem, a challenge or an adventure. In other words, the hero is living his normal/boring life when something or someone comes to change everything, forcing the hero 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 and literally sweeps her away on her adventure. In Star Wars (1977), the call to adventure comes when Luke Skywalker finds R2D2. Luke is bored on Tatooine, then a droid appears with a hidden message from a beautiful princess who needs the help of one Obi-Wan Kenobi. This development leads Luke to search for this mysterious character. Finally, in The Matrix (1999), the call to adventure comes when Neo is 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 that he must leave the office immediately. These heroes, whether 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 long to break free from this familiarity. In this sense, they are like most teenagers. We usually want to get away from our parents and go on an adventure. The next step in the journey is the refusal of the call, when the hero decides not to step out of his comfort zone and go on an adventure. For some reason the hero thinks he'd rather stay at home even though it's not exciting there. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker originally refuses to join Obi-wan Kenobi in traveling to Alderaan to find Princess Leia. His decision shows the conflict of emotions and turmoil of a character when he refuses the call. Here, Luke wants to go to Alderaan but can't go because he feels his responsibilities to his family are far more important than a personal adventure. In The Matrix, when Morpheus calls Neo and shows him the way out of the building, Neo initially judges him too dangerous, which allows Neo to decide whether he should trust that voice on his phone. Finally, in The Lion King (1994), after Mufasa's death, 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 embark on an adventure, no matter how exciting it may be. The reluctance to leave the house and stay with what's familiar is an experience most people can relate to. This may also help explain the popularity of the hero's journey. If the hero acted fearlessly all the time, he would be much less approachable. We all get anxious about leaving the house. The next step of.