💜    如果你对写作感兴趣，如果你对希腊神话有一定了解，或者读过搬运工之前上传的《世界神话学》希腊神话部分，那么推荐一起学习。写作自学，侵删。

    💜    作者基于荣格的原型理论和希腊神话，提炼出32个主角原型和13个配角原型，从他们关心和害怕的事物、动力以及他人看法等角度，对这些原型的内心世界进行淋漓尽致的剖析。

CHAPTER 25

PLOTTING THE MASCULINE JOURNEY

The masculine journey is a journey in which the hero gathers allies and tools to set out toward a goal. He rejects the feminine journey of inner exploration, faces death, and either endures the transformation toward being reborn and is victorious, or he rebels against inner growth and finds failure. In victory, his journey ends with questioning authority and his role in society and by finding his authentic self. In this new story model, the hero is given a chance to awaken in Act III, but it’s a chance he may not take. The nine-stage process is represented in three acts mirroring classic story structure.

The nine stages of the masculine journey are:

Act I: Challenge

     1. The Perfect World

     2. Friends and Enemies

     3. The Call

Act II: Obstacles

     4. Small Success

     5. Invitations

     6. Trials

Act III: Transformation

     7. Death—A Fork in the Road

     8. Awaken or Rebel

     9. Victory or Failure

Stage 1: The Perfect World

A man named John stands looking up at Mount Everest. “I know I can climb this mountain,” he thinks. “Many men like me have died here, but I’ll succeed. Everyone’s counting on me.”

John has spent years dreaming of climbing this mountain. He has the power, stamina, and the whole of the world behind him, cheering. He takes out his equipment and climbs.

The whole world seems filled with opportunities. The hero has only to decide what he wants. Society tells him to succeed, to be a real man. He hasn’t asked himself what success means to him yet, so he follows society’s lead.

If the hero starts out asking, “What’s this all for?” and takes steps to immediately change his life, as in American Beauty, then he’s going on the feminine journey. If he’s not willing to examine himself and face his inner demons, then he walks right past the stage of descent and focuses on his outward goal only. He’ll get the girl, kill the bad guys, and save the town instead of facing his symbolic death and transformation.

As discussed in chapter 23, there are three main societal expectations that may push men to succeed: performing, providing, and protecting. These expectations unconsciously motivate the hero and serve to keep him from seeing and exploring other directions in his life. He gets tunnel vision as he pursues the ideal that’s been laid out in front of him instead of pursuing what he truly wants for himself. Jed Diamond discusses this in his book The Warrior’s Journey Home: Healing Men, Healing the Planet: “Not having a center to resonate from, we men take our cues from the outside. Our greatest fear is that if we lose or let go of external forms—the house, the spouse, the rules, the status—we will fall into a terrifying emptiness.”

The three expectations:

PERFORMING: A “real man” is concerned with career accomplishments or performs hard labor for a living. This man believes that career accomplishments equal success and manhood. “If I get that promotion, raise, or partnership, I will have made it,” he thinks. “I just have to hang in there, network like a dog, and it will come.” Becoming a team player goes hand in hand here and that further suppresses his true desires as an individual. Relaxing and just “being” aren’t allowed; he must go go go no matter the cost to his family and health.

The hero can have a job in manual labor and also be seen as a hardworking successful man. The more hours he works, the better.

PROVIDING: A “real man” must make lots of money and be able to provide for his family whether his wife works or not. This hero believes that if he has money, he’s made it. How he gets that money isn’t the issue, only that he has it. He’s been told that it’s okay for women to work or not to work, but he has no choice in the matter.

Sometimes the responsibility of being expected to provide for his family can drive a man to do crazy things. This isn’t to say that women don’t provide and face the same stress; society demands that men fall into this role. Men don’t feel they have the option to stay home with the kids as a career, and if anyone should be providing, it should be him.

PROTECTING: A “real man” protects the weak, seeks revenge, and doesn’t show his emotions. This hero lives by a tough guy code. He sees it as his job to protect the innocent and be the rock for everyone to lean on. Even the Woman’s Man archetype can fit here, thinking he has to protect women from bad marriages and open their eyes to the world. Does he ever get to see how his obsession to protect, be tough, and emotionless deprives him from living a free life himself?

In most shoot-’em-up action, western, and karate films, we never get to really know the hero beyond his muscular exterior or dark stare. We never get to see the person he is or what he cares about, beyond revenge and duty.

The New Story Model

In the new story model for these heroes, we see a change in Act III where the hero can veer off course and take a part of the feminine journey toward self-discovery and self-analysis and growth. The better action films have this stage.

In Act III of Three Kings, the three heroes find their emotions getting the better of them as they decide to give up the gold to save the people they’ve come to understand. They don’t use guns and toughness to try and save the people in an impossible situation.

In Act III of The Matrix, Neo is reawakened by love (emotion and feeling) in the end—like Sleeping Beauty—and he wins not by using weapons but by believing in himself and “letting go.” Essentially, Neo awakens in Act I and is on the feminine journey, but he also goes through a second awakening in Act III.

So while your hero may be set up as a typical tough guy, everything can change later on to allow for a strong character arc to take shape even though he isn’t on the feminine journey of inner transformation.

Stage I also shows his support system. He may:

🟣 Seem to have everything.

🟣 Have a lot of friends around him.

🟣 Be told that he’s the best, given awards, etc. (Gilgamesh the King is called “Supreme over other kings, lordly in appearance … he walks out in front, the leader.…” Usually this type of opening sets the hero up for a big fall by the end of the story. His ego is so inflated he can’t let go of the power it brings him and he suffers for it.)

🟣 Have a wonderful career ahead of him and a solid bank account.

🟣 Be the most attractive man on the construction site. (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sly Stallone, and Steven Seagal all have that tough muscle man charisma that elevates them above everyone else. As does Jackie Chan with his skills.)

This stage also hints at the missing element in his life—nature, “the wild man lurking within,” as author Robert Bly puts it. He isn’t in touch with the greater whole, the connection and relatedness we all share together. He has suppressed his emotions, and he looks at the world as a scientist rather than a participant.

Many films about war show emotionless men fighting and killing who later stop and look around at all the destruction around them. The image of the soldier carrying a child to safety in the end of these films shows how much that character has changed since this stage.

He usually meets any one of the supporting character types who is in touch with the natural, instinctual, primal side of life, the part he’s lacking.

Examples of Stage 1

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

“The first tablet opens with a narrator praising the wisdom of Gilgamesh, a famous king of old who left eternal monuments of both his royal and personal accomplishments.” Life is grand for Gilgamesh. He is worshipped, respected, and feared. His world is perfect except for his own longing to prove himself.

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker’s life is okay. He’s not happy with the way his uncle forces him to stay on the farm, but things aren’t too bad for him either. He feels a responsibility to help provide for his family, but he wants to become a Jedi knight. He desperately wants “off this rock.”

Three Kings

The Gulf war is over and all the men, who have been forced into the role of protectors for their country, are having a party because they get to go home soon. Archie (George Clooney) is having sex with a reporter. Everything seems to be going his way.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Ishmael travels to a small town in hopes of seeing the world and broadening his horizons. He finds a place to sleep and gets passage aboard a ship, but there’s a hint that his adventure will be less than perfect. The world is not as perfect as he’d like to imagine it to be.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

The film opens showing us a pleasant small town celebrating Christmas. Samantha/Charly (Geena Davis) is playing Mrs. Claus in the town parade. She has a party at her house with all her friends around her, and life seems perfect, except for the fact that she has amnesia.

Craft Tips For Stage I of the Masculine Journey

🟣 Remember to think about the pressure he feels to keep plugging along in life as he has been.

🟣 This stage uses what he cares about to keep his blinders in place.

🟣 Come up with five different ways to show his blinders.

🟣 Remember you’re introducing your hero to your reader in this stage and setting up the theme of the story.

🟣 Just like in the feminine journey, it helps to think about what happened to the character just before the opening scene to add some color to it or reveal more about his character.

Stage 2: Friends and Enemies

John climbs the mountain. The air grows thinner and colder. His fingers freeze to his gloves. He feels the weight of his backpack on his shoulders. He’s tempted to stop for the night, throwing him off schedule.

In the distance he sees the light of a campsite. Others are out here with him, and he takes comfort.

In this stage, a friend or enemy comes on the scene, pushing the hero on and leading him to accept the forthcoming call. This character may:

🟣 Have news the hero has been waiting for.

🟣 Have information the hero has been trying to find.

🟣 Save the hero’s life.

🟣 Be seen as competition for the hero.

🟣 Help the hero meet someone else or network.

🟣 Give the hero the tools he’ll need later on.

🟣 Give the hero an ego boost or confidence.

🟣 Mess things up so badly for the hero that he’s later pushed in a new direction.

Sometimes the hero needs the help of others to fulfill his goal. How many people can rob a bank alone? Or drive a car and shoot at the same time? He may find himself alone in the end of the story, but for now he pulls together a team to set out on his journey.

This stage can be switched with Stage 3 depending on the type of story you’re writing. If the hero needs help to find his calling, then these characters come in to help him. If the hero has his goal and is answering the call to adventure, he’ll later invite these characters to assist him on his journey.

We really see the hero shine when he interacts with these characters. They can bring out his archetypal personality by either pushing his buttons so he reacts to them or by making him feel so comfortable he’ll confide in them. Where would the loner cop be without the wise sidekick to drive him crazy?

Examples of Stage 2

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

Enkidu, the primal wild man, travels to Urk to fight Gilgamesh because of the horrible way he is treating his people. When Enkidu loses the battle, he agrees that Gilgamesh’s “strength is the mightiest in the land,” and they become devoted friends.

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker meets C-3PO, R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and Chewbacca. Even though he saves the day alone in the end, he’s now a part of a team that will support and teach him.

Three Kings

Archie learns someone has found the map to the gold. He tries to get it from them but realizes they can easily turn him in and then no one would get the gold. He knows he can’t pull off stealing the gold all by himself, so everyone decides to team up.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Ishmael meets Queequeg, and they both sign on as harpooners on the Pequod, Captain Ahab’s ship. They make friends with the rest of the crew and become one of the guys.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

Many people surround Samantha/Charly. She has a daughter, a live-in boyfriend, and a teaching job, but something is missing in her life. She can’t remember who she is. She just woke up one day on the beach.

Investigator Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson) is the only one left who will work on her missing persons case for what she can afford. He becomes her partner as they try to find out who she used to be.

Craft Tips For Stage 2 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 Come up with five different ways to introduce the supporting characters here.

🟣 Be creative with supporting characters. Change their age, sex, and background until you find the best fit for the story. Make sure they’re capable of contributing something to the story, whether it’s humor or expertise.

🟣 You may hint at an inner problem in this stage. Use some of his archetypal flaws—greed, jealousy, etc., but this hero won’t be ready to change or make the descent until the end of the story.

Stage 3: The Call

John makes it to the campsite and makes new friends, friends that seem to be on the same journey he is on. He feels at home with them.

The next day, he wakes everyone up with the dawn and embarks on his climb once more, determined to reach the top first.

The hero either hears a call from someone else like a villain, or he hears the call of his own ego and sets out to attain his goal. He hasn’t gotten in touch with his heart at this point and may not know what’s really important to him or what it is he really wants.

Calls can come in several ways:

A CHALLENGE: The villain may be coming around to check him out, to see what the hero is made of. He’ll throw the hero a bone and see if he bites. This draws the hero out into the open and may expose his strengths and weaknesses to the villain. The hero’s desire to win and the drive to succeed fuels him; he can’t resist the task at hand.

A SURPRISE: The hero has been waiting for a chance to go after his goal but never expected the call to come; it seems to just land in his lap. Or, the villain is surprised because he didn’t know the hero existed. This ups the stakes of the game for the villain, especially if the hero is unusually skilled or smart about things.

FROM HERO’S DESIRE OR EGO: The hero creates his own call: “I need that …” or “I want this …” or “I’m the only one who can. …” He may be feeling the pressure to fulfill his duty and to help out, or he may be totally self-involved and want only to help himself.

A RED HERRING: The hero gets caught up in the wrong idea, path or goal. A supporting character messes things up for him and leads him astray, or the entire plot is based on a false belief another character puts into the hero’s head. A lot of comedies start out this way.

AN ORDER: It’s the hero’s job to answer the call. He will lose his job and possibly his identity if he doesn’t step up to the plate and accept the call.

Either way the hero is asked or pushed toward action at this point. Calls can serve several purposes:

FORESHADOWING: He achieves a small goal similar to that of the larger main goal of the story, like the man who runs in a marathon now and later runs to save a child.

TO WAKE UP THE HERO: The hero faces the first obstacle toward the main goal. He thinks things are easy and doesn’t pay much attention to the goal or the villain until he faces the first tough obstacle. This is seen in action films where the hero comes up against the villain in the beginning, but much to the hero’s dismay, the villain manages to get away to fight again.

A PLOT TWIST: The hero doesn’t understand what’s going on. He thought everything was all right, but the entire world seems to have abruptly changed around him. He’s not sure who the good guys are anymore. Like Joe Turner (Robert Redford) in Three Days of the Condor, he goes out for coffee and returns to his office to find everyone dead.

In this stage, what the hero cares about may be put in jeopardy by the villain or by the hero himself when he decides to go for the goal on his own.

Supporting characters may come out of the woodwork to laugh and ridicule him, telling him he’s wrong, washed up, and can’t possibly accomplish what he’s setting out to do.

Examples of Stage 3

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

Gilgamesh creates his own call. He is so praised by everyone that he feels invincible and, at times, bored. He decides that he and Enkidu will go to the cedar forest, cut down the sacred cedar tree, slay its guardian and become famous.

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker first receives a call in the message he finds from Princess Leia. He goes to see Obi-Wan Kenobi, who tells Luke, “You must learn the ways of the force if you’re to come with me.” Luke is still reluctant to leave his family, but when he returns home he finds his family and home destroyed by the Empire’s forces.

Three Kings

The gold is the call for all the men in this film. The desire for money and the hope of securing their futures drives them. The call comes first and then the men team up together to achieve their goal.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Captain Ahab comes out of his quarters for the first time. He tells the men the story of Moby-Dick and how he’s driven to kill the whale. He says all the men on the ship are bound with him in his quest. He offers a gold piece to the first man who spots the white whale. All the men are enthusiastic.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

A group of carolers shows up at Samantha/Charly’s house. When she answers the door, a man with a gun steps out and tries to kill her and her family. She fights the man and manages to kill him. She has no idea where she learned how to kill as skillfully as she does. She has to find out why someone wants her dead, and she must leave to protect her family.

Craft Tips For Stage 3 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 What he cares about is put in jeopardy in this stage.

🟣 The hero is pushed into action by his own desires or by a villain.

🟣 Remember to show the call instead of just telling it. What visual image can represent the goal at the end of the story? What will the hero need to learn to reach his goal in the end, and how can this be shown in this stage?

🟣 Do any supporting characters laugh at him or try to stop him at this point? Or do they all support him?

Stage 4: Small Success

John is working his way up the mountain. The one man ahead of him falls, putting John in first place. Without wondering about the fallen friend, John makes it to the top of the next peak hours before everyone else.

He sits happy in his accomplishment. He looks around and sees he has a lot farther to go to get to the top than he thought, but he’s pumped now, invincible.

In this stage, the hero has a small taste of success, which adds fuel to his desire to reach a much larger goal. He has answered the call and started on his journey. He met his first major obstacle and overcame it.

Pay attention to how this success affects the supporting characters around him. Are they happy for him? Jealous? Does this mean he’ll be leaving them behind for a while as he sets out on a large challenge? Are they afraid for him? Do they try to make him feel guilty? Or do they ridicule him, trying to take the taste of victory from him?

He may have received warnings as he set out to complete this task, but he has ignored them and succeeded in spite of them. He feels he is invincible, that he is enough and doesn’t need anyone else’s help. His ego gets a boost, and he is pushed further from his center and further from self-awareness. Failure would push him to reexamine things; it would teach him humility.

If he lives more in tune with nature and is driven to protect others, he may be very humble and down to earth on the one hand and very confident on the other, as the heroes in The Last of the Mohicans are. They know they can overcome anything and are quick to take chances and risks for the things they hold dear.

Nathaniel (Daniel Day-Lewis) is successful in saving Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her sister Alice (Jodhi Max). He feels good about what he and his father and brother have done. He’s secure in who he is and what he’s capable of. Then he comes upon his friend’s home and sees an entire family of women and children destroyed. He has failed them, and this both angers and humbles him.

Either way the hero wants more success:

🟣 He knows he can do more.

🟣 He doesn’t want to sit back and examine things; he wants to go out there and do it.

🟣 He wants to get that reward.

🟣 He wants to succeed where others have failed.

🟣 He wants to be “immortalized” for his actions.

He hasn’t faced any major fears at this point. Most likely, he has come up against a formidable task or opponent, but it’s only a hint at what he’ll have to face later on. Sometimes his success can be at a skill he learns, something he never thought he could do before this stage.

In comedies, the hero may perceive the event as a success when everyone else around him doesn’t think he was very successful at all. They think he’s crazy but he sees only what he wants to see. It all depends on the hero’s reference point. A guy who’s down in the dumps, never able to get a date, may see one smile from a woman as “love.” Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) in Dumb and Dumber comes to mind.

Examples of Stage 4

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

Gilgamesh and Enkidu manage to slay the guardian, cut down the sacred cedar tree and achieve eternal fame. Gilgamesh is so pleased with himself, he decides to go on a tougher mission.

Star Wars

Luke becomes very successful at his lessons. He is in awe of Obi-Wan as if he’s the father Luke never had. With his help, Luke manages to rescue Princess Leia.

Three Kings

The men travel to a small village. They meet several of Sadam’s soldiers who lead them straight to the gold. They fill their entire truck with gold bars.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

After many days on the ship, they meet several other ships at sea, the captain of each spinning tales of Moby-Dick. Captain Ahab is overjoyed. He demands they tell him exactly where Moby-Dick was last seen. He knows he’s on the right track now and that nothing will stop him in his quest.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

They have a lead and agree to meet someone at a train station. They’re ambushed, and Samantha/Charly is able to save herself and Mitch with her smarts and strength. She then learns that she was an assassin for the government.

Craft Tips For Stage 4 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 In this stage, the hero gets a taste of success but hasn’t really faced any of his fears yet.

🟣 What assets would his archetype use? What fears would he fall back on?

🟣 What do other characters think of his success? Are they jealous or supportive of him?

🟣 Does he become more confident and cocky because of his success?

Stage 5: Invitations

John stands looking up at the mountain. His fingers are cold and sore again. He watches the last of the men make the ascent to where he stands. He starts to wonder why he chose to do this at all.

A man comes over; John’s wife is on the phone. She wants to know why he’s doing this. He can’t answer her. He just knows he has to perform and he wants to succeed. Her questions only annoy him. He doesn’t want to look at his emotions or question his choices. She reminds him of his dream to swim with the dolphins in the warm sun.

This stage is unique in that it may start with the hero being invited on a feminine journey. He is shown his flaws and asked if his current goal is his true goal. He is given an opportunity to drop his outward goal and go through an inner transformation.

In The Last of the Mohicans, Nathaniel accepts part of the feminine invitation when he places his love and emotions above his own safety. He stays behind as the other men leave the fort, knowing he may be hanged for sedition. He can’t leave Cora. He chooses to face death and the descent for love, for his relationship to another and not for his own gain. It isn’t just about protecting her anymore but about how he’s gotten in touch with his own emotions.

Most heroes walk away from such notions and continue on their path, but the invitation is always extended. The descent doesn’t look too appealing to him. Facing himself and his emotions may be too much for him, even though he can physically and mentally do it all. He hasn’t fully awakened yet. He won’t let down his defenses.

🟣 A character may ask him not to take part in the violence he’s going to have to face.

🟣 He may be asked what it is he really wants out of life.

🟣 Friends may want him to give up.

🟣 A lover may leave him because of his cold demeanor.

🟣 He may be betrayed but chooses to ignore it as if it doesn’t matter, or he seeks revenge.

This sets up the stage for his transformation or rebellion in the end. How set in his ways is he? How closed is his mind to changing? What will it take to open that mind?

Preparing for the Journey

Another part of this stage is the preparation for the journey. Now that he has chosen the outer journey, he’ll have many trials and obstacles to overcome. He’ll meet them with resistance and with the hope of conquering them. He gathers the tools he thinks he’ll need to accomplish this—guns, money, disguises, expertise. These tools mean survival and victory to him. Nothing will stop him now.

Armed with these weapons, the hero feels confident, but he can’t see what lies too far ahead of him; faith in his abilities keeps him going. Essentially, it’s his courage and willingness to grow that will make him successful, but he doesn’t realize this yet.

A Mentor or Magi may show up with all the information the hero needs, but the hero must find his own way of doing things. He’s the only one putting his neck on the line, and he can’t totally rely on the way of others.

In his mind, he has a list of people he thinks he can call on if he needs assistance. There may be some characters he trusts. He may have a close friend he wants to share the journey with. What fun is it to succeed if there’s no one there to see it?

On the other hand, he may be forced to work with other characters, which happens in many cop films where the lone cop wants to keep working alone but his boss forces him to take a partner.

Examples of Stage 5

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

Gilgamesh meets the goddess Innana after she has gone on her descent. She invites him to “marry” her to join with her—a metaphor for him taking the descent as she did. He refuses her, and the two become enemies. She sends the bull of heaven to kill him—after all, he went into nature, the territory of the Goddess, and slayed her trees. He refuses her and the descent to wholeness. He doesn’t want to change his ways. Instead, he gathers special weapons and sets out on his new journey.

Star Wars

Princess Leia shows Luke how strong and tough a woman can be as she helps them escape down a garbage shoot. When he first met her, he seemed to be taken aback, as if he hadn’t met many women on his planet. She is the “feminine” to him. She gives him strength and shows him the way as if she’s been through it before.

Three Kings

Archie allows refugees to jump into the back of the truck. He was forced into a shooting match with Sadam’s soldiers, and he can’t just leave the people there to die now. He still doesn’t care about the people as much as his pride. His life isn’t in danger and the gold isn’t in danger so he’ll help the people to escape and show Sadam’s soldiers who’s the boss at the same time. He won’t think too much about helping the people beyond that.

His truck is bombed, and a group of rebels help him and his men escape. They later ask Archie for help, but he’s unwilling to do any more.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Several times, Captain Ahab is asked to give up his quest and examine his motives, but he won’t take a look at what he’s doing. He doesn’t want to see himself as he really is. He doesn’t want to face his rage; he just wants to blindly act it out.

Later, he meets with the ship Rachel. The captain begs Ahab to help him find his lost boat, which holds the captain’s son. Ahab refuses, going against one of the codes of conduct and decency between captains. He refuses to help another.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

Charly won’t face her old self (Samantha) now that she has regained her assassin identity. She changes her hair color and makeup and takes a shower. She’s trying to wash the old identity away.

She tries to seduce Mitch, but he refuses because he knows she’s only trying to bury Samantha the schoolteacher. He knows she wants to forget about her little girl back home. He wants her to face herself, but she isn’t ready yet.

Craft Tips For Stage 5 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 Here the hero is invited down the feminine journey, but he refuses it. Come up with different ways to show his refusal. Is the woman in his life a metaphor for his feminine side? How does he treat her?

🟣 This is the best stage to hint at whether he’ll accept transformation in the end and grow or be rebellious.

🟣 The villain can help push him on an outward goal to rescue what he cares about.

Stage 6: Trials

John continues to climb. The winds kick up. He can’t breathe. The moon hides behind the clouds and darkness surrounds him. Another man has passed him and falls right in his path. John keeps moving forward, searching for a place to rest. He trips over the fallen man, hits his head and loses his water bottle.

In this stage, the hero faces more obstacles to his goal. He may think he’s overcoming all of them with ease and may expect it to be easy to defeat the villain, but he’s wrong. No matter how successful he is in this stage, it won’t stop him from facing his worst fear in the next stage.

By facing his fears and overcoming obstacles, he’s given another taste of success, which will fuel him and keep him reaching for his goal. If you want your hero to change in the next act, you need to gradually change his mind throughout this stage. Give him lots of reasons to change. Push him into that change.

Think of the hero in Three Kings. He doesn’t just see poor women and children fighting for milk and change his whole outlook on life. He also sees soldiers stealing what little food they do have. He sees soldiers torture an innocent man, kill an innocent mother, and harm a child. This is still only the beginning of his transformation.

Obstacles can be:

🟣 Internal struggles and moral issues he has to face, like killing one to save the many, letting the villain get away to save someone, facing his own self-doubt, or overcoming his own pride.

🟣 External struggles that leave him exhausted—racing against time, physical ordeals.

🟣 Mind games played on him by the villain. He may have to face his fears.

🟣 A supporting character who comes in and messes things up for him.

🟣 Red herrings thrown into the story to lead him down the wrong path.

🟣 A villain who changes all the rules on him.

🟣 A new villain.

🟣 The thing he cares most about, which is in jeopardy.

The strength and weaknesses of his archetype are tested here.

Awakening

If he’s going down the path to awaken and change, this is when his defenses start to break down on him. He feels like his world is about to fall apart. He doesn’t know who he is anymore.

If he’s mental he is physically tested. If he can’t face his emotions then he is thrusted into an emotional situation. If he’s greedy he is asked to sacrifice. Think of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, who is so greedy and closed-minded he needs to witness the past, present, and future of his life as well as others before he finally changes.

Also think of Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys. He has to switch places with his partner. He goes crazy watching his partner spend more time with his wife than he ever did. He starts to feel bad for all the time he’s lost with his family.

Think of Detective Sergeant Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) in Lethal Weapon and how he fights to hold his emotions toward the loss of his wife at bay. He struggles to keep his defenses up.

Rebellion

If he’s going down the path to rebel, then this is when he tries to beef up his failing defenses. He may become more rageful and unstable. Think of the character Rambo. Several characters try to reason with him and change his mind but no one can get through to him. He’s on autopilot, fulfilling his mission like a good solider. He’s like Captain Ahab in Moby-Dick, blinded by his rage.

Even a good hero who rebels can get unstable taking risks he shouldn’t take, doing whatever it takes to reach his goal. Think of all the karate films where the hero puts his life on the line because he’s afraid to back down and lose face in front of people he doesn’t really care about. Most of the time, there is a master nearby who willingly walks away from the fight because he’s secure with who he is. He’s trying to teach this to his eager student who looks down on him for walking away.

Warnings and Prophecies

With rebellion usually come warnings against what the hero is doing or prophesies, foreshadowing his impending doom.

In Gilgamesh, he has terrifying and ominous dreams. In Moby-Dick Fedallah prophesizes several deaths.

Examples of Stage 6

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

When Gilgamesh refuses the feminine journey, Inanna sends the bull of heaven to fight him. He kills the bull, but since he has cut down the sacred cedar and killed its guardian as well, he has upset the gods. They decree that someone must die and that it must Enkidu. Gilgamesh is full of pride and will not be told what to do by Inanna. He insults her harshly because he is the king and can do anything he wants. He is his own worst enemy.

Star Wars

First they rescue Princess Leia from her cell, and the empire guards come after them. Then they find themselves stuck in a garbage disposal which turns on. They fight their way to their ship as Luke sees Obi-Wan fighting Darth Vader.

Three Kings

Archie realizes that his companion Troy (Mark Wahlberg) has been taken hostage. He needs the rebels to help him get Troy out. They make a deal—if Archie helps them get to the border, they’ll help him carry the gold and get Troy out of danger. Archie listens as the rebels tell their stories. He’s moved somewhat by what they’ve endured and feels a little selfish for only caring about the gold. He doesn’t know what good he can do but he now questions himself more. They leave and face many obstacles on the way to rescue Troy.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Captain Ahab must keep the crew in line. He struggles for control of the ship against those who might consider mutiny. He must guide the ship through the ice and deal with warnings from other captains and Fedallah, a man on board who foretells the future. Ahab won’t change his mind, and he won’t listen to reason.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

Charly shoots several men in an alley who try to attack her, and she learns that the government wants her dead. She decides to get out of town, but she needs the money and passports she has locked in a safe. However, her daughter has the key to the safe so she’ll have to go home to get it.

Craft Tips For Stage 6 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 Stretch your imagination about creating trials for him. Does he have a hobby you can use?

  ●   In The Long Kiss Goodnight Samantha/Charly knows how to ice skate, and there’s a scene in the film where this skill is recalled. She puts on the ice skates, skates across the lake, and is able to escape from the bad guys.

🟣 Can a supporting character add conflict here?

🟣 Make sure all of his helpers, tools, and expertise are foreshadowed.

🟣 His defenses will start to break down. Come up with ways to show it, not tell it.

🟣 Give him several reasons to change his ways if he’ll awaken. Try to persuade him to open his eyes.

Stage 7: Death—A Fork in the Road

John gropes around in the darkness and finds his water bottle. He feels for the rope that will guide him back to camp as the fallen man moans behind him. John wonders if he should risk his own life to help this man. He thinks it over for a moment and then drags the man back to camp with him.

Inside, by the light of the fire, John sees the man. It’s a close friend of his, and he has died. He realizes if he hadn’t fallen a few hours ago, he could be his dead friend right now. Humbled and thankful, John thinks of his family back home, but he still wants to make it to the top.

At this stage, the hero faces death and destruction. It’s here that the hero is at a fork in the road. He can either face his own real or symbolic death and continue on the path toward awakening and victory, or he can rage against death and take the path toward rebellion and failure.

Awakening and Growth

Facing his own death means facing his own mortality, fears, and shortcomings with grace and honor. He’s humbled by the experience as he takes the feminine path of descent. It may make him lose sight of his goal temporarily, but he’ll be forever changed by this experience.

🟣 He may experience a “dark night of the soul” where everything seems completely lost to him and he acknowledges and accepts it.

🟣 He may face the villain in a challenge that leads him to feel defeated and helpless, but he finds courage from deep within.

🟣 He may face the death of a close friend or family member and see himself in their place.

🟣 He may put his life on the line to save another as Nathaniel does in The Last of the Mohicans and as Jack does in Titanic.

His tools fail him; his strategy falls apart. He’s left with nothing and may be at the villain’s mercy. Can he temporarily face humiliation? He has to go with the flow of events and do his best. He has to stop resisting and stop trying to control and dominate the course of events. He’s shown courage and now he needs to use his brains and find his heart.

Look over Stage 4, The Descent, in the feminine journey. Use the seven issues outlined to make him face an inner demon. In the feminine journey, the hero goes on a slow descent and then faces turmoil in the death stage. In the masculine stage of Death, if he awakens, the hero goes through both feminine stages almost at the same time. It’s down to the wire for him, and he’s running out of time. If he’s lucky, a supportive character will come and help him and push him in the right direction.

Rebellion and Stagnation

When he rages against death, he’s also raging against his own transformation. He’s confronted with his own mortality and tries to become vengeful. If he faces death through the loss of a loved one, he wants to avenge that person and therefore prove himself superior to death. He won’t die. He can’t die.

🟣 He won’t acknowledge his fears.

🟣 He isn’t at all humbled by his experience:

🟣 In fact, he builds up his own ego to try to prove that he’s more than a mere human being.

🟣 He may take risks without thinking and will demand to fight the villain alone.

🟣 He’s like a one-man show of crazed masculinity who doesn’t need anyone or anything.

🟣 He won’t face what the villain is showing him. He won’t look inside himself to find out what he really wants out of life.

Supporting characters may push him to seek revenge, especially if he’s idolized or looked up to. They keep him from making the right choice. If he’s a leader or ruler, he may feel pressure to keep it together and hold his emotions and feelings at bay. In Braveheart, the one man who can help William Wallace is persuaded by his sickly father to betray him for the sake of his people.

Examples of Stage 7

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

“Endiku suffers a long and painful death, attended to the last by his beloved Gilgamesh, who watches by his deathbed and pours out a torrent of memories about their experiences … the fame he has achieved is nothing in the face of bodily decay. Gilgamesh rebels against mortality and sets out to find the secret of eternal life.”

Star Wars

Luke has to watch helplessly as Obi-Wan stops fighting and accepts his own death. He screams out, causing the empire guards to come after them again. Once their ship makes it out of the death star, Luke is overcome with remorse for his friend. He is more upset now than he was when his aunt and uncle died, but he’s able to pull himself together for the benefit of the mission.

Three Kings

Archie and the men face death as they fight to free Troy. He tells Conrad (Spike Jonze), “Do the thing you’re scared of and get courage after you do it.” They rescue more people as they rescue Troy. Conrad is killed, and Troy is badly wounded. Archie saves Troy with his medical kit and helps to prepare Conrad for burial. He wanted to be taken to a shrine so they decide not to bury him yet but carry his body with them.

Several rebels are killed and they perform the funeral rites. They then bury the gold after giving each one of the local people a gold bar to start a new life. Archie has learned to care about these people and feels badly.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

The ship is damaged by a severe storm, but Captain Ahab won’t change course. Several men die, and the ship almost sinks. He thinks he sees Moby-Dick swim by, but the men say he’s hallucinating. Some think he’s quite mad.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

Charly travels home and finds the key in her daughter’s room. She looks outside and sees her daughter in the scope of her rifle and lets her guard down a little. She wonders if she’s doing the right thing by killing Samantha, her alter ego. Her daughter is kidnapped, and Charly makes the decision to save her life.

Both Charly and her daughter are captured and face death together in a locked freezer.

Craft Tips For Stage 7 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 Read Stage 4 of the feminine journey and use the seven issues of descent against the hero if he’s on the path to awaken.

🟣 Once this stage is figured out, you may need to go back to Act I and filter in more elements of the theme of his journey.

🟣 Use his assets to help him to victory or his flaws to bring him failure.

🟣 Externalize his feelings. Think about his reactions to events around him.

🟣 Use his fears against him.

Stage 8: Awaken or Rebel

John knows in his heart that he wants to continue to the top of the mountain. He also wants to honor his fallen friend by taking his friend’s scarf with him. He ties it around his arm and continues on his journey upward, a little less cocky than before.

He tells the others what happened when he reaches them, and they agree to stay together to make sure they all make it.

If the hero ends the last stage able to face death, he moves toward awakening in this stage. If the hero chooses to rage against death, he moves toward rebellion in this stage.

Awakening and Growth

The hero learns from his experience. He faces his flaws and his fears. He looks back on all he’s done and realizes what his true purpose in life is. He’s no longer a slave to what society says he must do, but the active creator of what he truly wants for himself. If he hasn’t been active enough, this is where he truly acts and says “no” to what he doesn’t want, just as the feminine hero does in Act I of her journey. He sees beyond the illusion of what everyone else is telling him he should do, and he figures out he has some soul-searching to do. He’s no longer in a revenge mode.

The hero may:

🟣 Remember what he wanted to do for a living as a boy.

🟣 Reflect on how much time he’s lost with his family.

🟣 Ask forgiveness for the wrongs he has done in the past or on his journey. (Stories of redemption fall here.)

🟣 Decide to leave a relationship or job that’s abusive to him.

🟣 Come to terms with his flaws and failures.

🟣 See his greater connection to the whole and no longer fear death.

🟣 Decide that he hasn’t been doing all he can to reach his goal and put forth more effort. (He may have been afraid to stand up to his boss.)

Rebellion and Stagnation

In this choice the hero becomes more like a villain. The hero doesn’t learn from his experience. He doesn’t face his flaws or admit his fears. And he certainly doesn’t look back on all he’s done to realize his true purpose in life. He’s blinded by his fear of death and failure. His goal may change to include some way for him to prove his superiority over life and death itself. He wants the elixir that will resurrect him from death’s grasp, and he’ll give up his original goal to get it.

The hero usually remains the same throughout the story even though he reaches the goal in the end. He doesn’t examine himself, his beliefs, or his motivation.

He may:

🟣 Get more guns and fire power.

🟣 Push everyone else aside as he moves forward alone.

🟣 Forget about everyone and everything that ever meant anything to him to reach his new goal now.

🟣 Go out of his way to hurt those who try to stop him.

🟣 Justify his actions in any way necessary to keep his consciousness at bay. This is easy for him if a loved one has been sacrificed by the villain.

🟣 Whichever path the hero chose in the last stage, he now takes steps down that path. The rest of the journey seems mapped out in front of him. His decision has declared his fate.

Examples of Stage 8

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

Gilgamesh is warned of his impossible quest as he searches for the man who can bring him immortality. He meets this man and fails at the immortality test to go without sleep; he has no faith in himself. He is sent home with a plant that will allow him to relive his life with his current knowledge, but he doubts this and winds up losing the plant. He returns home empty-handed.

Star Wars

Luke decides to fly in the mission to bomb the death star. He’s confident in his ability to fly as he did “back home,” but when it comes time for him to take the final shot at the death star, he must let go of what he’s learned in the past and awaken to the power that lies within him instead of without. He tells R2-D2 to “increase the power!” but it’s the words of Obi-Wan that put him on the right track—“Let go, Luke, use the force, trust me.” The success from his previous lessons helps him to believe in himself.

Three Kings

Archie’s real awakening comes when he decides to give up the gold and abandon his own goal and welfare for the goal and welfare of others. They’ve gotten the rebels to the border and they know they’re breaking the law and will probably be sent to military prison. They call a reporter to the scene to help get the rebels’ message out to the public.

Military helicopters show up, and they hold hands with the people. They try to run them across the border before the helicopters can land, but they don’t make it. Archie looks around at his men, and they all nod in agreement—use the location of the gold to bargain for the freedom of all these people.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Captain Ahab has rebelled. He goes after the white whale. For three days, they fight the whale but are unable to kill him. Men die all around him, but Ahab won’t give up. The prophecies come true, but still he won’t relent. His rage has taken over. He stabs at the whale and is dragged to his death.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

Charly not only has awakened to her power as a spy but she now awakens to her power as a mother. She takes care of her daughter and talks to her about getting a puppy as she devises a plan of escape.

They make it out, but she has to rescue her daughter again. She lays on a bridge dying as she tells her daughter to run for it, but her daughter won’t go. Charly, for the first time ever, calls on a CB radio for help. She realizes she’s not alone and that she has a responsibility to help others. She isn’t a one-man wrecking crew who can do whatever she likes and risk death every moment of the day. She learns to care about others and therefore herself.

Craft Tips For Stage 8 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 If the hero awakens, show his inner turmoil and changes.

  ●   In The Matrix, when Neo turns around and faces the deadly agent instead of running, his whole demeanor shows us his inner transformation. He waves his hand like Bruce Lee, calling the agent out, reflecting back to the training scene when he fought Morpheus.

🟣 Can a supporting character try to persuade him against this decision?

🟣 Come up with different reactions for the villain to have toward his decision. Will he raise the stakes even higher?

Stage 9: Victory or Failure

All of the men make it to the top together. John is ecstatic. He forgets how important it was to him to be the first and only man on the top of the mountain. It doesn’t matter anymore.

He turns around and relishes the view—his reward. He looks across the horizon and down at the climb he endured.

Victory

If the hero chose to awaken in the last stage, he now finds victory and reward. Because he knows who he is and why he’s striving for his goal, he has the courage and know-how to face anything the villain may throw at him.

If he’s fighting to save more than just himself, he has the whole of the group behind him. He makes sacrifices and appeases anyone he has to in order to reach the goal. He isn’t concerned or ruled by his ego any longer and will admit defeat to win, meaning he would humble himself at the feet of the king in order to save the entire kingdom.

Failure

If the hero chose to rebel in the last stage, he now finds failure. He won’t give up his ego or sacrifice himself for the greater good. How he looks to others is most important. He’d rather be the king with control of the kingdom than the one humbled at his feet to save the kingdom.

His rebellion has led him down a path of no return. His blindness has kept him from the truth about what’s important to him, and it also kept him from facing and overcoming his fears. He hasn’t grown much from where he started out.

He may realize he has failed by the end of this stage and find redemption, like the samurai who commits suicide to keep his honor. He looks back and sees his mistakes now, but realizes it’s too late to change things. Think of Captain Ahab in Moby-Dick or Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.

He may still be stuck in rage and denial until his last dying breath, accusing others of bringing about his demise. A lot of historical stories about kings and kingdoms fall into this category.

Be careful not to fall into the B movie trap. Low budget films abound with tough guy heroes who run along a plotline, killing and fighting without a shred of remorse, who get the girl and all the glory in the end. These stories take a hero who has chosen failure and give him rewards. Imagine if Captain Ahab had killed the white whale in the end and survived—what would that say about his obsessive behavior? How satisfying would it be? How would it change the story? Would it still be a masterpiece?

Examples of Stage 9

Gilgamesh translated by Maureen Kovacs

Gilgamesh returns home empty-handed and has to face his friends and family. He thinks about all the decisions he has made in his journey, but he also realizes it’s too late to change his mistakes.

Star Wars

Luke lets go and trusts himself and the force around him. The death star is obliterated. He, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids receive medals from Princess Leia and admiration from her people.

Three Kings

Archie and the men make it home. The reporter aired such a great piece on the plight of the rebels that the military couldn’t put them in jail. They all find careers and get on with their lives knowing they did the right thing.

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Captain Ahab meets a watery grave. Moby-Dick the white whale wrecks all the boats, kills those who would have killed him, and swims away without a scratch on him.

Gender-Bending: The Long Kiss Goodnight

Charly saves her daughter, herself, and all the people who would have been killed by the villains. She has the money from her safe at her side as she tells the President of the United States that she’ll go back to her life as a schoolteacher. In the last scene, we see her hair a mix between Samantha and Charly’s style. She throws a knife into a tree and smiles as her boyfriend sits next to her.

Craft Tips For Stage 9 of the Masculine Journey

🟣 Victory—Is he proud of his decision? Does he see himself as victorious, even if he’s changed goals as a result? Does he have to face a boss who’ll be angry with him like the heroes in Three Kings do?

🟣 Failure—How badly will he fail? Does he hold himself responsible or does he blame others?

🟣 How do other characters react?—Do they walk away from him if he’s a failure? Do they criticize the victor who may have changed goals?

APPENDIX

Use the following worksheets to outline your story. Jot down how your character might act in each stage.

THE FEMININE JOURNEY WORKSHEET

Act I

Stage 1: The Illusion of a Perfect World

🟣 She has a false sense of security and is trapped in a negative world that stops her growth.

🟣 She avoids the reality of her situation by using a coping strategy.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 2: The Betrayal or Realization

🟣 Everything important to her is taken away, and she can’t ignore or make excuses for what happened.

🟣 She’s pushed to a fork in the road where she must make a decision.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 3: The Awakening—Preparing for the Journey

🟣 What will she do now? Her coping strategy is of no use to her any more.

🟣 She actively prepares for her journey and makes a life-changing decision to move forward.

🟣 She wants to reclaim her “power.”

🟣 Your character:

Act II

Stage 4: The Descent—Passing the Gates of Judgment

🟣 She faces one of her fears or obstacles and may want to turn back but can’t.

🟣 Her weapons won’t work; they’re useless here.

🟣 She faces some of the Seven Issues.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 5: The Eye of the Storm

🟣 She comes to terms with the ordeal she just faced and thinks her journey is over.

🟣 She has a false sense of security.

🟣 Supporting characters may want her to come back.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 6: Death—All Is Lost

🟣 Total reversal happens.

🟣 She faces her own death, or a symbolic one, and learns more about herself.

🟣 Your character:

Act III

Stage 7: Support

🟣 She accepts her connection to the group. She’s part of a larger whole.

🟣 Hopefully someone or something supports her now or she may not make it. Support gives her a way out of the darkness.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 8: Rebirth—The Moment of Truth

🟣 She has found her strength, and she goes for her goal with gusto.

🟣 She has awakened and sees the whole world differently.

🟣 She has come into her power in a healthy way.

🟣 She faces her worst fear and still remains compassionate and complete.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 9: Full Circle—Return to the Perfect World

🟣 She returns to see how far she’s come.

🟣 She may pick the next person to go on the descent.

🟣 Your character:

THE MASCULINE JOURNEY WORKSHEET

Act I

Stage 1: The Perfect World

🟣 The world seems full of opportunities for him.

🟣 He doesn’t know what he truly wants deep down inside.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 2: Friends and Enemies

🟣 Friends help push him toward a challenge.

🟣 He may find helpers and assistants.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 3: The Call

🟣 Unsure of what he wants deep down inside, he goes for an outward goal.

🟣 Possibly what he cares about is put into jeopardy.

🟣 Your character:

Act II

Stage 4: Small Success

🟣 Small taste of success gives him the desire to reach higher.

🟣 How are others affected by this success?

🟣 Your character:

Stage 5: Invitations

🟣 He’s invited down the feminine path to awaken.

🟣 He’s asked if his current goal is what he truly wants.

🟣 He says “no” to the feminine path and gathers his weapons together. He won’t give up any of his power.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 6: Trials

🟣 He faces obstacles.

🟣 If he’s on the path of rebellion, he has a false sense of superiority.

🟣 If he’s on the path of awakening, things seem to be falling apart for him.

🟣 Warnings and prophecies may surround him.

🟣 Your character:

ACT III

Stage 7: Death—A Fork in the Road

🟣 Rebellion—he rages against death and fights his own transformation and change.

🟣 Awakening—he faces death and is humbled; all his tools are useless. (see feminine Stage 4.)

🟣 Your character:

Stage 8: Awaken or Rebel

🟣 Rebellion—he won’t face his flaws or face change. He has no character arc because nothing has changed for him.

🟣 Awakening—he faces himself and knows what he truly wants. He gives up some of his perceived power in order to be successful. He’s willing to help others.

🟣 Your character:

Stage 9: Victory or Failure

🟣 Rebellion—brings him failure. He’s down the path of no return.

🟣 Awakening—brings him victory and rewards.

🟣 Your character: