Because everyone loves a good story
Stage Two: The Call to Adventure
In our last installment of the Hero’s Journey, we looked at the importance of establishing the Ordinary World of the hero. This glimpse into a day in the life of our hero is vital to our understanding of who she is and where she comes from. But every adventure eventually has to move into the world of adventure or else it won’t be much of an…adventure, if you know what I mean. Ergo, the Call to Adventure.
What the Call Looks Like
But what does this Call look like? Well, it can come in many forms: receiving a message or news, a sudden political or personal turn of events, an inner longing to follow someone or find something, one small incident that becomes the last straw, or even the hero’s decision that he has finally had enough of the status quo.
Sometimes the call isn’t the gaining of new information but the loss of something important. “The Call could be the kidnapping of a loved one or the loss of anything precious, such as health, security, or love,” says Vogler (103). The movie “Taken” is an obvious example of a Call to Adventure in the form of a loss because the man’s daughter is, well…taken. However, I am not prepared to comment on the movie itself at this time, your honor.
Look, the Call to Adventure could be as simple as someone literally just calling the hero to join in the adventure. I shall refer once again to Luke Skywalker. (I may do that from time to time because, one, I adore the original trilogy, and two, George Lucas used Joseph Campbell’s stages of the Hero’s Journey as a reference for the plot of Star Wars: Episode IV, “A New Hope.” In fact, Lucas referred to Campbell as “my Yoda.” This is a true saying and worthy of all acceptance. Skeptical? Read the article for yourself. I don’t mind.)
George Lucas referred to Joseph Campbell as “my Yoda.” For real.
Anyway, I digressed from my example. I was merely going to point out that in “A New Hope,” the Call to Adventure was just that: Obi Wan calls Luke from his boring farm life on Tatooine into the adventurous world of the Rebellion. And, five movies and a billion fans later, I’m sure that Luke is glad he accepted.
Examples from The Hobbit
To cite another example that I love, The Hobbit gives a delightful, two-part Call to Adventure. The first call is from Gandalf, and it’s just as direct as Obi-Wan’s. Gandalf says to Bilbo, “’I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.’
“’I should think so—in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them,’ said our Mr Baggins…” (4).
But while Bilbo ducks out of that Call, he gets a renewed Call to Adventure when his house suddenly fills with thirteen unknown dwarves who are under the impression (thanks to a certain grey-cloaked wizard) that Bilbo would be a decent burglar on their quest.
Now, for many heroes, this Call to Adventure is sure to come as a shock. Therefore, most heroes—even the good ones—are likely to meet this Call to Adventure with the next stage in the Hero’s Journey: the Refusal of the Call.
Today’s Question: Think of the Call to Adventure in a book, movie, or story that you know. How is the call presented to the hero?
Sources:
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, Second Edition. Studio City: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. New York: Ballantine Books, 1937.
6 Comments on “Stage Two: The Call to Adventure”
Want to leave a comment?
I’ll continue with the series I started last time “The Hunger Games”. Katniss’ sister, Prim, is selected to be a participant in an annual last man standing gladiator styled event that uses children as the combatants for the amusement of the people in the capitol. In a desperate act to save her sister, Katniss volunteers to take her sisters place.
One of my favorite fictional books of all time is “Blink” by Ted Dekker. You asked about the ordinary world in your other post. There are two characters in that book, a Saudi princess, Mariam, and an above average intelligent Berkeley student, Seth. Mariam’s ordinary world is enjoying a comfortable lifestyle as the daughter of a powerful sheik and Seth’s is college stuff and pondering the existence of God.
The call to adventure happens when Mariam is forced into an arranged marriage with a terrible man named Omar, rather than getting to be with the man she loves, Samir. Mariam flees Saudi Arabia to the United States to escape the marriage and eventually meets Seth.
While Mariam is leaving her home, Seth suddenly develops the ability to see things happen before they happen, as well as see multiple possible outcomes of what will happen based on the decisions he can make in a scenario.
Yes, these are great examples! As in both of these examples, the call to adventure usually isn’t pleasant or comfortable. Thanks for posting!
I thought of Restart by Gordon Korman. The call to action is the doctor telling Chase he has amnesia after falling off his roof. He is told to go home and recover. Chase can’t not answer the call because it’s his only option, but he’s not excited about it.
A call that’s more of a demand! I like that!
I think of William Wallace in Braveheart. Wallace’s initial call was refused when the more militant members of Wallace’s village invited him to a meeting to discuss plans for rebellion against the occupying English soldiers. Wallace declined the invitation, desiring to live in peace. His call to adventure comes ultimately in the tragic form of his wife’s eventual murder by the English soldiers. Wallace answers the call to adventure, initially to exact revenge, his response eventually evolving into a grander vision of winning freedom for the people of Scotland from the tyranny of England.
Awesome example! If the hero is able to refuse the initial Call to Adventure, things may need to get more drastic to get his attention. Thanks for the comment!