Home
>
Writing
>
Hero?s Journey ? The First Threshold

Hero?s Journey ? The First Threshold

Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's Journey.

The Hero's Journey is the most usable story structure consisting of at least 106 stages and the template for successful contemporary stories, from Star Wars to Al Pacino Scarface to The Incredibles to War of the Worlds to The Dirty Dozen to Midnight Cowboy. The Hero's Journey is a valuable template because:

a) It attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) It gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically and symbolically, it allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

One (usually critical) stage of the journey is the First Threshold.

The First Threshold encompasses the Far Away, Entrance, Threshold Guardian, Belly of the Whale, Trials, Allies and Enemies, Escape and other elements. Thus writers who believe that the First Threshold is a simple affair are dead wrong.

The significance of the First Threshold lies in the fact that it is a point of no return. Once the Hero crosses it, there is no coming back. A simple analogy is that of committing murder ? once you have killed somebody, you are changed, you are not the same person, you cannot go back. This analogy also indicates that the First Threshold need not be a physical place?it can be a state or similar.

The Hero is accompanied to the First Threshold, usually a Mentor. But it can be any person or archetype. In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the Hero is accompanied by a Shape Shifter.

Hero et al stop a distance away from the First Threshold. Here, the Hero is told that this is a place of danger, of change, of no return. He is told to be wary. The crossing is usually signified by a physical barrier. In Lawrence of Arabia it is a railway line.

Upon entering the First Threshold, strange, magical and unfamiliar creatures are seen. These are representative of the New World the Hero is about to enter.

Further into the First Threshold, Hero et al are stopped by a Threshold Guardian, someone of some minor authority. Hero et al are questioned and it is up to them to prove their worthiness by passing the Threshold Guardian.

The activity of the First Threshold occurs underground, in darkness. Thus Hero et al enter a dark, underground vicinity of some sort, often a cavern. This is known as the Belly of the Whale.

The entrance to the cavern will be guarded by another figure of authority, who will explain the (new) rules of this place.

Within the cavern, the Hero will undergo a trial. He will pass or be helped to pass it. His assistants in the passing of the trial may be already known to him or may become new allies, for this is a place where new allies and enemies are distinguished and differentiated.

There is much more?

The 106 stage Hero's Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

recurring maid service Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.

Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.

Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.

New research shows AI overlap does not equal job replacement, with knowledge-based roles seeing most integration while physical jobs remain least affected.

Scammers target seniors who avoid social media by exploiting public records like obituaries and real estate filings to steal personal information and money

Recovery team in Italy use AI-enabled drones to detect missing hiker's red helmet, leading to successful recovery after months of ground searches

Google Salesforce system breach exposes business data while scammers use incident to target users with fake security calls and phishing attempts.

Google announces Pixel 10 lineup with Tensor G5 chip and Gemini Nano AI, introducing Magic Cue, Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and satellite emergency support features.

C San Diego study reveals 86% of school safety companies monitor students 24/7 on personal devices, raising privacy concerns.

Users can now add their favorite outlets' coverage to the Top Stories section of Google search results by utilizing the 'preferred sources' feature. With just a few clicks, you can add Fox News.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows an unexpected frontal glow that Harvard's Avi Loeb says cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing.

Receiving order confirmations for purchases you never made could mean your email address is being exploited in fraud operations targeting multiple retailers.

First wireless brain implant works with Apple's official protocol, enabling hands-free control of iPhones, iPads and Vision Pro through thought alone.

Data brokers sell personal details that scammers use to target retirement funds through fake financial advisor calls and convincing phishing attempts

Ten innovative tech solutions from gait sensors to smart pill dispensers help adults 65+ track fall risks and prevent injuries before they happen.

Meta AI internal documents revealed chatbots were allowed to flirt with children and engage in romantic conversations until the company was exposed by Reuters.

ChatGPT will avoid giving direct mental health advice under new OpenAI rules following instances where the AI model provided harmful or misleading responses.

Your phone tracks you in more ways than that little GPS icon suggests. Here’s how to find and clear hidden location logs on iPhone and Android.

Authorities in France and the Netherlands have been notified. Meanwhile, impacted customers are being told to stay alert.

Apple just rolled out a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature to specific models, following a recent victory in a legal dispute.

Kidney dialysis provider DaVita experienced a ransomware breach by the Interlock gang affecting 916,000 people in the second-largest U.S. healthcare attack of 2025.

A Chinese-made Unitree R1 robot walked Manhattan streets and shopped for shoes as part of KraneShares' $28 million AI robotics fund promotion campaign.

The ShinyHunters cybercriminal group breached Google's Salesforce system through vishing attacks, stealing business contact details and customer data.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Hero?s Journey ? The First Threshold

Writing