The Hero's Journey is a framework that was first articulated
by Joseph Campbell in his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Since this book's publication, the idea has spread rapidly, particularly
through our modern mythmakers. George Lucas modeled Star Wars on
the stages laid out by Campbell. A pamphlet on how to apply the framework
to screenwriting (The Writer's Journey, by Christopher Vogler) was
required reading at all the major studios for a time. Joseph Campbell was
particularly interested in how mythology might help us in the modern world.
How might we mythologize our own lives? When we think ourselves small,
surrounded by trivia, how can we be heroes?