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Stage in the Hero's Journey

Film Component

Ordinary World

The hero's normal world before the story begins

The woods,The country. He's an ogre and everyone hates him. He wants to be alone.

Call to Adventure

The hero is presented with a problem, challenge or adventure to undertake

Lord Farquaad sends fairy tale creatures to Shrek's swamp, so he leaves the swamp to go to Lord Farquaad. To get his swamp back, he has to rescue the princess Fiona

Refusal of the Call

The hero refuses the challenge or journey, usually out of fear

He doesn't refuse.

Meeting with the Mentor

The hero meets a mentor to gain confidence, advice or training to face the adventure

Shrek meets Donkey, who is a trickster mentor. Donkey loves to talk. He teaches Shrek through humor.

Crossing the First Threshold

The hero crosses the gateway that separates the ordinary world from the special world

When he first goes to Farquaad, the king orders his men to kill Shrek. Whoever kills him gets a chance to rescue the princess. Shrek kills all the men. Farquaad wants to marry the princess so he'll be king, so he tells Shrek if he can rescue the princess he'll get the swamp back.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

The hero faces tests, meets allies, confronts enemies & learn the rules of the Special World.

Tests: the Donkey is a test because he drives Shrek crazy; fighting Farquaad's men is a test; Rescuing the princess from the dragon;
his ugliness is a test because people make fun of him, like Fiona says "How could someone like someone so ugly? Pretty and ogre don't go together." Shrek thinks she's talking about him. Farquaad is an enemy because he only wants the princess.

Approach

The hero has hit setbacks during tests & may need to reorganize his helpers or rekindle morale with mentor's rally cry. Stakes heightened.

Shrek overhears Donkey and Fiona talking about the He goes to Lord Farquaad's place and tells him I have your princess. He says your Lord awaits you. Farquaad comes up on the horse.

Ordeal

The biggest life or death crisis – the hero faces his greatest fear & only through “death” can the hero be “reborn” experiencing even greater powers to see the journey to the end.

The biggest ordeal Shrek faces is hears Fiona talking about herself being ugly. He's gotten ready to tell her her love her, then he thinks she's saying he's ugly. He leaves her. When he finds out from Donkey, she wasn't talking about him, he goes to stop the wedding and tell her he loves her.

Farquaad is about to marry Fiona and Shrek wants to apologize to her. By spending time with Fiona, Shrek has become a better person, with a heart and is able to apologize. Farquaad's men attack Shrek. All the people laugh at Shrek being ugly. Shrek doesn't care and still tells Fiona he loves her.

Reward

The hero has survived death, overcome his greatest fear and now earns the reward he sought.

When he says he loves her and kisses her, she transforms into an ogre.

The Road Back

The hero must recommit to completing the journey & travel the road back to the Ordinary World. The dramatic question is asked again.

Farquaad says, "Arrest them both and now, that makes me king!" The dragon, sent by Donkey, swallows Farquaad coming in through the window.

Resurrection

Hero faces most dangerous meeting with death – this shows the hero can apply all the wisdom he's brought back to the Ordinary World

The two ogres go off together on the dragon.

Return with Elixir

The hero returns from the journey with the “elixir”, so everyone in the world can use to heal physical or emotional wounds.

The elixir is the layers of the onion - that we are all more than the way we look. If Shrek can find true love, anyone can. Everyone celebrates at the wedding.