The Seven Basic Plots

Voyage and Return: Summing up
A fourth way in which a story may take shape in the human imagination shows the hero or heroine being abruptly transported out of their `normal' world into an abnormal world, and eventually back to where they began. The pattern of such a story is likely to unfold like this:
1. Anticipation Stage and fall' into the other world: When we first meet the hero, heroine or central figures, they are likely to be in some state which lays them open to a shattering new experience. Their consciousness is in some way restricted. They may just be young and naive, with only limited experience of the world. They may be more actively curious and looking for something unexpected to happen to them. They may be bored, or drowsy, or reckless. But for whatever reason, they find themselves suddenly precipitated out their familiar, limited existence, into a strange world, unlike anything they have experienced before.
2. Initial fascination or Dream Stage: At first their exploration of this disconcerting new world may be exhilarating, because it is so puzzling and unfamiliar. But it is never a place in which they can feel at home.
3. Frustration Stage: Gradually the mood of the adventure changes to one of frustration, difficulty and oppression. A shadow begins to intrude, which becomes increasingly alarming.
4. Nightmare Stage: The shadow becomes so dominating that it seems to pose a serious threat to the hero or heroine's survival.
5. Thrilling Escape and return: Just when the threat closing in on the hero or heroine becomes too much to bear, they make their escape from the other world, back to where they started. At this point the real question posed by the whole adventure is: how far have they learned or gained anything from their experience? Have they been fundamentally changed, or was it all `just a dream'

5. The Goal: After a last `thrilling escape from death, the kingdom, the `Princess' or the life-transforming treasure are finally won: with an assurance of renewed life stretching indefinitely into the future

The basic Quest story unfolds through a series of stages like this:
1. The Call: Life in some `City of Destruction' has become oppressive and intolerable, and the hero recognises that he can only rectify matters by making a long, difficult journey. He is given supernatural or visionary direction as to the distant, life-renewing goal he must aim for.
2. The Journey: The hero and his companions set out across hostile terrain, encountering a series of life-threatening ordeals. These include horrific monsters to be overcome; temptations to be resisted; and, probably the need to travel between two equally deadly `opposites'. These each end with a `thrilling escape, and the ordeals alternate with periods of respite, when the hero and his companions receive hospitality, help or advice, often from `wise old men' or `beautiful young women'. During this stage the hero may also have to make a `journey through the underworld', where he temporarily transcends the separating power of death and comes into helpful contact with spirits from the past, who give him guidance as to how to reach his goal.
3. Arrival and Frustration: The hero arrives within sight of his goal. But he is far from having reached the end of his story, because now, on the edge of the goal, he sees a new and terrible series of obstacles looming up between him and his prize, which have to be overcome before it can be fully and completely secured.
4. The Final Ordeals: The hero has to undergo a last series of tests (often three in number) to prove that he is truly worthy of the prize. This culminates in a last great battle or ordeal which may be the most threatening of all.