Hero's Journey Deconstructed and Explained

 

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Capote (2005) deconstructed [Hero's Journey basic]

FADE IN: context: Kansas, 1959.

Inciting Incident: discovery of the murder.

Meeting the Hero: Capote in New York.

Hero's Status: holding an audience.

Call to Adventure: finding the article in the paper.

Conscious Decision: calling his publisher.

Going on a Journey: on the train.

Meeting Loyal Ally: meeting Harper in the train.

Developing the Hero / Ally relationship: Capote pays for a compliment.

Hero's Status: the salesman recognises Capote.

Foreshadow of the Mentor: reading about Dewey.

Mentor's Refusal: Dewey refuses the interview.

Developing the Mentor: Dewey at the press conference.

Hero recognises the Mentor's gifts: Capote talks about Dewey in the car.

Hero's Backstory: does this remind you of Alabama.

Referencing the Inciting Incident: outside the house.

Seeking the Magical Gift: pursuing Laura at school.

Separation: Harper wants to look for Laura alone.

Foreshadow of the Sword: In the funeral; opening the coffin.

Romantic Challenge: Capote on the phone to Jack.

New Clothes / New Self: dressed up for the funeral.

Magical Gift: Speaking to Laura; Laura gives Capote a diary.

On their way: Capote and Harper typing in their room.

Mentor overcoming Refusal: Invited to dinner by Dewey's wife.

Threshold Marker: the door.

Threshold Guardian: Dewey's wife in the kitchen.

Mentor's conscious decision: Dewey accepts over dinner.

Outer Cave: Dewey shows Capote the pictures.

Warning: leaving Dewey's house; I know where you live.

Leaving the Old Self / Romantic Challenge: Jack wants to let him go.

Pushed to the Middle Cave: outside the house; my wife worked in there too.

Middle Cave: looking inside the house.

Inner Cave: with Dewey and his wife; they know who did it.

Push to the Belly of the Whale: at the dinner table; they caught them in Vegas.

Push to the Belly of the Whale: Dewey arrests the boys from the car.

Belly of the Whale: Capote visits Dorothy Sanderson; sees Smith in the cage.

Pulled Back: Dorothy calls Capote.

Pushed to the World of Trials and Transformation: Smith and Hickock ask for the waiver.

Pushed to the World of Trials and Transformation: Capote asks Smith questions in the cell.

Warning: they'll kill you if you get too close.

Conscious Decision to the World of Trials and Transformation: Capote wants to write a book, not an article.

New World: the Photographer takes pictures.

Outer Cave: The sentence is read out in court; guilty; death.

Middle Cave: I have to see him before they take him away.

Inner Cave: Capote tells Smith he'll get a lawyer; put me on the visitor's list.

Developing Characters: Capote, Harper, Jack in New York.

Developing the Hero: Capote being interviewed.

Romantic Challenge: Capote writing in bed with Jack.

Romantic Challenge: Capote walking in the park with Jack.

Outer Cave: waiting to see the warden.

Outer Cave: Bribing the warden.

Middle Cave: Capote visits Smith and Hickock in their cells.

Middle Cave: buying baby food.

Middle Cave: feeding Smith baby food and water.

Inner Cave: Capote sees Smith's photographs and learns his backstory; similar to his own.

Transformation: Capote phones Harper; he's a goldmine.

Transformation: Capote starts writing.

Outer Cave: Capote gets access to the investigation notes from Dewey.

Middle Cave: Capote lies to Smith.

Inner Cave: Capote phones Jack; he can't wait; he's leaving.

Inner Cave: Capote leaves Smith and Hickock; they intended to kill them.

Transformation: Capote arrives in Spain.

Time Shift: one year later.

Pushed to the Sword: getting the call; you have to talk to him before he's executed.

Pushed to the Sword: Harper visits Capote; they lost the appeal.

Recognition of [Old] Self: Walking to the car: Smith is another side of Capote.

Journey to the Sword: visiting Smith in the call; lying to him about the book.

Sword: the public reading of the book.

Reward: Capote holding an audience again.

Pushed to Atonement: Capote being schmoozed by his publisher; forced to get the last night's events from Smith so that he can finish the book.

Atonement: Capote pushes Smith to tell.

Foreshadow of / Alternative Apotheosis: Capote visits Smith's sister.

Apotheosis: Perry has heard of the name of the book; he tells of the last night.

Ultimate Boon: finishing the book.

Magic Flight: Capote flies back home.

Refusal: Another Stay of Execution; Capote wants to be done with it.

Denial: Jack arrives; Smith needs another lawyer; Capote doesn't find one.

Alienation: Capote jealous of Harper's success; sitting alone at the party.

Rescue from Without: Smith wants a last visit from Capote.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Capote flies back with his publisher.

Resistance: Capote doesn't answer the phone until Harper calls.

Catharsis 1: Capote visits them in prison; cries.

Master of Two Worlds: Arriving at the gallows.

Catharsis 2: Capote watches the hanging.

Catharsis 3: Capote calls Harper; she tells him he didn't want to save them.

Freedom to Live: flying back; looking at the photos.

FADE OUT: the book makes him the most famous writer in America.

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