After having read this chapter, it was so easy to think back to all of my favorite books and movies in which the character goes on a journey or mission and spot each thing that the chapter listed. It’s also interesting that it pointed out that once the character is on the quest, the original “errand” he was meant to run is forgotten. That is so true. Like in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Ron and Harry are going to find Lockhart to tell him where the chamber is and then they end up going down with him and killing Voldemort and the basilisk. This leads me to a statement that is also so true, “Th real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge.” This again leads me back to Harry Potter. During Harry’s battle against the basilisk, Dumbledore’s phoenix drops off the sorting hat, out of which Harry pulls out Godric Gryffindor’s sword. This is validation to Harry that he belongs in the house of Gryffindor and calms his worries that because of his ability to speak parseltongue, like Voldemort, maybe he was meant to be in Slytherin. After all is done, Harry is at peace that he is in the right house and that he is not like Voldemort, although they share some traits and abilities.
I suppose that if you think about it, it makes sense that all quests include the things that this chapter speaks about. Even when one is coming up with a story, with no preplanning, most of the things in the chapter will be included. It’s just how stories work. For a story to make sense and a journey to feel true, there must always be a main character that embarks on the adventure. Otherwise what are you going to talk about? There obviously has to be a destination and a reason to go there. Without a destination there is no journey and without a reason for going there is no purpose to move anywhere. Challenges and trials are also essential because without conflict there is no story. Conflict is what makes things interesting and what makes the story worth reading. No one is entertained by peace and easy success. And of course, there has to be a real reason to go to the destination. The real mission will not be revealed immediately because the exposition must happen first. Also, if the real mission is revealed at the beginning there is a chance that the reader will miss it because he or she is too busy getting acquainted with the setting and characters, etc.
Honestly, it just wouldn’t make sense to have a story about adventure without any of these things. They make the story come together and what allow the story to be a good one. All of these parts are essential. Harry Potter was such a great series because J.K. Rowling had all of these things in abundance in each book. She created a world that was believable and characters that had a purpose. That is why although the series included seven books that could be considered somewhat repetitive, they never actually were. It never felt like the same thing again, even though essentially the story was the same.
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