Maybe it was the long Saturdays filled with hiking through the Sierra Nevada foothills, looking for long-lost Native American artifacts or the steady diet of Indiana Jones and Superman comics, but quest narrative is in my bones. I find something true about a group of people so possessed by an object or cause, that they're willing to lay their life down to find it.
The quest narrative is the oldest and most recognizable narrative structure. The earliest example is The Odyssey, which was written by Greek author Homer in 8th century, B.C. Odysseus's quest is simple—to get home. It is the trials, friends, and enemies he meets along the way that makes it a powerful story, even today. This form of storytelling is such a part of our human experience that Joseph Campbell did a thorough analysis of it called The Hero's Journey. Quest narrative is such a part of our society that writers include many of its elements without even recognizing it. To my surprise, after I had finished my first book, I stumbled over Joseph Campbell's book and realized that I had followed the story structure unintentionally.
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The Call The quest begins with a hero who is looking for something. It can be the holy grail as in Indiana Jones and The Raiders of The Lost Ark, or Sorcerer's Stone in Harry Potter. Many call this the MacGuffin. This is the person, place, or object that drives the hero to strike out and begin their story. In the call, we usually meet a mentor, such as Hagrid. This individual affirms the hero's capacity to take the journey and sets the hero on the right course. When Hagrid first meets Harry, he says those iconic words, "You're a wizard, Harry," affirming his capacity. Hagrid then brings Harry to Diagonal Alley and, eventually, to Hogwarts, sending him in the direction to fulfill his quest.
The Journey When Frodo is given the task to destroy the ring of power, he does not step out of his front door and onto Mount Doom. He has to journey a long way to get there. Along the course, the hero must face any number of dangers or challenges that prepare him or her for the final battle or struggle. They could be temptations to prove her character, puzzles—that when solved—prepare her mind, or simply care for a group of people she did not really love before. Wonder Woman fights a number of smaller battles that force her to defend humans before she is ready for the big show-down at the end where she must make the ultimate sacrifice to defend all humankind.
