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12 Step Guide to the Hero’s Journey

Every story has a hero! And every hero has a journey to achieve a goal, avert a crisis or beat incredible odds. Whether you’re a speaker looking to impress your audience with a PowerPoint presentation or someone aiming at self-improvement, the 12 Step Guide to The Hero’s Journey can help guide you towards awakening your inner hero.

What is the Hero’s Journey?

In 1871 anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor pointed out some of the common aspects of how a hero is narrated in stories. Over the following years, there was much deliberation regarding the concept of the hero’s journey by various theorists.

Different philosophers have narrated this in various stages. A 20th-century American Professor of Literature, Joseph Campbell, gave 17 stages of the hero’s journey. Another professor, David Adams Leeming, and an American author, Phil Cousineau, gave their own version of 8 stages for the hero’s journey. More recently, author and Disney screenwriter Christopher Vogler came up with 12 stages to the hero’s journey .

12 Steps of the Hero’s Journey

In what is to follow, we will dig deep into the 12 steps based on Christopher Vogler’s concept of the hero’s journey. Like all steps outlined by philosopher’s in the past, these 12 steps are also divided into three acts, namely; Departure, Initiation and Return. As an example for each stage, we will narrate the concept of the hero’s journey by comparing it to the famous fairytale, Jack and the Beanstalk.

Act 1: Departure

This Act consists of 5 stages: the ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal of the call, Meeting with the mentor, and crossing the first threshold.

1. Ordinary world

This is where the hero is living an oblivious life, not realizing his true destiny and the adventure ahead. This is a safe place for the hero, as he lives through his ordinary life. If we are to take the example of Jack from the story Jack and the beanstalk, it is the stage when he is living an ordinary life with his mother. 

If you’re delivering a business presentation, an author, or even a teacher, you can use this phase to take your audience on a journey. Starting with something ordinary can be a great way to make your audience relate to the hero.

2. Call to adventure

This is the part when the hero is called to the adventure. You might have seen this happen in movies and novels in the form of a threat to the hero or his loved ones, an impending disaster that the hero learns about, or an incident that transforms the hero’s ordinary life with a sudden jolt. This is when Jack’s mother sends him to sell the cow due to the family’s financial woes, and he comes across the tempting offer to sell the cow for magical beans instead of money. 

This is the part where the audience is likely to get excited and tense at the same time, where there is a sense of mystery as to how the hero might react to the situation. 

3. Refusal of the call

Every hero has fears and doubts that hold them back, at least for a while. This is the part where the hero has doubts about his abilities. Many famous stories show the hero as demoralized and beaten down in this stage; it is the part where Jack is reluctant to sell the cow to the man offering him magical beans.

Refusal to call can be a great way to describe a success story to an audience. It can resonate with people’s fears and doubts and motivate them towards an exciting storyline that they will find motivating.

4. Meeting with the mentor

This is the part where the hero meets the mentor. In the case of Jack, it is the man who offers him magical beans for his cow. Meeting the mentor realizes one’s dreams, where the protagonist might receive an object of great importance, some advice, training, or motivation from his mentor.

When narrating a story, this is when a key character is meant to transform the life of the hero forever. In a presentation, this is the defining moment that needs to be identified and explained before an audience.

5. Crossing the threshold

This is the stage where Jack climbs the beanstalk, which appears after his mother throws the magical beans away, thinking that Jack was hoodwinked into selling the cow. At this stage, the hero is now ready to heed the call to adventure and departs on the amazing journey, completing the first act, i.e., Departure. This is usually the take-off point of any story and holds immense importance in keeping your audience intact.

Act 2: Initiation

The second act consists of four vital stages, i.e. tests, allies and enemies, approach to the inmost cave, the ordeal, and finally, the reward.

6. Tests, allies and enemies

This is the part where the hero is confronted with challenges by his enemies. This is a time of trial and tribulations. The hero must decide who to trust in the wake of great obstacles and threats, testing his abilities to the bitter end. 

Many presenters also use this stage to discuss the doom and gloom they or their organization faced amidst disastrous circumstances. This is where the audience is thrown into a spin, and the hero appears struggling amidst incredible odds. This is the moment when Jack finds the giant after he reaches the castle across the beanstalk. 

7. Approach to the inmost cave

This represents a danger, confrontation with a foe, or an actual place where the hero must enter to face the true challenge. It is the call for the final battle. While entering the cave, the hero might once again face his fears and doubts, making the audience realize the hero’s plight. This is Jack’s face-off against the giant.

Many presenters use this stage to create sympathy for the protagonist’s struggle, be it a hero from an actual story, an organization that faced a crisis, or a historical figure under discussion confronted with incredible odds.

8. The ordeal

This is when the final battle occurs. When Jack must fight the giant, this is the moment of truth when the hero will be reborn through some ‘death,’ even if it is metaphorical. Facing all his fears, to achieve an incredible feat. 

For a presenter, this is the extension of the inmost cave. Where the narrative of the final battle is laid out before an audience so that they might get a grip of the true sacrifices the hero has made to achieve something extraordinary. If you can sell your ordeal to the audience, your call to action will likely be well received.

This is when the hero achieves some success. Such as when Jack acquires the giant’s harp and golden eggs and runs for home as the giant chases him. This is when the hero has achieved a major goal and now must return home!

Whether you boast about an achievement or keep it short as a presenter will depend upon the topic, the mood of your audience, and the magnitude of the success achieved. The Reward completes the second act, where the Initiation phase is completed.

Act 3: Return

The Return symbolizes the effect of the achievement and what lies ahead for the hero. There would be new obstacles. However, the hero now must return home, even if it is symbolic. This act has three stages, i.e., the road back, the resurrection, and return with the elixir.

10. The road back

Going back home symbolizes the hero’s return with the reward. The hero might be returned with acclaim after achieving a great feat. It is Jack after climbing down from the beanstalk. 

If you’re a presenter, the road back can be kept brief, as this is the part where your audience might be a bit tired and might be looking for a quick conclusion.

11. The resurrection

This is when the hero is reborn. The hero must face a major threat, which is often a face-off with death itself. This is the part when the giant chases Jack down the beanstalk, as Jack climbs down.

If you want to stretch out the final battle for your audience, you might want to keep some of the previous sections short during a presentation. While people read novels at a time of their convenience, the audience sitting in a hall might not be all that patient. Nonetheless, the final battle is crucial and must be played out to the satisfaction of the audience.

12. Return with the elixir

This is when the hero achieves success. Jack acquires the giant’s harp and golden eggs after defeating him by cutting the tree. In the story, the giant is never seen again, which is a reference to the giant being slain. After this stage, the hero is no longer the same. The enemy has been defeated, the challenge achieved, and death has been beaten, one way or the other. The reward is the ultimate goal of the hero that is achieved in some form. Some stories might see the hero dying in the end after achieving a goal. This might include slaying a tyrant, winning a war, or inspiring a revolution. In Jack and the Beanstalk, it is Jack living happily ever after with his mother.

Return with the elixir is the satisfaction that the audience desire, so to speak. Everyone likes a story where the protagonist achieves something great. As a presenter, you can discuss the protagonist’s success to show the audience how great the protagonist achieved a feat in the wake of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. Reward also concludes the final stage of the second act, and now the hero must return. 

You will require weaving in your call to action with this stage as a presenter to use the inspirational story to achieve your final goal. The same can be done by a teacher, a student during a class presentation, or someone looking to write an inspirational story with a moral at the end to inspire people with an idea.

When working with the hero´s journey

Final Words

The hero’s journey reflects myths and legends and human nature, and the human will achieve something extraordinary. If you’re someone looking to take your audience on a journey through a presentation, story, video, or even a class lecture or school presentation, you can use the 12 step guide to create a compelling story for your audience.

If you’re someone looking to use the hero’s journey as a guide for self-improvement, you can also use this as a guide as to what phase of your life was the most impactful, what decisions you made, and how you might improve your decision making.

Finally, if you´re looking into the hero´s journey because you are creating content for marketing purposes, or even defining storyboards to understand users better in tech products, hopefully this article will have been helpful for you.

1. Hero’s Journey Diagram for PowerPoint

When creating or understanding a character, the Hero´s Journey Diagram is a fantastic way to map out the different stages of the journey. This diagram is great, not only for fantasy characters but also to use a metaphor in real-life situations. 

Use This Template

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Leadership, Storyboard, Storytelling Filed under Business

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Storytelling | Persuasion | Public Speaking

Empower your audience with the hero’s journey approach.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

Imagine this. You’re attending a presentation hoping to be inspired on a particular topic. Instead, all you notice is the presenter spilling fact after fact  just like the presenter before him. And the presenter before him. And the presenter before him. It just seems so… mundane. You simply cannot pay attention. Every presentation looks and sounds the same and none of the presenters stood out. In the end, you come out of the room bored and uninspired.

Constantly being bombarded with hard facts and data can be overwhelming, which can explain why we zone out from a presentation, lecture or speech after a while. According to the theory of cognitive load, our minds become overloaded and blank out if we’re required to process too much complex information at once. So what can you do as a speaker to empower and captivate your audience?

The Power of Storytelling

Enter Storytelling. Stories help to connect with your audience which makes it easier for them to remember your speech. They will also walk out of the room feeling inspired, driving them to take action. It has been scientifically proven that stories engage more parts of our brain as compared to data and statistics. Our brains activate all our five senses which allow us to broaden our imagination and be part of the story itself.

However, story structures on their own aren’t enough. Stories only truly become powerful when the audience can experience the adventure and challenges the characters of the story face as well.

This is where the hero’s journey storytelling technique comes in. Almost all films make use of this approach and with good reason. It is the most powerful pattern out there for telling stories. Not only that, it has the exact built-in mechanisms for creating the connection needed for any audience. The result? An impactful speech that can inspire your audience.

Regardless of whether you’re trying to captivate a room of investors with your startup pitch deck  or to boost your chances with your ICO deck during a private sale, the hero’s journey can be a powerful structure to utilise.

So what exactly is the hero’s journey?

Described by Joseph Campbell as the ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’, the Hero’s Journey is the same exact tale every culture tells – just with different characters. Though the journey’s process can be in various manners, all of them have a few things in common – the call to adventure, a mentor, challenges, victory and the return.

The 12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

“[Heroes] are only mortals, ones that try their best to accomplish feats while fighting against external and internal forces. The only difference between them and other people is their response to the call to be heroic” – Julie Harris

There are typically twelve stages that compose of the Hero’s Journey. Not only does each phase helps the audience to connect with the Hero, it also leads the audience to the key message of your speech.

We’ll use the film, KungFu Panda to reference these 12 stages of the hero’s journey:

1. Ordinary World:

The ordinary world is the hero’s home and a safe haven. Here, we get to understand the Hero’s background before his or her journey begins. We also get to identify the hero’s urges, needs, and problems and what makes the hero uniquely them. The idea is to ensure that the audience is able to relate to the Hero who helps them become emotionally invested in the story.

E.g. Po is a commoner who idolizes the Furious 5 and is unable to achieve his dream of being a Kungfu Master as he helps out with his Dad’s noodle restaurant.

2. Call to Adventure:

The Call to Adventure sets the story rolling by disrupting the ordinary life of the Hero, either making him or her face a challenge. Depending on the situation, the hero may either accept the adventure by choice or due to a circumstance that forces him or her to. This is a crucial moment in the story, where an alarm goes off for both the hero and audience. This issue that the hero faces is what will get your audience’s attention. This ‘Call to Adventure’ can take a multitude of forms such as a message, announcement, a sudden disaster, the arrival of the villain or a death. The idea, however, is to convince the audience why they should care about this issue that has surfaced. Only then can you get them glued to their seats.

E.g. Po is proclaimed the Dragon Warrior – the one kung fu master worthy of receiving the Dragon Scroll and capable of defeating Tai Lung.

3. Refusal:

Depending on some heroes, they may initially refuse the ‘call to adventure’ due to fear or insecurities. The hero is not receptive to changes preferring the safety of the ordinary world. This sign of weakness makes the hero relatable to the audience as it shows everyone struggles with self-doubt and insecurities.

4. Meeting a Mentor:

The Hero then meets a mentor to gain confidence, insight, advice and training to overcome their initial fear. This is because some heroes may not wish to or are unable to rush into an adventure without gaining some experience and wisdom through his or her mentor. Some examples include: Po when he meets Master Shifu who will train him to be a KungFu Master (KungFu Panda).

Here, the audience gets to be part of the journey the hero takes to improve and strengthen him or herself as an individual.

E.g. Po meets his red panda master, Shifu, who puts Po through a torturous and agonizing training regime.

5. Crossing the Threshold:

Once the hero crosses the threshold, it shows that he or she is finally committed and ready for the Journey. Crossing the threshold will directly affect the Hero, raise the stakes and force some action. External forces may push the Hero ahead, such as an abduction of someone close to the Hero (Taken) or the hero may cross the threshold when the earth’s population is on the brink of being wiped out in half (Avengers: Infinity War).

Internal forces may also push the Hero to accept their ‘call to adventure’. Such examples include Belle sacrificing herself in exchange for her father’s freedom (Beauty and the Beast) or when Rapunzel finally musters the courage to leave her tower with a man she just met (Tangled).

E.g. Shifu decides that Po is ready to receive the Dragon Scroll.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies:

This Stage is the most important for the hero and audiences alike. Throughout his or her adventure, the hero will encounter obstacles and fights with enemies. They may forge allies or may even form a Hero team as well (Avengers Assemble). The Hero must prepare for the greater obstacles that have yet to come. He or she also requires this stage to test his or her skills, power and commitment to the Journey. For the audience, seeing the hero struggle as he or she fights obstacle after obstacle will naturally make them root for the hero. This hooks your audience to stay as they now want to find out whether their hero is able to succeed or not.

E.g. Tai Lung (enemy) escapes from Prison. Po and the others attempt to defeat him.

7. Approaching the Inmost Cave:

The Hero must make the preparations needed to approach the inmost cave after facing a setback or a failure in a mission. He or she is now forced into trying a new approach or idea. This makes the audience empathise with the character, forming a type of connection with him or her as they understand that everyone experiences failure at some point of time in their lives.

However, some confident heroes may bypass these preparations and head straight to the inmost cave. Despite so, a new approach is necessary after they faced their setback – whether it be a teammate dying along the journey or whether the villains have won the fight during that moment. In summary, the approach is nearing the climax of the story.

E.g. As Shifu decides that Po is ready to receive the Dragon Scroll, it reveals nothing but a blank reflective surface. Unable to understand the message of the scroll, Shifu and Po are thrown off balance by it which distracts them from fighting Tai Lung (enemy) to the best of their abilities.

8. The Ordeal:

The Ordeal marks another crucial moment in the story, where a transformation takes place. This stage is where all hope seems lost and the hero is on the brink of losing. Some examples include Mulan when she was cast out after the soldiers found out she was a girl (Mulan) or when powerless Thor loses to Loki in a fight on earth (Thor).

The hero finally faces the ordeal where not only do they confront their greatest fear but also confronts the most difficult challenge and experiences “death”. Only through ‘death’, ‘loss’ or ‘failure’ can the Hero be reborn, experiencing a resurrection that makes them stronger. This is where the hero sees to it that he or she finishes the journey till the end.

E.g. A distraught Po finds his dad who, in an attempt to console him, reveals that the long-withheld secret ingredient to his famous “secret ingredient soup” is ‘nothing’, explaining that ‘to make something special you just have to believe it is’. Po realises that this is the message of the Dragon Scroll, and goes back to confront Tai Lung.

The hero manages to overcome the ordeal successfully and has earned the reward. The reward can come in many forms like greater knowledge, wisdom or recognition. The Hero deserves the right to celebrate. At this point in time, the audience has become part of the story and will rejoice with the hero as they felt a connection with this character.

E.g. Po becomes a formidable challenge for Tai Lung (enemy), eventually defeating him in combat.

10. Road Back:

After the celebration, the hero finally sets out on the road to return to the ordinary world where he or she continues to live in his or her regular life.

E.g. Po returns to the Valley of Peace.

11. Resurrection:

While on the journey back to the ordinary world, the hero encounters his or her final challenge which will test the hero. This will be the toughest challenge the hero will face. Most Heroes will come out of the challenge reborn or transformed as a better version of his or her ordinary self. This is due to the lessons and insights from the experiences gained and characters that he or she has met along the road.

In some cases, this battle may not necessarily be just about the Hero’s life. It may also include other lives or the entire world that may be at stake. Thus, the Hero must prove that he or she is willing to accept his or her sacrifice for the benefit and safety of the ordinary world. Other allies may lend assistance, but at the end of the day, the hero must rise to the occasion.

12. Return:

The hero finally returns to the ordinary world with his or her final reward. In most tales, the return with the elixir not only resolve storylines, it also restores balance to the ordinary world. The hero may also embark on a new life with another adventure stored for them, influenced by the journey traveled. The return also helps the audience understand the meaning and key message of the hero’s journey, bringing a sense of completion to the story.

E.g. Po is praised by the Valley of Peace and earns the respect of the Furious Five, who fully acknowledge him as a true kung fu master.

Incorporating The Hero’s Journey Technique in Your Speech

So now you have a better understanding of the cycle of the Hero’s Journey, you’d know that most of the stories go somewhat like this:

The hero starts out as an ordinary person. He or she then gets a ‘call to adventure’—sometimes by choice or by circumstance. As the hero leaves the comfort of their home and family to begin the journey, he or she faces life-threatening challenges along the way. The hero’s situation looks bleak and it further escalates to the Hero’s defeat. Then, just when all hope seems lost, the hero finds some inner strength to win despite the odds. Good prevails over evil. The hero then returns to his or her ordinary life, but with a new addition – wisdom. This wisdom is then communicated to the rest of society for everyone’s benefit. If you noticed, all the tales of heroes have three things in common – the problem, the solution and the reward. You’ll notice that these three elements are always or mostly used in every hero tale and it never fails to attract the audience. Leverage on this three step approach to help make your speech much more engaging which will empower your audience in return.

How Is the Three Step Approach Effective?

A) the problem.

This is what really keeps your audience glued to their seats. There’s no point providing all the hard information and data if you cannot make your audience understand why the problem is a problem. However, once you convince them otherwise, they will be interested and curious as to what will happen next.

Many make the mistake of identifying the solutions first but not the problem when it comes to their speech. Some don’t even mention the problem at all! The problem is crucial as it gives reasons why the audience should care about the issue.

So what? Who cares? What’s in it for me?

This is the reality of the audience’s mindset. The quicker we grasp this, the sooner we’ll craft and deliver presentations that engage our audience.

b) The Solution

“A presentation that doesn’t seek to make change is a waste of time and energy.” –  Seth Godin

Have you ever sat through a presentation and thought, “Interesting but what can I do to help?” Overall, the content was great, stories were compelling, and valid points were brought up about the issue. Everything except one thing is missing – the solution.

Without this, your audience will think, “What do I do with all of this new information?”. As a speaker, informing is not enough – take it a step further and show the audience how they can take action. And to inspire action, solutions must be provided. Although problems hook your audience, solutions are what activates the action.

Start adopting the “How will my audience change as a result of hearing my speech?” mindset. Is there a way you can make their lives easier, help them grow, or do something better, faster, or more efficient than ever before? Your speech can empower the audience if they can take at least one action during your speech.

c) The Reward

All great stories have one thing in common and it’s the key takeaway of the story. After addressing the problem and providing the solutions, this is where the audience will learn the message that you are trying to convey.

The message is the core of your speech as it helps you to create a narrative that provides information, inspire action and solidify the public opinion. Not only that, it ensures your whole story is consistent which is crucial as it ensures your speech does not get out of point. For instance, the moral of “Mulan” is that we shouldn’t let limitations stop us from doing what we want.

Here’s a tip: To ensure your whole speech remains consistent, develop your key message first to get the ball rolling. Distill it into one or two very specific yet concise lines that you can easily repeat for your speech or presentation.

This key message will be a reminder of why you are making your speech or presentation in the first place.

Here’s a video of an inspiring talk by chef José Andrés who made use of the three elements in his storytelling to empower his audience:

And there you have it! An in-depth understanding of the step-by-step phase of the Hero’s Journey. Use the three core elements found in this storytelling technique to personalise, connect, engage and inspire action amongst your audience. Let us know if this approach worked for you in the comments down below!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

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The Hero's journey

What is it.

The Hero's Journey is a narrative structure that heroes typically follow in their adventures. While commonly associated with literature and filmmaking, it can also be applied to presentation development to create compelling and engaging narratives.

Origin: Joseph Campbell, a renowned mythologist and author, popularized this framework in his book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." Drawing upon comparative mythology and literature, Campbell identified a universal template found in myths, legends, and stories from different cultures throughout history.

Key Components: This archetypal structure encompasses mutiple stages including the Call to Adventure, Crossing the Threshold, Tests and Trials, and the Return with the Elixir. It focuses on the hero's personal growth and transformation throughout their journey, providing a template for hero-centric narratives.

Application: The Hero's Journey can be applied when you want to inspire and engage an audience on an emotional and transformational level. It's a powerful structure for motivational, self-help, and inspirational talks. It can also be adapted for business presentations by framing the audience as the hero, with the product or solution as the guide to their transformation.

By structuring a presentation around the Hero's Journey, you can create a compelling and relatable narrative that engages the audience and makes your content more memorable and impactful. It helps draw your audience into the story and keeps them engaged from start to finish.

Step-by-step

Guide coming soon

Expert tips, game-changing resources, and the best presentation insights on the internet.

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How to use the Hero’s Journey to create epic business stories for your B2B marketing

Have you ever struggled to get an important concept across to your peers? We’ve all been there. The powerpoint that sucked. The big idea that didn’t penetrate smaller minds. The blown story. The unfocused presentation.

There is a foolproof way to bring meaning to every pitch. It is the universal story pattern discovered by American mythologist Joseph Campbell called the monomyth , or the hero’s journey. This is the best animation I’ve seen that quickly takes you by the hand through the hero’s journey in just a few minutes.

This same formula that makes stories epic can make your presentations transcendent. I know that sounds like B.S., but it works. The hero’s journey creates a universal structure to your message and transformative meaning to your ideas.

After all, in our communications saturated life, what most people hunger for and rarely get is meaning in the stories they consume. Provide your audience with meaning, and you will propel your mission.

In This Episode

• We unpack the universal story structure of Joseph Campbell’s monolith and why it’s important to business storytelling
• How the Hero’s Journey shows up in our everyday lives
• How you can use this story structure to better understand and have empathy for your customers
• How to authentically connect the brand story with the customer story
• Why change vs. status quo is the most important element in every story you tell
• Matthew’s TED-Ed Talk, “ What makes a hero? “
• Matthew’s upcoming book, “ Teenage Heroes “
• Joseph Campbell’s books, “ The Hero with a Thousand Faces ” and “ The Hero’s Journey “
• Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey

About Park Howell & The Business of Story

Park Howell is a trusted brand story strategist and sought-after keynote speaker on story marketing. His book, Brand Bewitchery , offers a comprehensive guide to attract loyal customers and conjure word-of-mouth marketing.

The widely popular  Business of Story podcast  helps leaders of purpose-driven organizations clarify their stories to grow revenue and amplify their impact. 

Learn more about working with Park Howell and getting your brand story straight through  workshops  or inspiring storytelling keynote presentations .

Sign up for Business of Story emails to get more storytelling tools and tips straight to your inbox:

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

• Presentation Hacks

Storytelling Tactics: Developing The Hero of Your Presentation

• By: Sunday Mancini

What images come to mind when you hear the word “hero”? Someone with a lot of muscles working for the good of mankind? A handsome knight? A firefighter? The word has the can-do connotation of a person who is able to succeed in the face of a mighty foe, and does so against all odds.

A hero within a presentation serves a similar function, with a twist. There doesn’t have to be an actual character to represent the force worth rooting for, like a David in the face of Goliath. But it does need to be a person, place, or concept that the audience can support or relate to.

Heroes are crucial to any presentation that tells a story, and effectively helps audiences lean towards a certain side of your argument. They make your tale relatable, carry the presentation through the course of its journey, and can make difficult concepts easier to understand.

How can you create a hero within something as structured as a presentation? Follow these four steps:

Who is this masked man?

Anything can represent the hero of your story. Anything . It could be a thing, like a software solution that will make work scheduling easier. It could be a place, like a hometown you’re trying to raise funding for in order to improve roadways. And of course it could be a person, like a portrait of yourself ten years ago when you first thought up an innovative business idea. The most important thing is to introduce the hero of your story right away in the presentation, using slides of images or a few words to describe them/it.

What makes the hero special?

This is the more complicated or nuanced part of your presentation. There needs to be something that makes the hero stand out, and the story itself unique. In the above examples, a software solution might be the world’s first to ever be built entirely in the cloud. The hometown in need of better roads may have struggled with devastating flash floods, and thus require innovation. And for the tale of yourself in the past, you might have been living unhappily with your parents and working a terrible job until it motivated you to create something unique. Whatever it is, the hero needs to be given detail in order to make the story memorable, and lead to the final outcome.

What are the odds?

We’ve already written a little about the concept of the villain , or the opposing force that challenges your hero and prevents them from immediately succeeding. Within your presentation, be clear about the obstacles that the hero must face. The more difficult and tricky the opposing force may be, the more your audience will be willing to listen to the solution or resolution to these problems.

Take the example of the hometown that experienced flash flooding, and now needs better roads. Once you’ve described the risk of these floods happening again and the families that were affected as they were trapped in their homes, your audience will be much more open to hearing the solutions you have to offer, and signing on the dotted line to donate.

By the end of your deck, your hero either needs to succeed mightily or be just about to succeed. Why include a cliffhanger? If your call to action requires that the audience act in order for the hero to achieve a victory, then leaving loose ends is perfectly acceptable in the plot of a storyboard. In the case of the hometown in need of better roads, you may leave the final few slides to describe how the city needs the audience in order to succeed.

Presentation heroes don’t have to be perfect, don’t need to be victorious at the end, and don’t have to be people. But they do need to stand for something, which requires clarity and effort on your end as you develop the narrative. Give your audience something to cheer for, and develop your story with a pinch of underdog excitement. Want to read more about storytelling within a presentation? Check out these articles!

Storytelling Tactics For Presentations: Creating The Right Villain

Storytelling Ideas for Presentations

The 5 Elements of Storytelling for Presentations

Sunday Mancini

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Using the Hero’s Journey in Your Sales Pitch

• November 27, 2023

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Storytelling is the best way to convey ideas and emotions, both of which you need to hook your target audience. If your sales pitch doesn’t tell a story, you’re likely not going to have many bites. But storytelling has existed in our society for far longer than sales. Authors, scriptwriters, video game developers, and other creatives use a number of tools and techniques to tell a good story.

One of the most popular is the Hero’s Journey, the idea that every story follows the same essential trajectory and beats. The Hero’s Journey is also something you can use in your sales pitch.

What Is the Hero’s Journey?

Star Wars. The Lord of the Rings. The Hunger Games. Even most rom-coms that you see. What do they have in common? It’s usually the Hero’s Journey. This outline includes all the typical beats that make a universal story people can relate to. These beats include:

• The Call to Adventure – The initial issue that opens the door to change in the hero’s life
• Refusal of the Call – The hero’s initial reluctance to answer the call
• Crossing the Threshold – The hero embarking on their journey for the first time
• Point of No Return – The hero’s life is changed, unable to go back
• The Road of Trials – All the challenges the hero finds along the way
• Making Allies – The people who help the hero on their quest
• Gaining Skills – New skills and accomplishments that help the hero on their journey
• The Climactic Battle – The hero faces their foe or uses all the skills and allies they’ve gained along the way to accomplish their goal
• Returning Home – The hero returns home triumphant to live out their days in peace.

How To Use the Hero’s Journey In Your Sales Pitch

Now that you understand these universal steps in most stories let’s discuss how you can include them in your sales pitch:

Keep It Simple

The list of steps above is an abbreviated version of the Hero’s Journey. However, for your sales pitch, you may want to condense those steps even further. A good sales pitch should be under two minutes. Don’t get so lost in the details of a good narrative that you forget actually to describe your product and what it does. Try to stick to the important points of the hero’s journey, the points that will stand out the most.

Make the Customer the Hero

Your company should never be the “hero” in the story. To position yourself as the hero is to position the customer as your ally — your sidekick, essentially. Instead, you want to frame the customer as the hero. Your company is their ally, the tool they need to defeat the antagonist or the wise mentor. Your company is Gandalf or Yoda, not Frodo or Luke Skywalker. Better yet, your company is the sword that King Arthur pulls from the stone in order to vanquish his foes.

Make Your Company Indispensable

You might not be the hero, but no hero goes through their journey alone. Make it clear in your sales pitch that your product or service is what’s necessary for the hero to accomplish their goal and defeat the antagonist. Make the hero excited about teaming up with you, and about the results that follow. When you get to that happy ending, make sure it’s clear that it wouldn’t have been possible without your company’s help.

Set Up a Strong Antagonist

Every story needs a villain. What is your customer’s antagonist? What problem is upsetting their daily routine and making it difficult to live peacefully? If your product offers some form of pain relief, maybe the villain is chronic pain. If you offer a convenient cleaning product, it might be their old cleaning products. Let your story show how much this antagonist is hurting your hero and why it needs to be vanquished.

Give It a Happy Ending

Not every story has a happy ending. In the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, Orpheus fails at the last minute by turning around and looking for Eurydice, thus condemning her to the Underworld. Other stories may have the hero vanquish the foe but return home shell-shocked after everything they saw and experienced.

But a tragic ending is not likely to sell your product. Your story needs an indisputably happy ending. The hero returns home triumphantly, saving the day. The antagonist is gone forever, or if they’re not gone forever, they’re clearly no match for the hero. This happy ending is what you’ll ultimately need to sell the product.

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What makes a good hero slide template?

A hero slide is a crucial part of a presentation that serves as an attention-grabber and sets the tone for the rest of the talk. A good hero slide template should have a captivating visual such as a video or animation that supports the presentation topic and a powerful call-to-action.

What is the goal of a hero slide?

The goal of a hero slide is to engage the audience from the start and build interest in the topic being presented. It should create a strong emotional hook that pulls the audience in.

A good hero slide can make or break a presentation, so it is important that it effectively communicates the message and sets the tone for the rest of the presentation.

What are the main types of hero slides?

• Image-based hero slide: utilizes a large, high-quality image as the main visual element.
• Video-based hero slide: incorporates a video or animated content as the primary focus of the slide.
• Minimalist hero slide: emphasizes simplicity with minimal text and design elements.

What makes these hero slides better than any PowerPoint?

You won’t succeed to make a compelling case for your product or solution with a same-old PowerPoint hero slide. Even the prettiest hero or title slide won’t get prospects' or investors’ attention and interest - they’ve seen it all before.

To move the needle you’ll have to take your hero slide from static to interactive, from dull to captivating. This is what our templates do for you.

What should a good hero slide include?

• A clear and compelling headline that captures the audience's attention.
• A visual element that supports and enhances the message of the slide.
• A concise and impactful message that communicates the core value proposition or idea.
• A clear call to action that prompts the audience to take the desired next step.
• Consistent branding elements that tie into the overall presentation or brand identity.

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Hero's Journey

Hero's journey presentation, free google slides theme and powerpoint template.

Embark on a visual storytelling adventure with this adventurous Google Slides and PowerPoint template adorned with enchanting illustrations and designed to celebrate the hero's journey in all its variations! Explore the epic hero narratives that have always inspired audiences. From the call to adventure to the ultimate triumph, you can use these editable slides to guide people through the stages of this timeless archetype. This slide deck encourages creativity and empowers you to give a compelling presentation. Download it now to let the hero's journey unfold before your audience's eyes!

Features of this template

• 100% editable and easy to modify
• 35 different slides to impress your audience
• Contains easy-to-edit graphics such as graphs, maps, tables, timelines and mockups
• Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
• Designed to be used in Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint
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• Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the resources used

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Make Your Audience the Hero of Your Story!

Think of it metaphorically: Your audience is the hero of your story. Help your viewers, guide them, and they will follow you anywhere. No matter what story you tell, your goal should be to assist the hero – your audience.

The metaphor shows us that listeners want to be involved, they want to feel like they are part of the story, your presentation. The hero of your presentation is never yourself. If that’s the case, your audience will turn away. The hero of your presentation is always the audience.

Only by involving your audience and putting their needs at the forefront can you achieve your goals.

Using storytelling to make your audience the hero of your presentation

Chad Hodge, an American screenwriter and producer known for creating TV dramas such as Runaway, The Playboy Club, Wayward Pines, and Good Behavior, once said:

“Business speakers should help their audience see themselves as the hero of the story, whether it’s about defeating the villains or achieving a major business goal.” Chad Hodge

The goal is to “paint a picture of what success looks like,” he added. “That can be anything from personal fulfillment to career advancement to changing the world.”

To achieve this, Hodge recommends starting with a “credible character” that the audience can identify with. “Someone they can root for and wish success upon,” he said.

Once you have your protagonist, you need to put them in a challenging situation. This is where the audience begins to see themselves in the story. “The more relatable the challenge, the more engaged the audience will be,” he said.

Finally, you need to offer a solution that satisfies your audience . “It should be something they can aspire to,” Hodge said. This is where your product or idea presentation comes in. Present it as the solution to the challenge. Make your product appealing by seamlessly incorporating it into your story.

By following these steps, you can create a company story that resonates with your audience and helps them see themselves as the hero.

Your audience is on their own journey, and they need someone to guide them along the way. They need someone to show them the path. And that’s where you come in. Everyone wants to be a star or at least feel like the story is about them personally.

Tips to better convey information

One of the main objectives of your presentation is to help the hero, your audience, by providing information or knowledge that can positively change their lives . Skillfully package your product as a solution to their problems.

The steps to solve this problem are simple:

• Understand who your audience is.
• Make them the hero of your story.
• Engage with them.
• Guide them through your story.
• Let them know what they can learn from you.

You can accomplish this by sharing a personal experience or by urging them to take action ( call to action) . Whatever approach you choose, make sure to connect with your audience on a human level. They will appreciate it and learn from you as a result.

If you have any questions about the concept of the audience as the hero or about PowerPoint in general, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] . We are here to assist you!

Are you looking for visually supportive and professionally designed slide templates ? Take a look at our shop, where we offer numerous slides for download on a variety of (business) topics. Visit us today! ► Shop

You might also be interested in these articles:

• Storytelling for your presentations
• Call-to-action for your presentations
• Interactive presentations: How to do it!

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Big Ideas Articles & More

What makes a hero, we all have an inner hero, argues philip zimbardo . here's how to find it..

This month, Greater Good features videos of a presentation by Philip Zimbardo, the world-renowned psychologist perhaps best known for his infamous Stanford Prison Experiment. In his talk, Zimbardo discusses the psychology of evil and of heroism, exploring why good people sometimes turn bad and how we can encourage more people to perform heroic acts. In this excerpt from his talk, he zeroes in on his research and educational program designed to foster the “heroic imagination.”

More on Heroism

Watch the video of Philip Zimbardo's Greater Good talk on heroism.

Read his essay on " The Banality of Heroism ," which further explores the conditions that can promote heroism vs. evil.

Read this Greater Good essay on the "psychology of the bystander."

Learn more about Zimbardo's Heroic Imagination Project.

What makes us good? What makes us evil?

Research has uncovered many answers to the second question: Evil can be fostered by dehumanization, diffusion of responsibility, obedience to authority, unjust systems, group pressure, moral disengagement, and anonymity, to name a few.

But when we ask why people become heroic, research doesn’t yet have an answer. It could be that heroes have more compassion or empathy; maybe there’s a hero gene; maybe it’s because of their levels of oxytocin—research by neuroeconomist Paul Zak has shown that this “love hormone” in the brain increases the likelihood you’ll demonstrate altruism. We don’t know for sure.

I believe that heroism is different than altruism and compassion. For the last five years, my colleagues and I have been exploring the nature and roots of heroism, studying exemplary cases of heroism and surveying thousands of people about their choices to act (or not act) heroically. In that time, we’ve come to define heroism as an activity with several parts.

First, it’s performed in service to others in need—whether that’s a person, group, or community—or in defense of certain ideals. Second, it’s engaged in voluntarily, even in military contexts, as heroism remains an act that goes beyond something required by military duty. Third, a heroic act is one performed with recognition of possible risks and costs, be they to one’s physical health or personal reputation, in which the actor is willing to accept anticipated sacrifice. Finally, it is performed without external gain anticipated at the time of the act.

Simply put, then, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.

By that definition, then, altruism is heroism light—it doesn’t always involve a serious risk. Compassion is a virtue that may lead to heroism, but we don’t know that it does. We’re just now starting to scientifically distinguish heroism from these other concepts and zero in on what makes a hero.

My work on heroism follows 35 years of research in which I studied the psychology of evil, including my work on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment . The two lines of research aren’t as different as they might seem; they’re actually two sides of the same coin.

A key insight from research on heroism so far is that the very same situations that inflame the hostile imagination in some people, making them villains, can also instill the heroic imagination in other people, prompting them to perform heroic deeds.

Take the Holocaust. Christians who helped Jews were in the same situation as other civilians who helped imprison or kill Jews, or ignored their suffering. The situation provided the impetus to act heroically or malevolently. Why did some people choose one path or the other?

Another key insight from my research has been that there’s no clear line between good and evil. Instead, the line is permeable; people can cross back and forth between it.

This is an idea wonderfully represented in an illusion by M. C. Escher, at left. When you squint and focus on the white as the figures and the black as the background, you see a world full of angels and tutus dancing around happily. But now focus on the black as the figures and the white as the background: Now it’s a world full of demons.

What Escher’s telling us is that the world is filled with angels and devils, goodness and badness, and these dark and light aspects of human nature are our basic yin and yang. That is, we all are born with the capacity to be anything. Because of our incredible brains, anything that is imaginable becomes possible, anything that becomes possible can get transformed into action, for better or for worse. 

Some people argue humans are born good or born bad; I think that’s nonsense. We are all born with this tremendous capacity to be anything, and we get shaped by our circumstances—by the family or the culture or the time period in which we happen to grow up, which are accidents of birth; whether we grow up in a war zone versus peace; if we grow up in poverty rather than prosperity.

George Bernard Shaw captured this point in the preface to his great play “Major Barbara”: “Every reasonable man and woman is a potential scoundrel and a potential good citizen. What a man is depends upon his character what’s inside. What he does and what we think of what he does depends on upon his circumstances.”

So each of us may possess the capacity to do terrible things. But we also posses an inner hero; if stirred to action, that inner hero is capable of performing tremendous goodness for others.

Another conclusion from my research is that few people do evil and fewer act heroically. Between these extremes in the bell curve of humanity are the masses—the general population who do nothing, who I call the “reluctant heroes”—those who refuse the call to action and, by doing nothing, often implicitly support the perpetrators of evil.

So on this bell curve of humanity, villains and heroes are the outliers. The reluctant heroes are the rest. What we need to discover is how to give a call to service to this general population. How do we make them aware of the evil that exists? How do we prevent them from getting seduced to the dark side?

We don’t yet have a recipe for creating heroes, but we have some clues, based on the stories of some inspiring heroes.

I love the story of a wonderful nine-year-old Chinese boy, who I call a dutiful hero. In 2008, there was a massive earthquake in China’s Szechuan province. The ceiling fell down on a school, killing almost all the kids in it. This kid escaped, and as he was running away he noticed two other kids struggling to get out. He ran back and saved them. He was later asked, “Why did you do that?” He replied, “I was the hall monitor! It was my duty, it was my job to look after my classmates!”

This perfectly illustrates what I call the “heroic imagination,” a focus on one’s duty to help and protect others. For him, it was cultivated by being assigned this role of hall monitor.

Another story: Irena Sendler was a Polish hero, a Catholic woman who saved at least 2,500 Jewish kids who were holed up in the Warsaw ghetto that the Nazis had erected. She was able to convince the parents of these kids to allow her to smuggle them out of the ghetto to safety. To do this, she organized a network.

That is a key principle of heroism: Heroes are most effective not alone but in a network. It’s through forming a network that people have the resources to bring their heroic impulses to life.

What these stories suggest is that every one of us can be a hero. Through my work on heroism, I’ve become even more convinced that acts of heroism don’t just arrive from truly exceptional people but from people placed in the right circumstance, given the necessary tools to transform compassion into heroic action.

Building on these insights, I have helped to start a program designed to learn more of heroism and to create the heroes of tomorrow.

The Heroic Imagination Project (HIP) is amplifying the voice of the world’s quiet heroes, using research and education networks to promote a heroic imagination in everyone, and then empower ordinary people of all ages and nations to engage in extraordinary acts of heroism. We want to democratize the notion of heroism, to emphasize that most heroes are ordinary people; it’s the act that’s extraordinary.

There are already a lot of great heroes projects out there, such as the Giraffe Heroes Project . The HIP is unique in that it’s the only one encouraging research into heroism, because there’s very little.

Here are a few key insights from research we’ve done surveying 4,000 Americans from across the country. Each of these statements is valid after controlling for all demographic variables, such as education and socioeconomic status.

Heroes surround us. One in five—20 percent—qualify as heroes, based on the definition of heroism I provide above. Seventy-two percent report helping another person in a dangerous emergency. Sixteen percent report whistle blowing on an injustice. Six percent report sacrificing for a non-relative or stranger. Fifteen percent report defying an unjust authority. And not one of these people has been formally recognized as a hero.

Opportunity matters. Most acts of heroism occur in urban areas, where there are more people and more people in need. You’re not going to be a hero if you live in the suburbs. No shit happens in the suburbs!

Education matters. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be a hero, I think because you are more aware of situations.

Volunteering matters. One third of all the sample who were heroes also had volunteered significantly, up to 59 hours a week.

Gender matters. Males reported performing acts of heroism more than females. I think this is because women tend not to regard a lot of their heroic actions as heroic. It’s just what they think they’re supposed to do for their family or a friend.

Race matters. Blacks were eight times more likely than whites to qualify as heroes. We think that’s in part due to the rate of opportunity. (In our next survey, we’re going to track responses by area code to see if in fact these heroes are coming from inner cities.

Personal history matters. Having survived a disaster or personal trauma makes you three times more likely to be a hero and a volunteer.

Based on these insights into heroism, we’ve put together a toolkit for potential heroes, especially young heroes in training, who already have opportunities to act heroically when they’re kids, such as by opposing bullying.

A first step is to take the “hero pledge,” a public declaration on our website that says you’re willing to be a hero in waiting. It’s a pledge “to act when confronted with a situation where I feel something is wrong,” “to develop my heroic abilities,” and “to believe in the heroic capacities within myself and others, so I can build and refine them.”

You can also take our four-week “Hero Challenge” mini-course online to help you develop your heroic muscles. The challenge may not require you to do anything heroic, but it’s training you to be heroic. And we offer more rigorous, research-based education and training programs for middle and high schools, corporations, and the millitary that make people aware of the social factors that produce passivity, inspire them to take positive civic action, and encourage the skills needed to consistently translate heroic impulses into action.

We’re also in the process of creating an Encyclopedia of Heroes, a collection of hero stories from all over the world. Not just all the classic ones and fictional ones, but ones that people from around the world are going to send in, so they can nominate ordinary heroes with a picture and a story. It will be searchable, so you can find heroes by age, gender, city and country. These are the unsung, quiet heroes—they do their own thing, put themselves in danger, defend a moral cause, help someone in need. And we want to highlight them. We want them to be inspirational to other people just like them.

Essentially, we’re trying to build the social habits of heroes, to build a focus on the other, shifting away from the “me” and toward the “we.” As the poet John Donne wrote: “No man [or woman] is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; … any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

So every person is part of humanity. Each person’s pulse is part of humanity’s heartbeat. Heroes circulate the life force of goodness in our veins. And what the world needs now is more heroes—you. It’s time to take action against evil.

About the Author

Philip Zimbardo

Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D. , is a professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University, a professor at Palo Alto University, a two-time past president of the Western Psychological Association, and a past president of the American Psychological Association. He is also the author of the best-selling book The Lucifer Effect and the president of the Heroic Imagination Project .

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Very nice information. In this world this is the very difficult question that what makes people good or evil. This post has helped a lot to understand the difference. Actually in my point of it depends upon the individual that what he/she thinks. If he/she thinks negative all the time them they became evil and thinking vice versa makes them good.

Andrew | 2:31 am, January 19, 2011 | Link

I really like reading this article because there are many individuals in the world that are heroes but are not recognized.  Heroes that have help humanity progress and prosper have fought with the greatest weapons which are love, respect, sincerity, and peace.  The governments that have had the greatest fear of seeing people free have always use war for colonization, genocide, and false treaties.  However, love is much stronger than war, and thanks to the modern forms of communication and exchange of information, more people are united for peace and do not support or participate in colonization or human genocide.  Since the start of humanity most people have use peace to progress, few have participated in war and few are participating. May peace prevail on earth!

Victor | 7:48 pm, January 29, 2011 | Link

A son raising up against an evil father. A brother standing up to a bully attacking his sibling. A stranger rallying to the side of a woman being assaulted in the street.

My sons are my strength. My reason to help others, that they may find the help they need in their lives.

pops | 9:39 am, February 3, 2011 | Link

Of course religion and eduction has a big impact on a child. But once a child is trying to live a good life (earning good karma or call it whatever you want) good things will happen to that child and he or she will recognize this.

So I think you can definitely change from evil to good.. maybe you _can be changed_ from good to evil.

Massud Hosseini | 7:28 am, September 17, 2011 | Link

Actually in my point of it depends upon the individual that what he/she thinks

asalah | 9:41 pm, September 24, 2011 | Link

“Research has uncovered many answers to the second question: Evil can be fostered by dehumanization, diffusion of responsibility, obedience to authority, unjust systems, group pressure, moral disengagement, and anonymity, to name a few.”  <—What I find amazing about this statement is that anything is being branded “evil” at all.  Well, maybe not.  Relativism seems to be something that’s employed when convenient, disregarded when it’s not.

Kukri | 6:58 pm, November 6, 2011 | Link

This is a very comprehensive discussion on heroism. Victor makes a great point in his comment about how most heroes go unnoticed by the vast majority of people. I think that lack of notoriety is part of what it means to be a hero: doing that which is unexpected without the need for a pat on the back. quotes for facebook status

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When a sniper’s bullet hits one soldier and misses the person next to him, that alone does not make the wounded soldier more heroic.

brokesteves | 6:10 am, April 24, 2012 | Link

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• Scriptwriting

What is a Hero — Definition, Examples & Types Explained

• Types of Characters in a Story
• Protagonist
• Deuteragonist
• Tragic Hero
• Tritagonist
• Anti-Villain
• Foil Character
• Common Character Types
• Character Archetypes
• Types of Villains
• Femme Fatale
• Mad Scientist
• Damsel in Distress
• What is Characterization
• Characterization Examples in Movies
• Characterization of Anton Chigurh Explained
• Direct Characterization
• Indirect Characterization
• Round vs. Flat Character
• Round Character
• Flat Character
• Static vs Dynamic Characters
• What is a Static Character
• Dynamic Character

W hat is a hero? Heroism is a concept we’re taught at a very young age. But is the definition we’re taught really accurate? Today, we’re going to explore the hero definition in a new light by looking at examples in psychology, film, and literature. By the end, you’ll know what makes a hero, and how to make your own characters heroic. 

Watch: What is a Protagonist

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Hero Meaning Explained

Let's define hero.

When I say “hero,” who do you think of? Hercules? Superman? A role model? Heroes play an important role in our everyday lives because they serve as a beacon of excellence that we strive towards.

HERO DEFINITION

What is a hero.

A  hero  is a person who demonstrates an utmost commitment to their morals, no matter the obstacle or consequence. Heroes are venerated in stories for possessing extraordinary abilities, such as exceptional strength, intelligence, or fortitude. This character is not to be confused with a superhero. A superhero often shares the same moral and charitable qualities but they also have special powers or abilities.

Classic Hero Traits:

• An unwavering dedication to their morals
• A priority to uphold the greater good
• Courage in the face of adversity

The hero is almost always the protagonist of a story. But a protagonist is not always a hero. Those two terms get confused a lot and while there is overlap, they are distinct categories.

But in many ways, we believe that heroes are beyond reach; idealized to an unattainable degree – but that doesn’t have to be the case. This next video from Academy of Ideas examines the psychology of heroism, and explains how you can be your own heroic character.

The Psychology of Heroism by Academy of Ideas

This is not a messianic figure – it’s simply a person who defends their moralistic beliefs vigorously. Of course, those moralistic beliefs have to be rooted in charity; the utilitarian notion of the greater good outweighing the greater evil need not apply.

QUALITIES OF A HERO IN LIT.

Hero examples in literature.

Literature is defined simply as a written work; so as you can guess, there have been a lot of heroes throughout the history of literature.

Let’s take a look at a few:

Gilgamesh from The Epic of Gilgamesh  

By contemporary standards, Gilgamesh is more of a superhero, but considering that he’s regarded as the first hero in literature, we had to include him here. Gilgamesh demonstrates exceptional persistence against overwhelming odds to become a hero of feat.

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird  

Atticus demonstrates extraordinary resolve by defending Tom Robinson against bigotry.

Nancy Drew from the Nancy Drew series 

Nancy represents an outlet for women seeking heroes in a market saturated with male heroes. Nancy displays great intelligence in her quest to unmask various villains .

This next video from Ted-Ed breaks down  Joseph Campbell’s  The Hero’s Journey by looking at famous literature examples of heroes.

What Makes a Hero? by Ted-Ed

The Hero’s Journey may serve as a blueprint for effective storytelling, but it’s not the only way writers characterize heroes. Remember, heroes are simply individuals who defend their morals in spite of potential consequences. 

Now, let’s look at some hero examples in film and television.

Heroic Characters Explained

Heroes in movies & television.

Big-budget cinema – at least nowadays – is a medium for the sensational, which means that its heroes are often “super” in nature. It’s worth noting that superheroes are different from heroes. 

Heroes demonstrate extraordinary ability within the realm of reality, superheroes demonstrate extraordinary ability outside that realm.

So, we’re going to stick to regular heroes in this section. Here are a few hero examples in film/television (some of who are rooted in plays/literature):

Juror #8 in 12 Angry Men : Juror #8 is a classic example because he defends his morals with absolute conviction, despite limited support from his peers. For more, check out our 12 Angry Men script teardown .

Rick Blaine in Casablanca : Rick represents a sub-type that we regard as the dormant hero. This character rejects heroism due to a traumatic defeat. However, they are later called back into action, and overcomes their greatest foe to emerge victorious. For more, check out our Casablanca script teardown .

Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones movies: Indiana Jones is the perfect example of a classic Hollywood hero. Indy doesn’t possess superheroic abilities, but he does possess extraordinary intelligence and courage.

Now here’s a thought exercise for you: is Thanos the hero – or more appropriately the superhero – 0f Avengers: Infinity War ? Let’s examine that question with a video essay! Check it out below.

Avengers: Infinity War Script Breakdown  •   Subscribe on YouTube

I’d argue that Thanos displays a sense of heroism by defending his moral beliefs. However, his call is a perverse one: rooted in utilitarian justice rather than charity. 

Related Posts

• What is an Archetype →
• What is an Antagonist →
• What is a Character Arc →

What is an anti-hero?

Now that we know what we call an individual who defends their moralistic beliefs no matter the consequence, let’s explore the question: what is an anti-hero? Anti-heroes are incredibly popular in today’s media scene. In our next article, we break down how characters like Walter White and the Underground Man rejected the hero’s call and became anti-heroes instead.

Up Next: Anti-Hero Explained →

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What is a hero?

Jul 21, 2014

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What is a hero?. You will be working with a partner for today’s assignments! Read “The Life and Times of Hercules,” a well-known account of a hero and heroic action, and annotate. With your partner, draft a list of characteristics and qualities of a hero that were presented in the story.

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Presentation Transcript

What is a hero? • You will be working with a partner for today’s assignments! • Read “The Life and Times of Hercules,” a well-known account of a hero and heroic action, and annotate. • With your partner, draft a list of characteristics and qualities of a hero that were presented in the story. • Now consider your list and create a list of heroes in other areas such as history, religion, pop culture, folktales, art, politics, literature and modern times. • Try to have at least 3-4 heroes in EVERY category

With your partner, answer the following questions and write a working definition of HERO. • What constitutes a hero? • What qualities do certain heroes have that make them exceptional? • When have we seen a situation give rise to an unconventional hero or heroine? • Do all heroes have something in common about their appearance? • What are some of the lessons that heroes can teach us? • What differences exist among cultures with regard to their concept of heroes? • How can we compose an interesting way to present our definition visually to the class? Create a visual representation/mini-poster to present with your definition.

Background Info/Literary Terms

Homer’s Epics • Considered statements of cultural identity • Heroes embody the values of Greek culture. • Bravery, loyalty, intelligence, honor to the gods, heroism, glory, determination, etc.

More on Homer • Homer is said to be the first teller of adventures of all times. He was not the first author because in his day stories were passed down---they were told. He was a blind man whose date of birth is unknown.

Form • In Medias Res • In the middle of things • The epics begin in the middle of the story but flashback to past events. • General outline and characters of stories were already known to audience. • The Trojan War • Invocation (invoking Muses) • Muses are goddesses of poetry, art, music, and dance. • Invoking the Muse was a poet’s way of asking for inspiration and ideas. • The Odyssey, The Iliad, and Paradise Lost (Britain).

Stock Epithets • Phrases used to rename characters based on traits • Achilles of the swift feet • Hector breaker of horses • Singer emperor of knowledge

Background of the Iliad Fun Review (song) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiQ4j-D5o4o

Trojan War • Eris – goddess of discord (disagreement) • Upset about not being invited to the wedding of Thetis and Peleus. • Made a Golden Apple labeled “for the fairest one.” • Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite • Argue over apple • Choose Paris, prince of Troy to make decision. • Each goddess offered a bribe. • Athena – wisdom; Hera – be a powerful king; and Aphrodite – the most beautiful woman

Trojan War • Aphrodite • Offers Paris the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. • Helen is already married to Menelaos, a Greek king. • Paris • Kidnaps Helen, the “face that launched a thousand ships.”

Trojan War • Menelaos – Husband to Helen • Seeks help from Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. • War lasts ten years • The Iliad focuses on the last two months of the war.

Achilles • Son of Thetis (sea goddess) and Peleus, a mortal. • Dipped into the Styx all except for his heel. (Achilles Heel) • Best warrior for the Greeks • Suffers from excessive Pride (hubris) and anger. • In war for fame

Greeks (also known as the Acheans) • Agamemnon – Leader of Greeks/suffers from pride and stubbornness. • Patroklos – close friend of Achilles • Odysseus – most intelligent Greek and advisor to Achilles. • Hera and Athena – favor Greeks

Trojans • Hector – best Trojan soldier and prince of Troy • King Priam – king of Troy • Paris – Hector’s brother and prince of Troy/kills Achilles. • Andromache – Hector’s wife. • Aphrodite, Apollo, and Ares – favor Trojans. • Zeus – mostly neutral but appeases gods involved.

Death of Achilles • Many different stories: • Killed by Paris who finds out vulnerable spot from Apollo • Apollo in the disguise of Paris • Achilles falls in love with one of Priam’s daughters and is slain when he shows up for the wedding.

Read from Book 1, Rage of Achilles, p. 364-373 • While reading, annotate (use sticky notes): • questions, • comments, • identification of literary elements (particularly evidence of themes and examples of imagery and other figurative language), • vocabulary words (either words you aren’t that familiar with and/or perfect words you want to add to your writing vocabulary.) Ln 57 – theme reference Ln 61-65: Achille’ charac. Ln 63-65: Greek Culture Comments: Agamemnon is so disrespectful – I would rebel! Questions: What are Achilles’ motivations for calling a meeting?

Summarizer • What values and beliefs of Greek culture have been revealed so far in The Iliad?

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Migrant's 'hero's journey' through Arizona desert featured in film festival

Emily bregel.

• Apr 18, 2024
• Apr 18, 2024 Updated 12 hrs ago

In the 2023 film "The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero," an undocumented New York City chef, portrayed by actor Jonathan De La Torre, travels to Mexico to visit his ailing mother. The film, which is based on true migrants' stories, focuses on the character's harrowing return journey through the Arizona desert, where he meets and takes under his wing a young girl from El Salvador, played by Jocelyn Sanchez.

A film that chronicles the “hero’s journey” of an undocumented New York City chef, on a harrowing trip through the Southern Arizona desert, aims to celebrate the contributions of undocumented immigrants to American society and to humanize migrants too often treated as political props, the filmmaker says.

“The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero” is a fictionalized account rooted in true migrant stories from the Arizona borderlands, featuring appearances by real humanitarian-aid workers from Tucson and Green Valley, says New York-based Indian filmmaker Joseph Mathew-Varghese.

"I feel that migrants are heroes who have never been acknowledged,” said Mathew-Varghese, who is in Tucson for two upcoming screenings of the 2023 film, which he produced and directed. “They’re looked upon as a charge, and it’s exactly the opposite. They contribute so much to society.”

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“The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero” will be screened at the Arizona International Film Festival in Tucson on Friday, April 26 at the Mercado Annex.

It’s also the feature presentation of a Saturday, April 20 fundraising event in Green Valley to benefit humanitarian-aid nonprofit Salvavision , in collaboration with the Green Valley-Sahuarita Samaritans.

In the film, the protagonist Carlos Guerrero has taken the risk to leave the U.S. to visit his ailing mother in Mexico, and the only option for his return is to make the trek through the borderlands. When his group ends up scattered, he takes under his wing a young Salvadoran migrant who has lost her mother, as they both fight for their lives in the desert.

Salvavision’s co-founder Dora Rodriguez, a human-rights activist based in Tucson, said the film’s depiction of the Salvadoran girl reminds her of own near-death experience in the Southern Arizona desert in 1980, when she was 19 years old.

Dora Rodriguez, founder of migrant-aid nonprofit Salvavision, is pictured with filmmaker Joseph Mathew-Varghese, right, outside of the Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson this week.

Rodriguez was part of a group of 26 who were fleeing the civil war in El Salvador and were abandoned by their guide in the July heat. Thirteen of them died, including three teenage girls, before Border Patrol agents found the survivors, including Rodriguez, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

In the decades since, Rodriguez has made it her life’s work to help migrants like herself.

Yet the deaths continue, despite increased awareness and the efforts of aid groups like Humane Borders, No More Deaths and the Samaritans, she said. Nearly 4,200 migrants are known to have died in the Southern Arizona borderlands since 1990, and thousands more are missing, according to Humane Borders.

“It’s hard for me to accept the fact that we are still in the same situation, and that people are still going through that journey,” Rodriguez said. “There’s people still dying, people still suffering just to find safety, and the lies and the betrayals of the smugglers continue.”

Proceeds from the Green Valley screening/fundraiser will support Salvavision’s efforts to create a healing summer camp experience for dozens of children who last year fled the Mexican border town of Sásabe, Sonora to escape extreme cartel violence , as well as children who migrated from other countries and are settling in Tucson.

About 20 kids, ages 6 to 14, will participate in the program, which will include art-therapy activities and field trips to the zoo, the Children’s Museum Tucson, Skate Country and a day at the movies, she said.

The program aims to “help them to have a space to leave their traumas behind for a little bit, to be children again,” Rodriguez said. “To have fun, to make new friends, to talk about what their experience was — how much they miss home, how much they love this country, or how it is hard to adjust.”

Undocumented labor ‘essential’

The film’s protagonist, Carlos Guerrero, represents an “homage” to the filmmaker’s late friend Carlos García, who died of cancer in 2015.

García was a celebrated chef in New York City, who had worked his way up from a dishwasher. He had previously been undocumented, and unable to visit his family in Mexico for more than 15 years. Mathew-Varghese was struck by how his friend’s immigration status “trapped” him, and so many others.

“The story revealed part of the undocumented experience that I had never thought about,” he said. “So many undocumented people are, in a way, trapped here. They can’t go back.”

Mathew-Varghese says the reliance on undocumented labor in major U.S. industries — from restaurants, to farming and food processing, to health care — while U.S. politicians continue to dehumanize immigrants and fail to create legal pathways for them, is hypocritical.

“If the undocumented people in this country leave, so many major industries that we rely on every day are just going to shut down,” he said. “It’s just like the reality that everybody knows, but nobody acknowledges.”

Mike Wilson, a humanitarian rights activist and member of the Tohono O'odham Nation, is pictured in a still shot from the film "The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero," a 2023 film by Joseph Mathew-Varghese which will be screened at the Arizona International Film Festival on April 26.

That reality became obvious during the pandemic, he said. More than 5 million undocumented immigrants were deemed “essential workers” under U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines, as they worked on the front lines of the pandemic response, in health care and other key industries, according to the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan progressive think tank.

Mike Wilson, a human rights activist and member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, is one of a number of Tucson-based humanitarians with a role in the film.

Wilson said he began putting out water on Tohono O’odham land around 2002, when he was a Presbyterian lay pastor at the Presbyterian church in Sells. He noticed the Humane Borders’ migrant-death map contained so many red icons on reservation land, marking the location where bodies were found.

“I thought it was my moral obligation and duty to put out water,” Wilson said. “They were dying within miles of our communities, and nobody was lifting a hand.”

Wilson met Mathew-Varghese in 2004 when the filmmaker was scouting a documentary in Arizona, after learning about the rising number of migrant deaths here and the way U.S. border-enforcement policy channels migrants to the most dangerous parts of the desert.

On his first morning in the field with Wilson, on a water drop, they came upon a man from Hidalgo, Mexico, who had been lost for days and was almost out of water. The man said he came to the U.S. to earn money to pay for surgery his wife needed.

Wilson gave the man water and food, and told him to find Border Patrol agents to turn himself in.

Mathew-Varghese was dumbfounded.

“It hit me in a very visceral way,” he said. “When I experienced that I was like, ‘This is it. If I can find this on the first day I’m out here, this must be a story.’”

The ensuing documentary, Crossing Arizona, was released in 2006 and many of the true stories the filmmaker gathered during filming are incorporated into his new film.

Rodriguez of Salvavision says she sometimes struggles to stay hopeful in the face of so much anti-immigrant sentiment, and the decades-long failure of Congress to tackle immigration reform in a realistic way.

But projects such as “The Long Walk of Carlos Guerrero” inspire her to continue her work — not for herself, but for the migrants coming behind her, she said.

“It is very easy for me to sometimes say, ‘Man, I’m done,’” she said. “And then, you get the beautiful victory of a good story to lift you up, and you say, ‘I cannot stop. I gotta keep going.’”

Tucson artist Álvaro Enciso wants to make a largely invisible tragedy unfolding in the Southern Arizona desert more visible to the world. For the past decade Enciso and his team of friends and volunteers from the Tucson Samaritans, have spent every Tuesday placing his hand-made crosses at the site of migrants' deaths.

Contact reporter Emily Bregel at [email protected] . On X, formerly Twitter: @EmilyBregel

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• Courtesy of Joseph Mathew-Varghese
• Courtesy of Dora Rodriguez

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