From KMW: If you’ve been following my work, you know how much I emphasize the power of Flat Arc archetypes in storytelling—characters like the Child, Lover, Ruler, Elder, and Mentor, who don’t undergo drastic change but instead remain true to their core nature, influencing the world around them.
That’s why I’m excited to share today’s post by Oliver Fox. He introduces an alternative narrative structure to Joseph Campbell’s powerful and ubiquitous Monomyth—one that complements the quiet strength of these archetypes. Oliver dives into what he calls the Unitive Myth, a framework that emphasizes internal growth, community, and the feminine energy behind these stories.
As he explores, you’ll see how the Unitive Myth aligns perfectly with the essence of the Flat Arc archetypes I teach in my book Writing Archetypal Characters. If you’ve ever felt like your stories didn’t quite fit the mold of the traditional hero’s journey, this is the alternative you’ve been waiting for! Oliver’s insights will help you embrace a storytelling approach that allows your characters to remain true to themselves while still creating deep, impactful narratives.
***
In This Article:
If you’ve been writing for any significant amount of time, you’ve probably found yourself haunted by Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth. Wherever you turn, you’ll encounter some iteration of it touted as the ultimate plot structure. Even purported alternative structures can look suspiciously similar when subjected to sufficient scrutiny. Love it or hate it, the Monomyth does effectively describe many of the world’s most famous and beloved stories, from Lord of the Rings to Star Wars to Harry Potter.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), New Line Cinema. / Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Warner Bros.
So, is that it? Is this truly the one plot available to us if we are to succeed as writers and storytellers? Well, given you’re here, you’re already likely aware of at least a few of the other options available to you. Still, I’d like to offer one more—one I think you’ll find surprisingly familiar, yet rarely discussed or consciously implemented, and therefore still quite fresh. It may also be familiar because it was inspired in no small part by Katie’s exploration of Flat Arcs, Flat Archetypes, and Impact Characters more generally.
I call it “The Unitive Myth.” Others have identified it by such names as “Feminine Mode Narrative” (Michael Hauge) and “Carrier-Bag Fiction” (Ursula Le Guin). I first discovered it while trying (and failing) to fit some stories I teach in literature classes into a Monomythical framework—stories such as Anne of Green Gables and, yes, even that pinnacle of Westerns, Shane. But try as I might, I just couldn’t get Anne to contort herself to fit into the Monomythical box.
Anne of Green Gables (1985), CBC.
And I found that fascinating.
If you’re like me, sometimes these grand, dramatic, spectacular stories driven by high stakes conflict don’t do it for you; you might prefer a story that’s quiet, subtle, and cozy instead. That’s what the Unitive Myth is all about, even in its more adventurous forms (more on that later). Anne Shirley isn’t on an epic quest to retrieve a great boon. She doesn’t face impassable hordes of mooks arrayed against her, blocking her goal. Nor does she ultimately slay a dragon or a dark lord to save Prince Edward’s Isle, let alone Canada. And yet, an account of her attempt to bake the perfect cake to impress her new schoolmarm captivates me, and I’m truly devastated along with Anne when she fails.
Why?
I wanted to know. The prospect of describing a narrative mode that could allow me to emulate these kinds of narratives in my own work was too enticing, so I set out analyzing them, looking for shared tropes and structures.
How to Write an Alternative to the Monomyth
Interested in learning how to write such captivatingly cozy stories for yourself? Read on, and I’ll share what secrets I’ve uncovered: the subtle Yin to the Monomyth’s bombastic Yang.
To better understand the Unitive Myth, let’s contrast it with Dan Harmon’s simplified Monomyth, the “Story Circle,” beat for beat.
First Act: Invitation vs. Initiation
Monomyth: You, the protagonist, are going about your ordinary, everyday life when something disrupts your routine, making you realize you badly Need some object of desire. Implicitly or explicitly, you’ve been invited to go on an adventure.
Unitive Myth: You have left a previous life behind and entered a new milieu. Perhaps you’re moving into an entirely new community, or maybe you’re just taking on a greater role within your existing one. Regardless of the circumstances, you step into this new situation confident in who you are and what you’re capable of. You Are Whole already.
Example:
Anne Shirley (Child): I can hear you clamoring already, shouting invectives and objections as you sharpen your pitchfork and light the torches. “Anne? Whole? Puh-lease! Isn’t that the point of her story—that she needs a family?” To which I would counter, “not according to the book itself.” At one point, Matthew Cuthbert, the father figure of Anne’s two adoptive parents, tells his sister Marilla he suspects they need Anne more than she needs them. This isn’t some schmaltzy throwaway line. Rather, it’s borne out as the plot unfolds: Anne remains steadfast in her core characteristics: passionate, curious, and whimsical. By the end of the story, she hasn’t fundamentally changed so much as she has more fully embodied these characteristics, albeit with more control.
Anne of Green Gables (1985), CBC.
First Half of Second Act: Departure vs Disruption
Monomyth: Driven by your desperate need, you Go, venturing forth into the wide world to Search for the object of your desire.
Unitive Myth: You Join a new community (or an old community in a new capacity). However, as you make the rounds and engage with each member, you discover your mere presence and habits create disruption. Perhaps your appearance, bearing, and modes of interaction are simply foreign to the community, but they interpret such things as transgressive, maybe even dangerous. So, for a time, you feel it necessary to partially Conceal your true nature.
Example:
Elizabeth Bennet (Lover): Elizabeth enters the high society of Netherfield and Rosings, quietly confident and brimming with acerbic wit. Each member of this society expects her to behave decorously and with deference, but during each encounter—whether with Darcy, Miss Bingley, Mr. Collins, or Lady Catharine De Bourgh—Elizabeth upends this expectation. Her disruption is unintentional; Elizabeth is just being herself—keen and witty, traits unheard of in a woman within polite society of the time. After provoking the ire of some of these sociocultural elites, Elizabeth feels pressured to conceal her true self. The stakes are too high to risk further provoking their disapprobation. For now…
Pride & Prejudice (2005), Focus Features.
Second Half of Second Act: Achievement vs. Revelation
Monomyth: Eventually, you Find the object of your desire, which you believe to be your deepest Need. Through great effort and sacrifice, you overcome the obstacles and forces of antagonism so you can Take it as your own.
Unitive Myth: You cycle through several interactions with all the core community members: including Allies, Challengers, Romantic Mirrors, Guardians, Guides, and Libertines (more on these in another article, perhaps). One meeting at a time, one piece at a time, you Shed the culturally conditioned armor and masks you donned upon first facing rejection. The more you unveil yourself, the more you can Give of yourself, healing individuals within the community and inspiring greater harmony in the whole.
Example:
Atticus Finch (Parent): Long seen as a man apart by the denizens of Maycomb, Atticus reveals his true ideology throughout Tom Robinson’s trial. He remains steadfast in his convictions even in the face of increasingly hostile societal pressure to conform. By treating everyone, including his greatest critics, with dignity and compassion, Atticus softens their opposition just enough to sow seeds of social change.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Universal Pictures.
Third Act: Return vs. Stasis (Harmonization or Rejection types I, II, or III)
Monomyth: After achieving your need, you Return to your normal life in your original setting. You’ve been utterly Changed by your journey, and you’re prepared to share what boons and wisdom you’ve received during your travels with your community. (If you’ve noticed any interesting parallels to the beginning of the Unitive Myth, you’re on the right track).
Unitive Myth: Now that you’ve revealed your true self fully, you commit to Remain in the community, your essence Unveiled to all, leading to one of several conclusions. You might be fully integrated as a respected and admired member of the community, free to be yourself and give what gifts you have to offer (Harmonization). However, you might be spurned, instead (Rejection). You might be compelled or impelled to don your mask and armor once again, living in occlusions until the community might finally be ready to receive your gifts (I). However, they might banish you to the margins or exile you altogether (II) or even attempt to destroy you (III).
Examples:
In the Superman (Ruler) mythos, he is eventually accepted and looked up to in Metropolis almost as a benevolent lord, despite Lex Luthor’s ceaseless attempts to depose him.
Man of Steel (2013), Warner Bros.
In The Last Airbender, Uncle Iroh (Elder) is banished from the fire nation for his dissenting views, but still creates positive change in the Fire Nation through his subtle, compassionate interactions with his nephew, Zuko, the future Fire Lord.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008), Nickolodeon.
In the Harry Potter series, Dumbledore (Mentor) experiences all four scenarios across different books: he is initially accepted and beloved, then must hide his true intentions, and is eventually banished and, finally, marked for death.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Warner Bros.
***
I began this article by referring to the Unitive Myth as the Yin to the Monomyth’s Yang, and I meant it. The Unitive Myth’s protagonist is receptive where the Monomyth’s is active; its protagonist is often female (or archetypally feminine) where the Monomyth’s is male or masculine; its journey is internal where the Monomyth’s is external.
And, yes, you may have noticed the Unitive Myth begins where the Monomyth ends. They are not merely inversions of one another, but complementary opposites. Each archetypal character’s journey spiraling into the next. From a Flat Arc to dynamic Change Arc, the cycle repeats from Child to Mage.
But don’t take my word for it. Give the Unitive Myth a spin. I look forward to reading your cozy self-revelatory tales!
In Summary:
Introduces the Unitive Myth as an alternative to the Monomyth, highlighting a narrative structure focused on internal growth, community, and the feminine energy within storytelling. This approach aligns well with the Flat Arc archetypes (Child, Lover, Parent, Ruler, Elder, and Mentor) by emphasizing characters who remain true to their core natures while influencing the world around them. The Unitivte myth can offer a refreshing alternative to the Monomyth of the traditional Hero’s Journey by opening up new possibilities for writers who seek subtle, character-driven narratives.
Key Takeaways:
- The Unitive Myth is a narrative structure that contrasts with the Monomyth, focusing on internal growth and community instead of external quests.
- It aligns with the Flat Arc archetypes, in which characters remain true to their core identities, influencing the world without undergoing drastic personal transformation.
- This alternative framework is particularly fitting for writers who prefer quieter, more introspective stories that still carry emotional depth and impact.
- Exploring the Unitive Myth can help writers craft stories that feel fresh and resonant, especially for those who feel confined by traditional plot structures.
Want More?
Writing Archetypal Character Arcs (affiliate link)
Want to learn more about the subtle power of the Flat Arc archetypes Oliver talked about in this post? Check out my book Writing Archetypal Character Arcs. In this book, I dive deep into six core Flat or “resting” archetypes—Child, Lover, Parent, Ruler, Elder, and Mentor—and explore how they can remain true to themselves throughout their journeys while still profoundly impacting the world around them.
Whether you’re wanting to learn how to craft “static” protagonists or just seeking a fresh perspective on how to approach character arcs in your stories, Writing Archetypal Character Arcs offers tools and inspiration to help you create compelling, character-driven narratives with deep thematic resonance.
It’s available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook.
Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! How do you think the Unitive Myth, as an alternative to the Monomyth, could reshape the way we approach storytelling with Flat Arc archetypes? Tell me in the comments!
The post originally appeared on following source : Source link
