A Most Excellent Adventure

When we were exploring narrative the other day an interesting idea was brought up. It was the idea that there is no original story anymore. Everything these days is either a sequel, prequel, adaptation or reboot of someone else’s ideas and Hollywood has been criticized again and again for no longer being the place for new stories to arise. But when you analyse it, it is very difficult to create a story that isn’t similar to something out there already in the world. The classic heroes journey was discussed, and can be seen emulated in about almost every heroic tale. From Harry Potter to Rocky, it is one of the most recognized story-line structures in history.

This just falls under the patterns and multiple representations stories go through in history. It feeds into the 7 basic plots described by Christopher Booker.

• Overcoming the Monster
• Rags to Riches
• The Quest
• Voyage and Return
• Comedy
• Tragedy
• Rebirth

I just think it means that there is now more added pressure in creating more incredible content and that it is okay to recycle ideas every now and then. Not everything has to be completely different from the past, it just has to stem from a place where you can express your individual ideas and how you execute them.