The Hero's Journey of E.T.

Because in the film one of the ‘hero’ protagonists is an alien, it is extra fascinating to explore. This provides a possibility to explore the ‘Hero’s Journey’, a well-known concept that describes the journey of a hero in a story by Joseph Campbell (1949), of one that is different than a human. 

In most stories, the journey of a hero begins with a dramatic event. E.T.’s arrival on Earth marks this start. He desperately wants to return home, which is his ‘call to adventure’. Elliot becomes his main helper by offering E.T. shelter and safety. They face several challenges, such as hiding E.T. from the adults. Elliot’s brother, Micheal, also steps in to help and together they reach the ‘climax’ when E.T. calls home. After this call, he is picked up and returns to his planet. The audience never saw him back on his planet but his time on Earth taught him valuable lessons about friendship, maybe he shares this with his fellow aliens. 

However, E.T. has not a typical Hero’s Journey, through the focus of the story on friendship and overcoming obstacles, the ‘Hero’s Journey’ applies in surprising ways. The story of E.T. is not only about an alien exploring Earth. It is about the power of friendship and a home search. This makes the film timeless and appealing to children and adults.