The call to adventure is when the hero has the opportunity to leave the comfort of their ordinary world for an adventure. A motivating incident might open the door or a mentor may come knocking. The refusal of the call happens after the call to adventure. The hero may be unsure of his abilities and be self doubting or they may be sacred to leave the safety of the ordinary world. Either way the hero hesitates before continuing his or her journey.
“‘ Yes, you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it to you. In fact I will go so far as to
send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very good for you- and profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it.’‘ Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today.” ( Tolkein 9)
At the beginning of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, Bilbo Baggins does not wish to go on the adventure that Gandalf is proposing. Gandalf is providing a call to adventure for Bilbo but he refuses the call on account of the fact that he is “a Baggins from Bagend” (10) and is not of the adventurous type. This a very literal call to and refusal of the call example. Bilbo is self doubting and scared to leave his ordinary world, which is all he knows.
“Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning theyDo not go gentle into that good night.” ( Thomas)
This exert from Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas is an example of refusal of the call. The wise men know that they are near death and are reflecting on their lives. They hadn’t gone on their journey and changed their world with their words. They cannot go gentle into the night because they regret not going on their journey and wish to fight the fact that they leave this world still living in their ordinary world.
Journey Project 