Heyo everyone! My apologies for the late arrival of this post. School started this week and I only just recently finished all my homework. Anyhow...
Today on the blog, we'll be discussing one of my favorite non-romance tropes. The Quest trope is one of the most famous and most used tropes in classic literature, and we're going to be talking about ways it manifests in literature, some classic examples in books, movies, and TV shows, and how you can write it well in your own books. So without further ado, let's dive right in!  What Is the Quest Trope? In a quest trope, a character (or several characters all together) goes on a journey to find someone or something. The character is usually mentored by somebody, or is at least told what to do by a higher authority, whether it be God, a wizard, or a Greek mythological deity (oh yeah... this trope gets used a LOT in Greek mythology). And oftentimes, the main character meets some helpful (and not so helpful) people along the way who help him develop in his personal growth. 
This trope is not rare, but has faded considerably from modern lit in its popularity. It's also one of the few tropes that gets its own type of plot structure (known as the Hero's Journey; comment below if y'all want me to do a post or two comparing this plotting method with the classic Three Act Structure!). 
How Is This Trope Used? This trope gets a lot of action in ancient and "classic" literature, including books like...The Odyssey by HomerPerseus and Medusa (another Greek myth, author unknown)The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienThe Lightning Thief by Rick RiordianThe Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Movies featuring this trope include...any Indiana Jones movie (but especially the third one, The Quest for the Holy Grail)Willow (1988)The Goonies (1985)almost all of the Toy Story moviesOnward (2020)I think a case could be made for The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001)Clash of the Titans (2010) and Wrath of the Titans ​(2012) How Can I Write This Trope (Better)? Honestly, I think this trope is relatively untouchable, as it's been used by thousands of mythmakers and authors for centuries. So, here are my trips for writing a story with a quest, and making it good:Give your character a clear goal. Why does your MC need to travel all this way for an object? In Onward, the brothers have to find a crystal in 24 hours because they want to spend a day with their (deceased) father. For Indiana Jones, he's an archaeology nerd who wants to preserve history and that means traveling thousands of miles to save a priceless artifact. In The Mummy Returns, Rick and Evie want to save their son - and the world - from being destroyed by a resurrected Imhotep.Give your MC plenty of obstacles and distractions. Frodo can't catch a break in any of the LOTR books or movies - there's barrow-wights, a group of elves traveling to the Grey Havens, and the whole showdown that takes place on Weather top - and that's just from getting from Bag-End to Rivendell. For Perseus and his crew in Clash of the Titans, they must face sand scorpions, a raging beast that is actually Perseus' father, and of course, Medusa herself. Obstacles shape your character and push readers closer to the edge of their seat. Throw in some internal conflict (and a dash of trauma, I half-jokingly add) to help grow your characters. Perseus is reeling from the loss of his family in Clash, and Wrath takes place after the death of his wife and abduction of his son. Frodo is constantly being tempted by the ring. Sally Jackson's life hangs in the balance, Percy's best friend turns out to be a satyr, and he recently found out that his father is the Greek god of the ocean (and this is but a sliver of the trauma that awaits him). Internal conflict makes your quest not only more engaging, but more personal for the MC as they work to achieve their goals.  What are some of your favorite examples of the Quest trope? Do you enjoy this trope? Let me know in the comments below! 

Until next time!
​~Cate