“It’s the Journey that Counts” Trope
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on July 12, 2021, 10:13 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
"It’s the journey that counts" is a trope that is used frequently in fiction, where the characters (and, often, the audience, as well) embark on an epic journey, fraught with danger, encountering numerous situations that test their abilities, put them into great peril, and help to reflect upon themselves, and then, upon completion of their quest, expect a great reward, only to learn that there is none. The journey itself was the reward; the various difficulties that the heroes encountered helped them to grow and develop as people, to become stronger, wiser, and more experienced, making any reward at the end of their journey redundant and, thus, unnecessary.
Given that this trope has been around for centuries, it is now parodied or deconstructed almost as frequently as it is played straight; for example, in National Treasure, the heroes find themselves in a chamber where they had been absolutely confident that the titular treasure would be found, but there was nothing there. Despondent, they console themselves by reminiscing on the wonderful journey that they had, and that they do not need the treasure, but, then, they actually find the treasure, subverting this trope.
Therefore, I wish to discuss this trope with the other users of this forum, to see how they feel about it. When I was younger, I disliked this trope, because it made me feel that the characters, and, by extension, myself, had been deprived of a reward after a long and difficult journey, but, now, I appreciate this trope, because I believe that expecting a reward is a sign of immaturity, and it is a sign of maturity to realize that personal growth is a reward in and of itself.
Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece, has stated that he will not be employing this trope in that series, that there is an actual treasure at the end of the quest, but I severely dislike that statement, for two reasons; first, what treasure could possibly be sufficiently epic for the ending of a series as epic as One Piece, and, second, given how that series heavily emphasizes friendship and adventure, I feel that there being an actual treasure at the end would undermine that message.
What does everyone else have to say on this subject? What are your thoughts and feelings about the “it’s the journey that counts” trope?
DeinoStinkus says... #3
Jumanji falls under this category. The character's only gain is a better-oriented sense of self. They become better people through their quest but nothing is gained.
And Caerwyn makes a good point about the character development as a crucial factor. I haven't read Twenty Thousand Leagues in some time, so I can't give my thoughts as to that, but it really does seem like a lot of Magic the Gathering stories are like this; there's a lot of buildup but no real payoff.
Caerwyn says... #2
As with any trope, implementation is key - a masterful writer can use this to great effect, while a mediocre one leaves the reader ultimately disappointed. Let us look at two examples, one that works and one that decidedly doesn’t.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea begins with Pierre and company escaping from a vessel as the vessel sinks to the icy depths, having been destroyed by the Nautilus. At the end of the novel [spoilers for a novel that celebrated its sesquicentennial a last year], Pierre and company are escaping a vessel that is sinking into the sea, consumed by the Maelstrom.
Verne’s novel works because it is delightful all the way through, and the “reward” at the end of the adventure is escaping from said adventure. You do not feel the characters were cheated by the experience, even though they end up in the same place they started - albeit with 20,000 leagues of adventure under their belts. The reader themselves gets to go on the adventure with them, told in the excellent prose of one of literature’s greats.
Compare to the most recent Zendikar story. The story starts with Zendikar being saved from a great threat and Nissa, Jace, and Nahiri all kind of disliking one another. Some stuff happens. And it ends with none of the main characters having advanced their own character; none of the characters having done irreversible damage to their relationships; and Zendikar being fine. The journey was disappointing not just because it went nowhere, but the journey for the reader was poorly written and executed throughout the entirety of the story.
Two different stories, both ending where they began… but one is among the greatest works of literature and the other was disappointing, even by the low bar Magic’s story sets.
July 12, 2021 10:47 p.m.