The classic hero’s journey beings and ends at home. But without adherence to the classic hero’s journey narrative format, characters in fiction often return home as part of their inner journey.

Reasons for returning home are varied, and include facing old fears, acknowledging past wrongs. Going home is a symbolic act of putting things right, or facing the demons. It’s not just the physical manifestation of home that is important here. Going home usually involves difficult encounters with parents, other family members, friends and acquaintances that belong to one’s previous life. It’s possible those who populate one’s previous life were deliberately left behind in an effort to create a new reality. Upon one’s return, facing up to the reasons one left, which possibly involved leaving significant people behind, is not going to be an easy task.

But returning home, seeking atonement, or forgiveness, or showing courage, are sometimes what’s needed in order to keep moving forward in a new life. What proves difficult may be standing in front of those who see us differently and confirming them that their view of who we are is mistaken. We were probably never the person they thought we were, and never will be. To stand unflinching before someone while they readjust their view of who we are is no easy feat. To various extents, many of us like to please. Hence, to force someone to shift their paradigm of us is a sure road away from pleasure.

Much of what we do is more symbolic than real. Journeys home are such things. They feed the soul rather than the belly. In my case, they do both. But while the meals that family and friends lovingly lavish upon us are nurturing, sustenance-wise, it is the emotional and spiritual food that is the reason we journey home.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of being able to say: Here is a place where I am known. This is a place where I form part of the history, the memories. My identity is tied to this place, but more importantly, the identity of this place includes me. If not for me, this place’s identity – indeed, these people’s identities – would not be the same. I have been here, and I left my mark. Now I am back to reconnect and to reflect on the shared history.

And so in a novel, the return home is a highly symbolic event in terms of completing the inner journey and tending to unfinished business. Sometimes we need to return home because in our haste to leave, we forgot to grow up. And growing up is sometimes not possible until we check in and collect all the things we metaphorically left behind.