The Importance and Reoccurrence of a Quest

Being a lover of adventure novels and fiction, I am aware and comfortable with the archetypes and elements of a quest. The hero and his journey, his ultimate goal and the obstacles he must face, the vilan and his relentless quest to deter the hero. All of these are familiar concepts, but I found it so fascinating how often they reoccur in stories outside of the usual quest- genre. The real purpose of the quest is not for the physical prize- it's for the character's personal growth.  A good example would be Shrek- he wants to be left alone so he goes on a quest to regain his privacy. Along the way he discovers that life is a lot better when you're not alone. The journey is for self-improvement, not a material goal.