Vogler, Christopher. “The Writer‘s Journey,” “Stories are Alive” . The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers Third Edition. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.
Summary
In “The Writer’s Journey” Vogler relates the hero’s journey to real life, specifically the journey of a writer. The elixer would be a good story. A judgmental editor could be the threshold guardian, and things like accidents and computer problems could be considered tricksters. Distractions could be called the shapeshifter during the writer’s journey. Vogler also compares a writer to the shaman saying they could play that role over the course of the journey.
In “Stories are Alive”, Vogler talks about how stories can help because they can relate to the characters. He examines the story of Rumplestiltskin, broadening on the different aspects of the story. He points out the wishing is an important part in stories, and that done at the beginning of a story is a good way to orientate an audience to the story. He explains the concept of “Not Only…But Alas”, how you can know the truth on something but that there is another side to that truth that you may not know. He goes on to state that a good story will have the audience interacting with it, wishing with the hero and getting upset is not all goes well. He also explains the concept of a hero willing.
Reaction
Once again I found the first section pointless. He was just restating everything that he has said in the last couple of chapters, and seemed to be giving himself his own little praise. The second section was interesting and provided new, pertinent information. I did not realize everything that he mentioned surrounding the use of wishing and willing with characters.
Questions
1)Do you think Ruplestiltskin could have been the father of the baby?
2)Do you think it is important for a villain to get his “justice” for a story to be good?
3)Do you think every story teaches a lesson?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
ann. bib. #10
Vogler, Christopher. “Looking Back on the Journey” . The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers Third Edition. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.
Summary
In this section of Vogler, he talks about the role the different sections should play in creating the story. He states that a person should not follow the structure rigidly and that the story turns out better if it is not followed closely. He emphasizes the importance of following the needs of the story and the needs of the audience to determine the structure of this story. He goes on to make his point shown by explaining the structures of such movies like Titanic and Lion King.
Reaction
I did not like this section of the story; it was pointless. Vogler was reiterating what he has previously mentioned in the stories, he was not teaching anything significantly new. While he used well known movies to get his point across, he could have gone just as easily without this section.
Questions
1)Are you a fan of Titanic, do you think it makes a good story?
2)Do you think the symbolism in the Titanic is significant to the movie?
3)Do you consider the first three starwars films more cheerful then the most recent three?
Summary
In this section of Vogler, he talks about the role the different sections should play in creating the story. He states that a person should not follow the structure rigidly and that the story turns out better if it is not followed closely. He emphasizes the importance of following the needs of the story and the needs of the audience to determine the structure of this story. He goes on to make his point shown by explaining the structures of such movies like Titanic and Lion King.
Reaction
I did not like this section of the story; it was pointless. Vogler was reiterating what he has previously mentioned in the stories, he was not teaching anything significantly new. While he used well known movies to get his point across, he could have gone just as easily without this section.
Questions
1)Are you a fan of Titanic, do you think it makes a good story?
2)Do you think the symbolism in the Titanic is significant to the movie?
3)Do you consider the first three starwars films more cheerful then the most recent three?
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
ann. bib. # 9
Vogler, Christopher. “The Resurrection”, “Return with the Elixir”. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers Third Edition. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.
Summary
This is the stage where the hero has their last encounter with death, and it is also suppose to be the most dangerous encounter. The hero must once again change and go through a “rebirth” before reentering the ordinary world. This “new” hero should have all the good characteristics of their old self, as well as, their lessons they have learned throughout their journey. This also serves as a function of “cleansing the hero of the smell of death”. In this stage, the trouble is usually not directed just at the hero, but there is some threat to the entire world. It is the best scenario when the hero acts alone in this challenge, and does not have to be rescued by an ally. In Westerns, this is generally represented by a shootout. In some cases the hero dies at this stage (known as the tragic hero), but in the majority of cases it is the villain. Another challenge is the hero having to choose between choices to see if the hero sticks to their values. There are two different classifications for the climax, the rolling climax and the quiet climax. This stage is ultimately the last chance for the character to change their ways.
The return with the elixir stage is the stage where the heroes return to the place they were at at the beginning of their journey. During this stage all the loose ends are wrapped up. There are two story forms, the circular form and the open-ended form. The circular style is also known as the closed form, and it is the most popular story form. This story lets you see how far the hero has come. Happy endings are very popular in Hollywood movies. In the open-ended form, questions are intentionally left at the end of the hero’s journey for the audience to decide for themselves. This is the part of the story that many writers mess up. It shares many similarities with the Reward stage. A good version of the return stage should connect all the plot lines but also have some aspects of surprise. Another function of this stage is to dish out the last rewards and punishments to the characters. Tragedy, responsibility, and love are all examples of common elixirs the hero brings back from their journey. There are many different pitfalls during this stage of the story. Unresolved subplots, too many endings, abrupt endings, and an out of focus end are all common pitfalls the befall this stage.
Reaction
Overall these sections of the book were good. He explained the different aspects well, and did not write about a lot of common knowledge. I did not agree with his stance on how the hero should not be rescued in the road back stage; I think in some instances a hero coming to the aid helps.
Questions
1)What is an example of a movie where the hero was rescued by an ally in the road back and it worked well?
2)Do you prefer an open-ended ending or a circular format in a story and why?
3)Do you think a tragic hero is effective at teaching the audience a lesson?
Summary
This is the stage where the hero has their last encounter with death, and it is also suppose to be the most dangerous encounter. The hero must once again change and go through a “rebirth” before reentering the ordinary world. This “new” hero should have all the good characteristics of their old self, as well as, their lessons they have learned throughout their journey. This also serves as a function of “cleansing the hero of the smell of death”. In this stage, the trouble is usually not directed just at the hero, but there is some threat to the entire world. It is the best scenario when the hero acts alone in this challenge, and does not have to be rescued by an ally. In Westerns, this is generally represented by a shootout. In some cases the hero dies at this stage (known as the tragic hero), but in the majority of cases it is the villain. Another challenge is the hero having to choose between choices to see if the hero sticks to their values. There are two different classifications for the climax, the rolling climax and the quiet climax. This stage is ultimately the last chance for the character to change their ways.
The return with the elixir stage is the stage where the heroes return to the place they were at at the beginning of their journey. During this stage all the loose ends are wrapped up. There are two story forms, the circular form and the open-ended form. The circular style is also known as the closed form, and it is the most popular story form. This story lets you see how far the hero has come. Happy endings are very popular in Hollywood movies. In the open-ended form, questions are intentionally left at the end of the hero’s journey for the audience to decide for themselves. This is the part of the story that many writers mess up. It shares many similarities with the Reward stage. A good version of the return stage should connect all the plot lines but also have some aspects of surprise. Another function of this stage is to dish out the last rewards and punishments to the characters. Tragedy, responsibility, and love are all examples of common elixirs the hero brings back from their journey. There are many different pitfalls during this stage of the story. Unresolved subplots, too many endings, abrupt endings, and an out of focus end are all common pitfalls the befall this stage.
Reaction
Overall these sections of the book were good. He explained the different aspects well, and did not write about a lot of common knowledge. I did not agree with his stance on how the hero should not be rescued in the road back stage; I think in some instances a hero coming to the aid helps.
Questions
1)What is an example of a movie where the hero was rescued by an ally in the road back and it worked well?
2)Do you prefer an open-ended ending or a circular format in a story and why?
3)Do you think a tragic hero is effective at teaching the audience a lesson?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Ann. Bib. #8
Vogler, Christopher. “Reward“, “The Road Back”. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers Third Edition. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.
Summary
The Reward stage takes place right after the ordeal, and it is when the hero gets what they’ve been seeking. They can either win it, be given it, or steal it. The reward has a variety of shapes. It can be a celebration which provides the hero with time for rest before returning to normal world. It can be a campfire scene which gives the hero the chance to recap their adventure and allows the audience to look back on what has happened. It can also be a love scene. They usually get new perceptions when they reach the reward stage. They can gain better ability at seeing through deception, gain clairvoyance, gain a better self-realization, and have an epiphany. Another result could be the hero gaining too much of an ego and as a result have a distorted perception. Either way, the hero gains something during this stage.
The Road Back stage takes place after the Reward stage. It is during this stage that the hero makes the decision to stay in the special world or return to the ordinary world. Most of the time the hero returns to the ordinary world. Usually during this stage the hero discovers that the villain is not really dead, and the villain comes after the hero for revenge. Chase scenes are common, and in fairytales they are referred to as magic flight. The hero could also be running from admirers or chasing a villain that has escaped. Finally, the hero can experience set backs during this stage to test their resolve.
Reaction
I think Vogler did a good job explaining these two sections, and he used a better variety of movies then he did in the previous required reading. Still, I only recognized a few of the movie examples. I didn’t realize there where so many reward variations. I also did not realize that a chase scene was so common in the Road Back stage.
Questions
1)Can a story end after the reward stage?
2)Can you name a hero in a movie that decided to stay in the special world?
3)Do heroes realize that they have changed in the reward stage or does it just occur?
Summary
The Reward stage takes place right after the ordeal, and it is when the hero gets what they’ve been seeking. They can either win it, be given it, or steal it. The reward has a variety of shapes. It can be a celebration which provides the hero with time for rest before returning to normal world. It can be a campfire scene which gives the hero the chance to recap their adventure and allows the audience to look back on what has happened. It can also be a love scene. They usually get new perceptions when they reach the reward stage. They can gain better ability at seeing through deception, gain clairvoyance, gain a better self-realization, and have an epiphany. Another result could be the hero gaining too much of an ego and as a result have a distorted perception. Either way, the hero gains something during this stage.
The Road Back stage takes place after the Reward stage. It is during this stage that the hero makes the decision to stay in the special world or return to the ordinary world. Most of the time the hero returns to the ordinary world. Usually during this stage the hero discovers that the villain is not really dead, and the villain comes after the hero for revenge. Chase scenes are common, and in fairytales they are referred to as magic flight. The hero could also be running from admirers or chasing a villain that has escaped. Finally, the hero can experience set backs during this stage to test their resolve.
Reaction
I think Vogler did a good job explaining these two sections, and he used a better variety of movies then he did in the previous required reading. Still, I only recognized a few of the movie examples. I didn’t realize there where so many reward variations. I also did not realize that a chase scene was so common in the Road Back stage.
Questions
1)Can a story end after the reward stage?
2)Can you name a hero in a movie that decided to stay in the special world?
3)Do heroes realize that they have changed in the reward stage or does it just occur?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
ann. bib. #7
Vogler, Christopher. “Approach to the Inmost Cave“, “The Ordeal”. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers Third Edition. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.
Summary
In the “Approach to the Inmost Cave”, Vogler elaborates on the functions and the characteristics on this stage of the story. The approach allows the hero time to organize their plans; it is during this time that romances are declared in some stories. Some characters will skip a lot of the approach, and just face the cave automatically. During the approach the hero will face challenges that allow him to practice the skills they have learned on their; some of these obstacles will discourage the hero which gives the time to reevaluate their plan and why they are doing the journey. Vogler uses The Wizard of Oz to explain many of the concepts of the approach including emotionally appealing to the threshold guardian and the hero coming to the acceptance of their fate, that they have to face and conquer “the cave”.
In “The Ordeal”, Vogler emphasizes the importance of the hero going through some form of death and rebirth whether it is literal or abstract. They go through some form of death and are reborn a changed hero. This event is suppose to be the central event in the so-called second act of the story and is usually found halfway through the second act, but it can be placed anywhere as long as it is present. Vogler makes a point to mention the audiences emotion to the story lines, to make the importance of the hero’s death more evident. The hero doesn’t have to be the one to die for this death to take place. For example, the hero can kill someone and as a result their innocence died. One of the more common ordeals is that of a confrontation between the hero and the enemy. In some instances the enemy dies at this point, but not always. Basically, the ordeal is when the hero faces his greatest fear, and either conquers and comes out a changed person or dies completely; the example given for that one was in the movie Psycho, the death of Marion.
Reaction
I thought these two chapters were very informative. He did a good job at describing the different aspects present in these two stages of the hero’s journey. I like the fact that he pointed out that the supposed hero does not always have to survive the ordeal and can be replaced.
Questions
1)Can you name a movie that does not have an ordeal in the middle of the story?
2)Can you name a movie without a true villain?
3)Do you consider it necessary to have allies on the approach to the innermost cave?
Summary
In the “Approach to the Inmost Cave”, Vogler elaborates on the functions and the characteristics on this stage of the story. The approach allows the hero time to organize their plans; it is during this time that romances are declared in some stories. Some characters will skip a lot of the approach, and just face the cave automatically. During the approach the hero will face challenges that allow him to practice the skills they have learned on their; some of these obstacles will discourage the hero which gives the time to reevaluate their plan and why they are doing the journey. Vogler uses The Wizard of Oz to explain many of the concepts of the approach including emotionally appealing to the threshold guardian and the hero coming to the acceptance of their fate, that they have to face and conquer “the cave”.
In “The Ordeal”, Vogler emphasizes the importance of the hero going through some form of death and rebirth whether it is literal or abstract. They go through some form of death and are reborn a changed hero. This event is suppose to be the central event in the so-called second act of the story and is usually found halfway through the second act, but it can be placed anywhere as long as it is present. Vogler makes a point to mention the audiences emotion to the story lines, to make the importance of the hero’s death more evident. The hero doesn’t have to be the one to die for this death to take place. For example, the hero can kill someone and as a result their innocence died. One of the more common ordeals is that of a confrontation between the hero and the enemy. In some instances the enemy dies at this point, but not always. Basically, the ordeal is when the hero faces his greatest fear, and either conquers and comes out a changed person or dies completely; the example given for that one was in the movie Psycho, the death of Marion.
Reaction
I thought these two chapters were very informative. He did a good job at describing the different aspects present in these two stages of the hero’s journey. I like the fact that he pointed out that the supposed hero does not always have to survive the ordeal and can be replaced.
Questions
1)Can you name a movie that does not have an ordeal in the middle of the story?
2)Can you name a movie without a true villain?
3)Do you consider it necessary to have allies on the approach to the innermost cave?
Sunday, October 12, 2008
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