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?