I think that A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Indian Camp, The Offshore Pirate, The Metamorphosis, On the Road and The Shadow of the Wind should stay on the reading list. The authors of these books are quite well known and it is important to familiarize students with certain authors. I wish that we had read more of The Shadow of the Wind. The chapter ended abruptly and I wanted to read more. Women Warrior could also stay on the reading list. It wasn't too long and it covered interesting aspects of culture.
I think that The Bell Jar should be taken off of the list. Maybe if we had read the beginning or the entire book the chapter we read might have made more sense but as a chapter alone, The Bell Jar should be taken off of the reading list.
I was disappointed that we did not read The Catcher in the Rye. I have never read it and I was looking forward to reading it. I think that it should be kept on the reading list and be read.
I think that Vogler should be kept on the reading list as well.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Project Three Rhetorical Analysis
Alexandra L. Minton
November 10, 2008
Project Three Analysis Handout
Four Modes
Juno. Screenplay by Diablo Cody. Dir. Jason Reitman. Perf. Ellen Page, Michael Cera,
Jennifer Garner. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2007.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
A visual element would be seeing Juno pregnant.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the film.
This film is about a sixteen year old girl who becomes pregnant the first time she has sexual intercourse. The story is about her journey during her pregnancy and what she decides to do with her unborn child.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
The intended audience for this film is geared toward females between the ages of 16 and 25 with a high school education.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos
B. Pathos- Juno goes through an emotional journey.
C. Logos
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
Pathos can be seen easily. Juno talks about how she feels and we see her cry in the film twice.
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
Juno is a sixteen year old who had sex only once and didn’t use protection. She got pregnant and has to deal with the consequences of her action. She has to tell her parents, she has to walk through the halls of her high school, she has to deal with her changing body, she has to go through the ordeal of giving birth and she has to decide what to do with her unborn child.
Harris, Robbie H and Emberly, Michael. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book about
Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health. Cambridge, MA.
Candlewick Press. 1994.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
The book has illustrations and descriptions of the topic of the book.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the book.
This book’s topic is sex education. It is made for younger children who are getting ready or are going through puberty. The book explains what males and females are to expect during this time. It lets children know that what they will or what they are going through is ‘Perfectly Normal.’ Changing bodies and sexual health are a natural part of growing up and knowing what to expect and how to care for yourself are the main goals of the book.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
The audience for this book is children. Particularly for children who are about to go through or are going through puberty.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos- This book contains medical facts.
B. Pathos- There are illustrations of all different types of people. The book tries to get youngsters to accept and deal with the changes that they are going to be going through.
C. Logos- This book contains illustrations that are explained through text.
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
The rhetorical appeals are effective. They are clearly defined
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
This book is a guide that will teach children about their own bodies, their bodies as they go through puberty and also what to expect when they are of an age to take care of themselves sexually.
Bright Bling Sparkles. “Condom.” Light Over Darkness. 2006.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
This is a song has auditory elements. These auditory elements reflect issues about sex education.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the song.
This song is about condoms and how they are important to prevent the spread of disease, AIDS in particular.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
The audience for this song are children and teens.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos-
B. Pathos-
C. Logos-
*This song is not in English. It is in Twi.
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
Children Having Children. Time Magazine.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
A visual element would be seeing the photograph on the cover of this edition of Time Magazine. It’s a photograph of a very young girl in a nightgown. And she’s pregnant.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the photograph.
The photograph tries to drive home the reality of the issue of teenage pregnancy.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
Since Time Magazine is geared toward people concerned with national and world issues, I think that the audience for this presentation are white, middle class Americans. Especially parents who have teenage children.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos- Time is a well-established, trusted magazine that has been around for decades.
B. Pathos- You feel for the young girl on the cover who is pregnant. She looks so young, so innocent and so fragile. She should not have the responsibility of caring for another life. And the life that she carries should not be punished because she is too young to care for it.
C. Logos- The logical question that the audience would ask is, ‘Why is this happening and what can we do to help stop it?’
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
The rhetorical appeals are effective in this photograph that makes up the cover of the magazine. You have all the aspects of the rhetorical appeals: credibility, emotion and logic.
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
Teens could see this photograph and see themselves. They too are young, innocent and fragile. They need to see that they need to take precautions. It can happen to them. By the look on the girl’s face in the photograph, it doesn’t look like she was expecting that it could happen to her, and it did.
November 10, 2008
Project Three Analysis Handout
Four Modes
Juno. Screenplay by Diablo Cody. Dir. Jason Reitman. Perf. Ellen Page, Michael Cera,
Jennifer Garner. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2007.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
A visual element would be seeing Juno pregnant.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the film.
This film is about a sixteen year old girl who becomes pregnant the first time she has sexual intercourse. The story is about her journey during her pregnancy and what she decides to do with her unborn child.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
The intended audience for this film is geared toward females between the ages of 16 and 25 with a high school education.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos
B. Pathos- Juno goes through an emotional journey.
C. Logos
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
Pathos can be seen easily. Juno talks about how she feels and we see her cry in the film twice.
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
Juno is a sixteen year old who had sex only once and didn’t use protection. She got pregnant and has to deal with the consequences of her action. She has to tell her parents, she has to walk through the halls of her high school, she has to deal with her changing body, she has to go through the ordeal of giving birth and she has to decide what to do with her unborn child.
Harris, Robbie H and Emberly, Michael. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book about
Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health. Cambridge, MA.
Candlewick Press. 1994.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
The book has illustrations and descriptions of the topic of the book.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the book.
This book’s topic is sex education. It is made for younger children who are getting ready or are going through puberty. The book explains what males and females are to expect during this time. It lets children know that what they will or what they are going through is ‘Perfectly Normal.’ Changing bodies and sexual health are a natural part of growing up and knowing what to expect and how to care for yourself are the main goals of the book.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
The audience for this book is children. Particularly for children who are about to go through or are going through puberty.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos- This book contains medical facts.
B. Pathos- There are illustrations of all different types of people. The book tries to get youngsters to accept and deal with the changes that they are going to be going through.
C. Logos- This book contains illustrations that are explained through text.
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
The rhetorical appeals are effective. They are clearly defined
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
This book is a guide that will teach children about their own bodies, their bodies as they go through puberty and also what to expect when they are of an age to take care of themselves sexually.
Bright Bling Sparkles. “Condom.” Light Over Darkness. 2006.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
This is a song has auditory elements. These auditory elements reflect issues about sex education.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the song.
This song is about condoms and how they are important to prevent the spread of disease, AIDS in particular.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
The audience for this song are children and teens.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos-
B. Pathos-
C. Logos-
*This song is not in English. It is in Twi.
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
Children Having Children. Time Magazine.
1. Describe the visual and textual elements which reflect issues from your Project Two exploration.
A visual element would be seeing the photograph on the cover of this edition of Time Magazine. It’s a photograph of a very young girl in a nightgown. And she’s pregnant.
2. List the overall argument and purpose of the photograph.
The photograph tries to drive home the reality of the issue of teenage pregnancy.
3. Describe the specific audience for the presentation. (Age, gender, education, etc.)
Since Time Magazine is geared toward people concerned with national and world issues, I think that the audience for this presentation are white, middle class Americans. Especially parents who have teenage children.
4. Examine and describe how the rhetorical appeals are operating in the presentation.
A. Ethos- Time is a well-established, trusted magazine that has been around for decades.
B. Pathos- You feel for the young girl on the cover who is pregnant. She looks so young, so innocent and so fragile. She should not have the responsibility of caring for another life. And the life that she carries should not be punished because she is too young to care for it.
C. Logos- The logical question that the audience would ask is, ‘Why is this happening and what can we do to help stop it?’
5. Explore and evaluate the effectiveness of the rhetorical appeals on the presentation.
The rhetorical appeals are effective in this photograph that makes up the cover of the magazine. You have all the aspects of the rhetorical appeals: credibility, emotion and logic.
6. Discuss how this presentation could be used to teach your audience about the topic. Make sure that you integrate your evaluation of the rhetorical appeals in this discussion.
Teens could see this photograph and see themselves. They too are young, innocent and fragile. They need to see that they need to take precautions. It can happen to them. By the look on the girl’s face in the photograph, it doesn’t look like she was expecting that it could happen to her, and it did.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 11
Alexandra L. Minton
November 17, 2008
Vogler
Annotated Bib 11
Vogler, Christopher. “Stories are Alive.” The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for
Writers. Third Edition. Studio City, CA. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Certain stories have endured because they touch a part of the human psyche. They touch upon desires in the audience’s minds. They have a purpose behind them and this is what Vogler talks about in this chapter.
Stories have healing power. Stories can give us examples of human behavior. We can sometimes identify and connect with certain characters and the struggles that they are going through. Stories have survival value. Many stories have been passed down from generation to generation. Vogler mentions that this is a “big step in human evolution.” Traditions and values of a particular culture can be seen in their stories. Stories are metaphors. Story plots can be metaphors for our own lives. Metaphors help us connect our lives with characters. Stories are somehow alive, conscious, and responsive to human emotions and wishes. Stories have an agenda. Their purpose is to change you in some way by teaching you lessons.
Vogler mentions that an underlying theme to stories is wishing. The power of wishing is a strong presence in stories. Wishes give the audience an orientation. It gives the hero a goal.
A hero sometimes makes wishes for things. Heroes want something. One purpose of the Hero’s Journey is to help the hero become more aware. The hero needs to understand that wants are not as important as needs. Wants and needs are different and the hero must recognize this to come out of the adventure a more aware individual.
Western-culture films incorporate the audience’s wishes into their screenplays. Writers seem to be able to deviate more from this standard. Nevertheless, the audience wants wrongs to be turned into rights and they want their wishes fulfilled. If a story does not deliver justice readers may not respond well. When films do not fulfill the audience’s wishes, it probably won’t do well at the box office.
Vogler points out that it is important for a hero to progress from wishing to willing. A hero’s wish needs to be turned into will. Wishing becomes will when it is put into action, when the steps to achieve a goal are set in motion. Wishing can be an important catalyst for heroes journeys.
Questions
1. The girl in Rumpelstiltskin ends up marrying a man who threatens to have her killed if she doesn’t spin the hay into gold but promises to marry her if she does. What kind of message does that send to people? Especially youngsters who the story targets?
2. Give examples of films or stories that do not fulfill audience’s wishes.
3. Give examples of well-known films that incorporate wishing to willing.
November 17, 2008
Vogler
Annotated Bib 11
Vogler, Christopher. “Stories are Alive.” The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for
Writers. Third Edition. Studio City, CA. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Certain stories have endured because they touch a part of the human psyche. They touch upon desires in the audience’s minds. They have a purpose behind them and this is what Vogler talks about in this chapter.
Stories have healing power. Stories can give us examples of human behavior. We can sometimes identify and connect with certain characters and the struggles that they are going through. Stories have survival value. Many stories have been passed down from generation to generation. Vogler mentions that this is a “big step in human evolution.” Traditions and values of a particular culture can be seen in their stories. Stories are metaphors. Story plots can be metaphors for our own lives. Metaphors help us connect our lives with characters. Stories are somehow alive, conscious, and responsive to human emotions and wishes. Stories have an agenda. Their purpose is to change you in some way by teaching you lessons.
Vogler mentions that an underlying theme to stories is wishing. The power of wishing is a strong presence in stories. Wishes give the audience an orientation. It gives the hero a goal.
A hero sometimes makes wishes for things. Heroes want something. One purpose of the Hero’s Journey is to help the hero become more aware. The hero needs to understand that wants are not as important as needs. Wants and needs are different and the hero must recognize this to come out of the adventure a more aware individual.
Western-culture films incorporate the audience’s wishes into their screenplays. Writers seem to be able to deviate more from this standard. Nevertheless, the audience wants wrongs to be turned into rights and they want their wishes fulfilled. If a story does not deliver justice readers may not respond well. When films do not fulfill the audience’s wishes, it probably won’t do well at the box office.
Vogler points out that it is important for a hero to progress from wishing to willing. A hero’s wish needs to be turned into will. Wishing becomes will when it is put into action, when the steps to achieve a goal are set in motion. Wishing can be an important catalyst for heroes journeys.
Questions
1. The girl in Rumpelstiltskin ends up marrying a man who threatens to have her killed if she doesn’t spin the hay into gold but promises to marry her if she does. What kind of message does that send to people? Especially youngsters who the story targets?
2. Give examples of films or stories that do not fulfill audience’s wishes.
3. Give examples of well-known films that incorporate wishing to willing.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Project Three Plan and Reflection
For my interview, I would ideally like to interview two people and compare their experiences on a certain topic and their plan of action on that topic. However, I think that it might be too controversial and too personal to conduct an interview like that. I plan to volunteer for three hours at The Planned Parenthood here in Saint Petersburg. Perhaps I will be able to find someone who can comment on teenage pregnancy. Maybe someone who has worked at Planned Parenthood for a while can comment on his or her experiences with speaking to teenage girls who have become pregnant and what options they have chosen.
Class is now over.... to be continued.....
I have contacted Planned Parenthood for volunteering but I have to complete a background check and that takes about a week. And Planned Parenthood for St. Pete has informed me that they are not accepting any new volunteers at the moment. I contacted Whitney Wall and she offered to help me but my schedule conflicts with what I could do for her.
Unfortunately, I am not able to do volunteer work that directly relates to Project Two. I am volunteering for the American Red Cross. They provide educational services and although the services do not relate to sex education, the services do relate to human well-being. The connection will be established during my interview which I will conduct on December 1st in the afternoon.
Class is now over.... to be continued.....
I have contacted Planned Parenthood for volunteering but I have to complete a background check and that takes about a week. And Planned Parenthood for St. Pete has informed me that they are not accepting any new volunteers at the moment. I contacted Whitney Wall and she offered to help me but my schedule conflicts with what I could do for her.
Unfortunately, I am not able to do volunteer work that directly relates to Project Two. I am volunteering for the American Red Cross. They provide educational services and although the services do not relate to sex education, the services do relate to human well-being. The connection will be established during my interview which I will conduct on December 1st in the afternoon.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 10: The Journey Back
Vogler, Christopher. “EPILOGUE: Looking Back on the Journey.” The Writer’s
Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third Edition. Studio City, CA. Michael
Weise Productions. 2007.
In this portion of Vogler’s book, he describes Looking Back on the Journey. This section is used to illustrate the stages of the Hero’s Journey. Vogler makes sense of the journey and describes the Hero’s Journey in relation to four films: Titanic, The Lion King, Pulp Fiction and The Full Monty. He also mentions the Star Wars Saga and it’s relation to the Hero’s Journey. Prior to explaining the Hero’s Journey in terms of these films, Vogler gives a few “warnings and guidelines.” He has bolded text that he thinks is of the utmost importance. First, The Hero’s Journey model is a guideline. Vogler explains that there is no absolute formula in writing a story about a hero and his or her journey. The ultimate goal is to touch “universal human emotions.” This is especially true in the film Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is not in the typical sequential order. Thus proving that the model is actually more of a guideline. Second, The needs of the story dictate its structure. The writer’s values and beliefs along with the theme of the story, characters, etc will “determine the shape and design of the plot.” Third, Any element of the Hero’s Journey can appear at any point in a story. Vogler points out that it is sometimes necessary to repeat elements of the journey. Stories may have one main plot but many subplots and those subplots need to be catered to individually. Such an example is Titanic. The main plot of the story is rooted in the actual ship, The Titanic, sinking. This is an actual historic event. There are many subplots that include many of the characters. These subplots are what makes the movie. They touch upon universal human emotions. The characters of the story are of all different ages and socioeconomic status. Thus appealing to a variety of audiences. In all of these films, Vogler identifies the Ordinary World, the Call to Adventure, the Refusal of the Call, the Meeting with the Mentor, the Crossing the First Threshold, Tests, Allies and Enemies, the Approach to the Inmost Cave, The Ordeal, the Reward, The Road Back, The Resurrection and the Return with the Elixir.
This reading was by far the lengthiest assignment I’ve been given in The Writer’s Journey and interestingly enough, I don’t have nearly as much to say about it as I have about the other shorter assignments. It was definitely interesting to read Vogler’s analysis of the four films. I have seen Titanic, The Lion King and Pulp Fiction and as I read what Vogler says I can see the film happening in my mind and I can picture the characters that he describes and the archetypes that they fulfill. I have not seen The Full Monty or any of the Star Wars films. It was easier to read about the films that I have seen. Even though I haven’t seen Star Wars, I am familiar with the story line and can easily follow what Vogler says. I found it interesting that Vogler has been asked to evaluate and make suggestions for well-known films such as The Lion King. When I think of people making a film, I think of them just writing a script. Vogler brought to my attention that the people who write the screenplays put an enormous amount of thought into their work. They try to follow the Hero’s Journey and the stages of that journey.
Questions
1. Is Titanic the top grossing film in history?
2. Why did Vogler choose the films he did?
3. What does Vogler think about Walt Disney and his approach to filmmaking?
Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third Edition. Studio City, CA. Michael
Weise Productions. 2007.
In this portion of Vogler’s book, he describes Looking Back on the Journey. This section is used to illustrate the stages of the Hero’s Journey. Vogler makes sense of the journey and describes the Hero’s Journey in relation to four films: Titanic, The Lion King, Pulp Fiction and The Full Monty. He also mentions the Star Wars Saga and it’s relation to the Hero’s Journey. Prior to explaining the Hero’s Journey in terms of these films, Vogler gives a few “warnings and guidelines.” He has bolded text that he thinks is of the utmost importance. First, The Hero’s Journey model is a guideline. Vogler explains that there is no absolute formula in writing a story about a hero and his or her journey. The ultimate goal is to touch “universal human emotions.” This is especially true in the film Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is not in the typical sequential order. Thus proving that the model is actually more of a guideline. Second, The needs of the story dictate its structure. The writer’s values and beliefs along with the theme of the story, characters, etc will “determine the shape and design of the plot.” Third, Any element of the Hero’s Journey can appear at any point in a story. Vogler points out that it is sometimes necessary to repeat elements of the journey. Stories may have one main plot but many subplots and those subplots need to be catered to individually. Such an example is Titanic. The main plot of the story is rooted in the actual ship, The Titanic, sinking. This is an actual historic event. There are many subplots that include many of the characters. These subplots are what makes the movie. They touch upon universal human emotions. The characters of the story are of all different ages and socioeconomic status. Thus appealing to a variety of audiences. In all of these films, Vogler identifies the Ordinary World, the Call to Adventure, the Refusal of the Call, the Meeting with the Mentor, the Crossing the First Threshold, Tests, Allies and Enemies, the Approach to the Inmost Cave, The Ordeal, the Reward, The Road Back, The Resurrection and the Return with the Elixir.
This reading was by far the lengthiest assignment I’ve been given in The Writer’s Journey and interestingly enough, I don’t have nearly as much to say about it as I have about the other shorter assignments. It was definitely interesting to read Vogler’s analysis of the four films. I have seen Titanic, The Lion King and Pulp Fiction and as I read what Vogler says I can see the film happening in my mind and I can picture the characters that he describes and the archetypes that they fulfill. I have not seen The Full Monty or any of the Star Wars films. It was easier to read about the films that I have seen. Even though I haven’t seen Star Wars, I am familiar with the story line and can easily follow what Vogler says. I found it interesting that Vogler has been asked to evaluate and make suggestions for well-known films such as The Lion King. When I think of people making a film, I think of them just writing a script. Vogler brought to my attention that the people who write the screenplays put an enormous amount of thought into their work. They try to follow the Hero’s Journey and the stages of that journey.
Questions
1. Is Titanic the top grossing film in history?
2. Why did Vogler choose the films he did?
3. What does Vogler think about Walt Disney and his approach to filmmaking?
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 9: The Resurrection and Return with the Elixir
Alexandra L. Minton
November 3, 2008
Vogler
Annotated Bib 9
Vogler, Christopher. “The Resurrection.” “Return with the Elixir.” The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third Edition. Studio City, CA. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Stage Eleven of the Hero’s Journey is the Resurrection. The Resurrection functions in many ways. One is to “cleanse” the hero of death and help him retain all the lessons learned on his journey. Heroes need to be tested one last time. This stage can also be seen as “a checkpoint through which all the threads of the story have to pass” (202). Essentially, the Resurrection stage is in place to test the hero one last time before heading back to the Ordinary World and to make sure that the hero has learned lessons on the journey. The hero’s behavior and attitude should reflect change. This stage includes a new personality, cleansing, ordeals, showdowns, choices, climaxes, catharsis and character arc. The hero should emerge into this stage with a new personality. The hero needs to have learned from his ordeals in his journey. The major theme of this stage is change. The Character Arc is presented in the reading in this stage and serves as a guide for the writer. It correlates the hero’s steps and emotions and issues with Vogler’s A Hero’s Journey.
XI. The Resurrection
A. A New Personality
1. should reflect the best parts of the hero’s old personality and the lessons learned in the Special World
B. Cleansing
C. Two Great Ordeals
D. Physical Ordeal
E. The Active Hero
F. Showdowns
G. Death and Rebirth of Tragic Heroes
H. Choice
I. Romantic Choice
J. Climax
1. the last and most dangerous meeting with death
2. means “ladder” in Greek
K. The Quiet Climax
1. wave of emotion
L. Rolling Climaxes
1. individual subplots may require separate climaxes
2. mind, body, emotion climaxes
3. physical, emotional, spiritual
4. the hero’s whole world can be changed at once
M. Catharsis
1. in Greek, “vomiting up” or “purging”
2. in English, a purifying emotional release, or an emotional breakthrough
3. trigger the hero
4. raise the consciousness of both the hero and the audience
5. can be combined with a physical showdown
6. moment of highest awareness
7. works best through physical expression of emotions
8. laughter is a strong channel of catharsis
9. the logical climax of a hero’s character arc
N. Character Arc
1. used to describe the gradual stages of change in a character: the phases and turning points of growth
Character Arc Hero’s Journey
1) limited awareness of a problem Ordinary World
2) increased awareness Call to Adventure
3) reluctance to change Refusal
4) overcoming reluctance Meeting with the Mentor
5) committing to change Crossing the Threshold
6) experimenting with first change Tests, Allies and Enemies
7) preparing for big change Approach to Inmost Cave
8) attempting big change Ordeal
9) consequences of the attempt Reward
(improvements and setbacks) (Seizing the Sword)
10) rededication to change The Road Back
11) final attempt at big change Resurrection
12) final mastery of the problem Return with the Elixir
O. Last Chance
P. Watch Your Step
Q. The False Claimant
R. Proof
1. fairy-tale motif: magic brought back from the Special World tends to evaporate in the Ordinary World
2. signifies that spiritual and emotional experiences in a special world are hard to explain to others
3. the real treasure from traveling is not the souvenirs, but lasting inner change and learning
S. Sacrifice
T. Incorporation
U. Change
V. Function
1. cleanse heroes of the smell of death, yet help them retain the lessons of the ordeal
2. heroes must be tested one last time to see if they retained the learning
3. often the final, decisive confrontation with the villain or Shadow
4. climactic choice among options that indicates whether or not the hero has truly learned the lesson of change
5. a checkpoint through which all the threads of the story have to pass
6. the hero’s final attempt to make major change in attitude or behavior; may backslide
7. an opportunity for a hero to show he has absorbed, or incorporated, every lesson from every character
8. give an outward sign that the hero has really changed
Questions
1. Give examples of films with rolling climaxes.
2. Explain catharsis in more detail.
3. What does the phrase, “cleanse heroes of the smell of death,” mean?
The Return with the Elixir is the last stage of the Hero’s Journey. The Hero returns to the Ordinary World with a gift. This gift may be an inner gift, such as knowledge, or it may be an outer gift, such as medicine. It may function only in the hero’s mind or it may function for the community as a whole. The hero may or may not bring back a physical gift. “Returning with the Elixir means implementing change in your daily life and using the lessons of adventure to heal your wounds” (216). There are two main story forms. In a Circular Story Form there is a sense of closure and completion at the end of the story. Many Western culture films are of Circular Form. In an Open-Minded Story Form the audience leaves with a sense of “unanswered questions and unresolved conflicts.” Films in Asia, Australia and Europe use the Open-Minded Story Form. It seems that Western culture uses film as entertainment while Asia, Australia and Europe use films to raise awareness of particular issues and to make the audience think. Functions of the Return with the Elixir include surprise, reward and punishment, epilogue, pitfalls and unresolved subplots. Vogler mentions that the penalty for failing to return with the Elixir is to repeat the Ordeals until the hero learns his lesson or until he brings home the Elixir.
XII. Return with the Elixir
A. Return
B. Denouement
1. French for “untying” or “unknotting”
C. Two Story Forms
D. The Circular Story Form
1. sense of closure and completion
2. narrative returns to its starting point
3. tying up loose ends and making a story feel complete
4. communications change on the symbolic level
E. The Open-Ended Story Form
1. a sense of unanswered questions, ambiguities, and unresolved conflicts remain
2. problems may not be tied up so neatly
3. storytelling goes on after the story is over
4. moral conclusions for the reader or viewer are left
F Achievement of Perfection
G. Functions of the Return
1. last chance to touch the emotions of the audience
H. Surprise
1. should unite the plot threads
2. misdirection
a. lead the audience to believe one thing then reveal at the last moment a different reality
I. Reward and Punishment
J. The Elixir
1. proves the hero has been to the Special World, serves as an example for others and it shows that death can be overcome
2. literal or metaphoric
3. the best Exilirs are those that bring the hero and the audience greater awareness
4. The hero, or someone else, is doomed to repeat the Ordeals until the lesson is learned or the Elixir is brought home to share.
K. The Elixir of Love
L. The World is Changed
1. wisdom
M. The Elixir of Responsibility
1. heroes give up their loner status to take on a wider responsibility
2. ego → self
N. The Elixir of Tragedy
1. hero dies: audience takes away the “Elixir”
O. Sadder but Wiser
1. feeling of closure for the hero
P. Sadder but No Wiser
1. hero slides back into the same behavior he got into in the first place
Q. Epilogue
1. even though there is ssadness and death, life goes on
R. Pitfalls of the Return
S. Unresolved Subplots
1. Subplots should have at least three “beats” or scenes distributed throughout the story, one in each act.
T. Too Many Endings
1. KISS system. Keep It Simple, Stupid!
U. Abrupt Endings
V. Focus
W. Punctuation
Questions
1. Give some examples of films that would be considered circular. Open-minded.
2. Explain denouement in further detail and list examples.
3. Go over Unresolved Subplots and explain three “beats” or scenes.
November 3, 2008
Vogler
Annotated Bib 9
Vogler, Christopher. “The Resurrection.” “Return with the Elixir.” The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third Edition. Studio City, CA. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Stage Eleven of the Hero’s Journey is the Resurrection. The Resurrection functions in many ways. One is to “cleanse” the hero of death and help him retain all the lessons learned on his journey. Heroes need to be tested one last time. This stage can also be seen as “a checkpoint through which all the threads of the story have to pass” (202). Essentially, the Resurrection stage is in place to test the hero one last time before heading back to the Ordinary World and to make sure that the hero has learned lessons on the journey. The hero’s behavior and attitude should reflect change. This stage includes a new personality, cleansing, ordeals, showdowns, choices, climaxes, catharsis and character arc. The hero should emerge into this stage with a new personality. The hero needs to have learned from his ordeals in his journey. The major theme of this stage is change. The Character Arc is presented in the reading in this stage and serves as a guide for the writer. It correlates the hero’s steps and emotions and issues with Vogler’s A Hero’s Journey.
XI. The Resurrection
A. A New Personality
1. should reflect the best parts of the hero’s old personality and the lessons learned in the Special World
B. Cleansing
C. Two Great Ordeals
D. Physical Ordeal
E. The Active Hero
F. Showdowns
G. Death and Rebirth of Tragic Heroes
H. Choice
I. Romantic Choice
J. Climax
1. the last and most dangerous meeting with death
2. means “ladder” in Greek
K. The Quiet Climax
1. wave of emotion
L. Rolling Climaxes
1. individual subplots may require separate climaxes
2. mind, body, emotion climaxes
3. physical, emotional, spiritual
4. the hero’s whole world can be changed at once
M. Catharsis
1. in Greek, “vomiting up” or “purging”
2. in English, a purifying emotional release, or an emotional breakthrough
3. trigger the hero
4. raise the consciousness of both the hero and the audience
5. can be combined with a physical showdown
6. moment of highest awareness
7. works best through physical expression of emotions
8. laughter is a strong channel of catharsis
9. the logical climax of a hero’s character arc
N. Character Arc
1. used to describe the gradual stages of change in a character: the phases and turning points of growth
Character Arc Hero’s Journey
1) limited awareness of a problem Ordinary World
2) increased awareness Call to Adventure
3) reluctance to change Refusal
4) overcoming reluctance Meeting with the Mentor
5) committing to change Crossing the Threshold
6) experimenting with first change Tests, Allies and Enemies
7) preparing for big change Approach to Inmost Cave
8) attempting big change Ordeal
9) consequences of the attempt Reward
(improvements and setbacks) (Seizing the Sword)
10) rededication to change The Road Back
11) final attempt at big change Resurrection
12) final mastery of the problem Return with the Elixir
O. Last Chance
P. Watch Your Step
Q. The False Claimant
R. Proof
1. fairy-tale motif: magic brought back from the Special World tends to evaporate in the Ordinary World
2. signifies that spiritual and emotional experiences in a special world are hard to explain to others
3. the real treasure from traveling is not the souvenirs, but lasting inner change and learning
S. Sacrifice
T. Incorporation
U. Change
V. Function
1. cleanse heroes of the smell of death, yet help them retain the lessons of the ordeal
2. heroes must be tested one last time to see if they retained the learning
3. often the final, decisive confrontation with the villain or Shadow
4. climactic choice among options that indicates whether or not the hero has truly learned the lesson of change
5. a checkpoint through which all the threads of the story have to pass
6. the hero’s final attempt to make major change in attitude or behavior; may backslide
7. an opportunity for a hero to show he has absorbed, or incorporated, every lesson from every character
8. give an outward sign that the hero has really changed
Questions
1. Give examples of films with rolling climaxes.
2. Explain catharsis in more detail.
3. What does the phrase, “cleanse heroes of the smell of death,” mean?
The Return with the Elixir is the last stage of the Hero’s Journey. The Hero returns to the Ordinary World with a gift. This gift may be an inner gift, such as knowledge, or it may be an outer gift, such as medicine. It may function only in the hero’s mind or it may function for the community as a whole. The hero may or may not bring back a physical gift. “Returning with the Elixir means implementing change in your daily life and using the lessons of adventure to heal your wounds” (216). There are two main story forms. In a Circular Story Form there is a sense of closure and completion at the end of the story. Many Western culture films are of Circular Form. In an Open-Minded Story Form the audience leaves with a sense of “unanswered questions and unresolved conflicts.” Films in Asia, Australia and Europe use the Open-Minded Story Form. It seems that Western culture uses film as entertainment while Asia, Australia and Europe use films to raise awareness of particular issues and to make the audience think. Functions of the Return with the Elixir include surprise, reward and punishment, epilogue, pitfalls and unresolved subplots. Vogler mentions that the penalty for failing to return with the Elixir is to repeat the Ordeals until the hero learns his lesson or until he brings home the Elixir.
XII. Return with the Elixir
A. Return
B. Denouement
1. French for “untying” or “unknotting”
C. Two Story Forms
D. The Circular Story Form
1. sense of closure and completion
2. narrative returns to its starting point
3. tying up loose ends and making a story feel complete
4. communications change on the symbolic level
E. The Open-Ended Story Form
1. a sense of unanswered questions, ambiguities, and unresolved conflicts remain
2. problems may not be tied up so neatly
3. storytelling goes on after the story is over
4. moral conclusions for the reader or viewer are left
F Achievement of Perfection
G. Functions of the Return
1. last chance to touch the emotions of the audience
H. Surprise
1. should unite the plot threads
2. misdirection
a. lead the audience to believe one thing then reveal at the last moment a different reality
I. Reward and Punishment
J. The Elixir
1. proves the hero has been to the Special World, serves as an example for others and it shows that death can be overcome
2. literal or metaphoric
3. the best Exilirs are those that bring the hero and the audience greater awareness
4. The hero, or someone else, is doomed to repeat the Ordeals until the lesson is learned or the Elixir is brought home to share.
K. The Elixir of Love
L. The World is Changed
1. wisdom
M. The Elixir of Responsibility
1. heroes give up their loner status to take on a wider responsibility
2. ego → self
N. The Elixir of Tragedy
1. hero dies: audience takes away the “Elixir”
O. Sadder but Wiser
1. feeling of closure for the hero
P. Sadder but No Wiser
1. hero slides back into the same behavior he got into in the first place
Q. Epilogue
1. even though there is ssadness and death, life goes on
R. Pitfalls of the Return
S. Unresolved Subplots
1. Subplots should have at least three “beats” or scenes distributed throughout the story, one in each act.
T. Too Many Endings
1. KISS system. Keep It Simple, Stupid!
U. Abrupt Endings
V. Focus
W. Punctuation
Questions
1. Give some examples of films that would be considered circular. Open-minded.
2. Explain denouement in further detail and list examples.
3. Go over Unresolved Subplots and explain three “beats” or scenes.
Project Two- Four Modes
IMAGES
BOOK
FILM
Song
Name: Condom
Artist: Bright Bling Sparkles
Album: Light Over Darkness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmRzMiz-vLw
Song
Name: Condom
Artist: Bright Bling Sparkles
Album: Light Over Darkness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmRzMiz-vLw
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