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
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 8
Alexandra L. Minton
October 29, 2008
Vogler
Annotated Bib 8
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third
Edition. Reward. The Road Back. Studio City. Michael Weise Productions.
2007.
Reward
The ninth step of the Hero’s Journey is Reward. After the Ordeal, where the hero came face to face with death, the hero leaves the Special World with a reward. The hero may think that his or her journey is over. However, it is not. The Road Back may have ordeals and obstacles that the hero needs to face. The Reward sequence consists of celebration, taking possession, seizing the sword, exilir theft, initiation, new perceptions, seeing through deception, clairvoyance, self-realization, epiphany, and distortions. In this stage there may be scenes in which the hero is in a campfire scene where a number of emotions take place: relief, conflict, reminiscence. A scene like this helps the audience get to know the character better. Love scenes also take place in the Reward stage of the Hero’s Journey. During this stage, the hero takes possession of what he or she has been seeking. The hero may act aggressively to get this possession and might even steal it. Facing death may deepen the hero’s perceptions, allowing the hero to see through deceptions, come to self-realization and have an epiphany.
IX. Reward
A. Celebration
1. cook outs/barbeques
B. Campfire Scenes
1. relief
2. conflict
3. reminiscence
4. allow the audience to
a. review the story
b. get to know the characters better
C. Love Scenes
1. heroes don’t deserved to be loved until they have shown their “willingness to sacrifice” (177)
D. Taking Possession
1. heroes take what they have been seeking
2. transaction: hero has risked life and now gets something in exchange
E. Seizing the Sword
1. “active movement of the hero who aggressively takes possession of whatever was being sought in the Special World” (178)
2. Campbell’s term: “The Ultimate Boon”
3. can be a moment of clarity
F. Exilir Theft
1. hero may steal the exilir
2. overcome the forces of death
G. Initiation
H. New Perceptions
1. death may sharpen the perception of life
2. new knowledge may be what the hero seeks
I. Seeing Through Deception
J. Clairvoyance
1. “a hero who has faced death is more aware of the connectedness of things, more intuitive” (181)
K. Self-Realization
1. “the illusion of their lives is replaced with clarity and truth” (181)
L. Epiphany
1. “epiphany is a moment of realizing you are a divine and sacred being, connected to all things” (181)
2. James Joyce
a. “a sudden perception of the essence of something, seeing to the core of a person, idea or thing”
M. Distortions
1. inflation of ego
2. abuse of power and privilege
3. hero may underestimate the significance of the ordeal
4. anger
Questions
1. Explain, heroes don’t deserved to be loved until they have shown their “willingness to sacrifice.”
2. Give some examples of a hero who has dealt with distortions.
3. Explain how seizing the sword can bring moments of clarity.
The Road Back
In the tenth stage of the Hero’s Journey, The Road Back, the hero may face obstacles and more ordeals. The steps of the journey include motivation, retaliation and setbacks. There can be chase scenes, magic flight motif, chase variation and villain escape in this stage. The hero needs to rededicate him or herself to the adventure. By this stage of the journey, the hero feels comfortable. The hero needs to be “pried” off of the “comfort plateau” by inner or external resolves. Retaliation follows, as do setbacks. Chase scenes offer a build up of momentum for the end and in chase scenes, the hero may use transformation to get out of a sticky situation, whether it be by outer transformation or inner transformation. The Magic Flight Motif may manifest itself in this stage with an object that transforms itself. Joseph Campbell suggested that the motif stands for a hero’s attempts to stall the avenging forces in any way possible. Chases may be enacted by the hero’s admirers, as opposed to the hero being chased by villains. Villains may escape and come back stronger than before when the hero did not “finish” them off.
X. The Road Back
A. Motivation
1.heroes rededicate themselves to the adventure
2. heroes must be pried off of their plateau of comfort by,
a. inner resolves
b. external resolves
B. Retaliation
1. Finish your opponent.
2. “neuroses, flaws, habits, desires, or addictions we have challenged may retreat for a time, but can rebound in a last-ditch defense or a desperate attack before being vanquished forever” (190)
C. Chase Scenes
1. useful for torquing up a story’s energy
2. you want to pick up pace and build momentum for the finish
3. end of Act Two is a common place to see chase scenes
4. transformation may be used to escape a situation
a. outer transformation
b. inner transformation
D. Magic Flight
1. “a whimsical transformation of objects” (191)
2. Joseph Campbell
a. suggests the motif stands for a hero’s attempts to stall the avenging forces in any way possible
E. Chase Variation: Pursuit by Admirers
F. Villain Escape
G. Setbacks
H. Functions
1. “represents the resolve of the hero to return to the Ordinary World and implement the lessons learned in the Special World” (189)
2. the road back is a turning point
3. causes the third act
Questions
1. Give an example of the magic flight motif that does not involve enchanted carpets, genie bottles, etc.
2. Give an example of pursuit by admirers.
3.
October 29, 2008
Vogler
Annotated Bib 8
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third
Edition. Reward. The Road Back. Studio City. Michael Weise Productions.
2007.
Reward
The ninth step of the Hero’s Journey is Reward. After the Ordeal, where the hero came face to face with death, the hero leaves the Special World with a reward. The hero may think that his or her journey is over. However, it is not. The Road Back may have ordeals and obstacles that the hero needs to face. The Reward sequence consists of celebration, taking possession, seizing the sword, exilir theft, initiation, new perceptions, seeing through deception, clairvoyance, self-realization, epiphany, and distortions. In this stage there may be scenes in which the hero is in a campfire scene where a number of emotions take place: relief, conflict, reminiscence. A scene like this helps the audience get to know the character better. Love scenes also take place in the Reward stage of the Hero’s Journey. During this stage, the hero takes possession of what he or she has been seeking. The hero may act aggressively to get this possession and might even steal it. Facing death may deepen the hero’s perceptions, allowing the hero to see through deceptions, come to self-realization and have an epiphany.
IX. Reward
A. Celebration
1. cook outs/barbeques
B. Campfire Scenes
1. relief
2. conflict
3. reminiscence
4. allow the audience to
a. review the story
b. get to know the characters better
C. Love Scenes
1. heroes don’t deserved to be loved until they have shown their “willingness to sacrifice” (177)
D. Taking Possession
1. heroes take what they have been seeking
2. transaction: hero has risked life and now gets something in exchange
E. Seizing the Sword
1. “active movement of the hero who aggressively takes possession of whatever was being sought in the Special World” (178)
2. Campbell’s term: “The Ultimate Boon”
3. can be a moment of clarity
F. Exilir Theft
1. hero may steal the exilir
2. overcome the forces of death
G. Initiation
H. New Perceptions
1. death may sharpen the perception of life
2. new knowledge may be what the hero seeks
I. Seeing Through Deception
J. Clairvoyance
1. “a hero who has faced death is more aware of the connectedness of things, more intuitive” (181)
K. Self-Realization
1. “the illusion of their lives is replaced with clarity and truth” (181)
L. Epiphany
1. “epiphany is a moment of realizing you are a divine and sacred being, connected to all things” (181)
2. James Joyce
a. “a sudden perception of the essence of something, seeing to the core of a person, idea or thing”
M. Distortions
1. inflation of ego
2. abuse of power and privilege
3. hero may underestimate the significance of the ordeal
4. anger
Questions
1. Explain, heroes don’t deserved to be loved until they have shown their “willingness to sacrifice.”
2. Give some examples of a hero who has dealt with distortions.
3. Explain how seizing the sword can bring moments of clarity.
The Road Back
In the tenth stage of the Hero’s Journey, The Road Back, the hero may face obstacles and more ordeals. The steps of the journey include motivation, retaliation and setbacks. There can be chase scenes, magic flight motif, chase variation and villain escape in this stage. The hero needs to rededicate him or herself to the adventure. By this stage of the journey, the hero feels comfortable. The hero needs to be “pried” off of the “comfort plateau” by inner or external resolves. Retaliation follows, as do setbacks. Chase scenes offer a build up of momentum for the end and in chase scenes, the hero may use transformation to get out of a sticky situation, whether it be by outer transformation or inner transformation. The Magic Flight Motif may manifest itself in this stage with an object that transforms itself. Joseph Campbell suggested that the motif stands for a hero’s attempts to stall the avenging forces in any way possible. Chases may be enacted by the hero’s admirers, as opposed to the hero being chased by villains. Villains may escape and come back stronger than before when the hero did not “finish” them off.
X. The Road Back
A. Motivation
1.heroes rededicate themselves to the adventure
2. heroes must be pried off of their plateau of comfort by,
a. inner resolves
b. external resolves
B. Retaliation
1. Finish your opponent.
2. “neuroses, flaws, habits, desires, or addictions we have challenged may retreat for a time, but can rebound in a last-ditch defense or a desperate attack before being vanquished forever” (190)
C. Chase Scenes
1. useful for torquing up a story’s energy
2. you want to pick up pace and build momentum for the finish
3. end of Act Two is a common place to see chase scenes
4. transformation may be used to escape a situation
a. outer transformation
b. inner transformation
D. Magic Flight
1. “a whimsical transformation of objects” (191)
2. Joseph Campbell
a. suggests the motif stands for a hero’s attempts to stall the avenging forces in any way possible
E. Chase Variation: Pursuit by Admirers
F. Villain Escape
G. Setbacks
H. Functions
1. “represents the resolve of the hero to return to the Ordinary World and implement the lessons learned in the Special World” (189)
2. the road back is a turning point
3. causes the third act
Questions
1. Give an example of the magic flight motif that does not involve enchanted carpets, genie bottles, etc.
2. Give an example of pursuit by admirers.
3.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Project Two Outline Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
Variety of perspectives.
Statistics.
Good examples.
Weaknesses:
Will I pick a side? What works?
Policies of sex education?
Offer a solution and my opinion.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 6
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third
Edition. Crossing the First Threshold. Tests, Allies and Enemies. Studio City,
CA. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Summary
Stages Five and Six of the Hero’s Journey are Crossing the First Threshold and Tests, Allies and Enemies. Crossing the First Threshold is an act where the hero commits to the adventure. The Hero approaches the first threshold, meets threshold guardians, crosses the threshold and then lands. The journey truly begins when the Hero crosses the first threshold. Tests, Allies and Enemies make up the next stage of the Hero’s Journey. In this stage, the Hero meets obstacles and comes away from tests with allies or enemies. Rivals can also be found in this stage. The Hero may compete with a rival. An essential part of this stage is that the Hero must learn the rules of the new world.
Relfection
V. Crossing the First Threshold
A. Approaching the Threshold
1. Changes the course or intensity of the story
2. Sources
a. External
b. Internal
B. Threshold Guardians
1. Block the path the hero wants to take
2. Heroes need to figure out a way through or around the guardians
C. The Crossing
1. Physical Barriers
2. Single Moment
3. Extended Passage
4. Leap of Faith
D. Rough Landing
1. Crash, Literally or Figuratively
VI. Tests, Allies and Enemies
A. Contrast
B. Testing
C. Allies and Enemies
D. Allies
E. Sidekicks
F. Teams
G. Enemies
H. The Rival
I. New Rules
J. Watering Holes
Questions
1. Are there heroes that have no allies?
2. When do teams become an official group?
3. Do Heroes give up anything when they Cross the First Threshold?
Edition. Crossing the First Threshold. Tests, Allies and Enemies. Studio City,
CA. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Summary
Stages Five and Six of the Hero’s Journey are Crossing the First Threshold and Tests, Allies and Enemies. Crossing the First Threshold is an act where the hero commits to the adventure. The Hero approaches the first threshold, meets threshold guardians, crosses the threshold and then lands. The journey truly begins when the Hero crosses the first threshold. Tests, Allies and Enemies make up the next stage of the Hero’s Journey. In this stage, the Hero meets obstacles and comes away from tests with allies or enemies. Rivals can also be found in this stage. The Hero may compete with a rival. An essential part of this stage is that the Hero must learn the rules of the new world.
Relfection
V. Crossing the First Threshold
A. Approaching the Threshold
1. Changes the course or intensity of the story
2. Sources
a. External
b. Internal
B. Threshold Guardians
1. Block the path the hero wants to take
2. Heroes need to figure out a way through or around the guardians
C. The Crossing
1. Physical Barriers
2. Single Moment
3. Extended Passage
4. Leap of Faith
D. Rough Landing
1. Crash, Literally or Figuratively
VI. Tests, Allies and Enemies
A. Contrast
B. Testing
C. Allies and Enemies
D. Allies
E. Sidekicks
F. Teams
G. Enemies
H. The Rival
I. New Rules
J. Watering Holes
Questions
1. Are there heroes that have no allies?
2. When do teams become an official group?
3. Do Heroes give up anything when they Cross the First Threshold?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Vogler Question Responses
Q: Is a mentor always needed? Can you think of a story in which there is no mentor like character?
A: A mentor of some type is always needed in a story. The mentor can be a situation or a past experience. It does not necessarily have to be an actual physical being. I cannot think of a story in which there is no mentor.
Q: Do you think that foreshadowing ruins a story?
A: Foreshadowing does not ruin a story. It enhances it. Someone foreshadowing isn't even noticed until a certain event takes place or after the story is told. This makes it interesting. We can look back on what we missed and see that it was there all along.
A: A mentor of some type is always needed in a story. The mentor can be a situation or a past experience. It does not necessarily have to be an actual physical being. I cannot think of a story in which there is no mentor.
Q: Do you think that foreshadowing ruins a story?
A: Foreshadowing does not ruin a story. It enhances it. Someone foreshadowing isn't even noticed until a certain event takes place or after the story is told. This makes it interesting. We can look back on what we missed and see that it was there all along.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Extra Credit Assignments
Extra Credit 1: Free Rice
About a week before this assignment, my friend told me about Free Rice.com. She is a Human Development major and one of her professors told her about this website. So I went to it when she told me and I ended up donating 5,000 grains of rice. After being assigned the extra credit, I went back to Free Rice and donated 2,320 grains of rice. I wrote down some words that I did not get the first time around…
disparity= inequality
bungle= botch
amok= berserk
commingle= blend
dolt= dullard
charlatan= fraud
girder= beam
I think that others should go to Free Rice because it not only increases your vocabulary but it also helps feed people around the world. Having a good vocabulary is essential as you get older and go out into the real world.
Extra Credit 2: Smith Mag
For the Smith Mag assignment, I wrote six words that do not only apply to me, but to the world. When I think of the way the world is today I think about how it takes many little steps in order to achieve one normal step. forward The six words I wrote were…
Local. Regional. National. International. Global. Progress.
People should do this exercise because it takes thought to come up with only six words and while thinking about those six words you can really focus on what you care about and what message you want to send out.
About a week before this assignment, my friend told me about Free Rice.com. She is a Human Development major and one of her professors told her about this website. So I went to it when she told me and I ended up donating 5,000 grains of rice. After being assigned the extra credit, I went back to Free Rice and donated 2,320 grains of rice. I wrote down some words that I did not get the first time around…
disparity= inequality
bungle= botch
amok= berserk
commingle= blend
dolt= dullard
charlatan= fraud
girder= beam
I think that others should go to Free Rice because it not only increases your vocabulary but it also helps feed people around the world. Having a good vocabulary is essential as you get older and go out into the real world.
Extra Credit 2: Smith Mag
For the Smith Mag assignment, I wrote six words that do not only apply to me, but to the world. When I think of the way the world is today I think about how it takes many little steps in order to achieve one normal step. forward The six words I wrote were…
Local. Regional. National. International. Global. Progress.
People should do this exercise because it takes thought to come up with only six words and while thinking about those six words you can really focus on what you care about and what message you want to send out.
Extra Credit 3: NPR
I chose to read the story, "A History of Museums, 'The Memory of Mankind'." The title caught my attention because I love museums and I'm interested in history. It also caught my attention because I am interested in being an art director at a museum. That is a possible career. I don't plan to become one but I think it would be a cool job and I think I would enjoy it. According to this recording on NPR, there are 17,000 museums in the United States and the attendance for museums, per year, is over 800 million! That's more than 4 times the amount of people that attend sporting events in a year! Museums are large corporations that face many challenges. Museums face ethical situations in deciding or not deciding to show an exhibit. Museums also need to be "tech savvy." According to Ford Bell, the head of the American Association of Museums mentioned that museums are not just a pastime but that they are a "critical piece in our education infrastructure." I agree with him on that. I think that museums are very important in helping people learn about the past and future. Museums can bring awareness to many issues. Phillippe Demontebello, the former art director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, says that museums serve as a "memory of mankind as it preserves pieces of history."
Many people don't appreciate museums enough and think of them as "boring." To me, museums are far from boring. Many aspects of museums are covered in this short NPR recording and people should learn how much museums influence our culture and our history.
Extra Credit 4: The Web of Language
I chose to read "George Bush Hooked on Phonics at U.N. (That's YOO-en)" I chose to read this particular story because I am not a supporter of George Bush, but I do enjoy watching his speeches and browsing through numerous "Bushisms" books that have been published since he took office in 2000. I remember using Hooked on Phonics when I was a child. That's one way I learned how to read. I think that Bush should have started the Hooked on Phonics program much earlier in life. It's harder to absorb new information as an adult. The article said that phonics are used to aid Bush in pronouncing certain words. Apparently the speech transcript that Bush gave to the U.N. General Assembly on September 25th was "accidentally" released to the press. And this transcript had phonetic spellings in it. It surprises me to this day that Bush was elected President. His speeches are hilarious and his pronunciations are too but I do feel bad that his learning disabilities were not properly addressed at a younger stage in his life. When talking about his No Child Left Behind Act he said, "childrens do learn."
I think that The Web of Language is a good website that has a number of interesting stories. The story I read is not a story that would appeal to everyone but people should read a story or two on The Web of Language that interests them.
Extra Credit 5: YouTube Rhetoric Videos
The first rhetoric video with puppets was interesting. I enjoyed the choice of music. It is simple and it's a nice touch to use puppets. Ethos, Pathos and Logos were mentioned. But basically, this kid is teaching children to manipulate their parents into letting them stay up later, which probably deprives them of much needed sleep, and to talk their parents into buying candy. Children are already "high on life" and adding teaspoons upon teaspoons of sugar probably isn't the best idea.
I loved this approach! Using film is usually effective and using well-known, humorous films is especially effective.
Men In Black: Logos
The Breakfast Club: Pathos
Monty Python: Ethos/Logos
Monsters, Inc.: Logos/Pathos/Ethos
I think that the first video is clever and that the student should get an A on the assignment for his rhetoric class but I felt that the second clip was more effective for me. I think that you should show that clip in class when going over Ethos, Pathos and Logos.
Extra Credit 6: An Act of Random Kindness
Many acts of kindness are simple acts. They are small gestures that people appreciate. This past weekend I was in Vero Beach for Thanksgiving break. My cousin and I went shopping on Black Friday and as we were leaving the store and walking back to my car, I saw an old man with a cane trip over a block of concrete and fall to the ground in the parking lot. I went over and asked if he was alright. He was quite old and had been walking with a cane. He wasn't able to get up on his own. He had bumped his head and was bleeding a bit so I called an ambulance and stayed with him until the ambulance came. The EMTs said that he would be fine. He just had a few scrapes and bruises. People really do appreciate small things that you do for them. It's also rewarding to feel that you made a difference in someone's day.
Extra Credit 7: Three YouTube Videos
This video is of a debate where a woman who works at a Planned Parenthood in PA asks the candidates if they have talked to their children about sex and given medically accurate and age appropriate information.
Have you talked to your children about sex education?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NBEtBwsOPU
This video is about the Bush proposal for pushing abstinence-only sex education as the only means of sex education and a senator's opposing views and why his views are important. Two teens from Sex, Etc. conduct the interview.
Comprehensive Sex Ed vs Abstinence Only
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTGEOrZ3MCs
This video is about the book It's Perfectly Normal, the book that I chose to write about for my rhetorical analyses. However, this clip says that this book is, by definition, "pornography" and should not be distributed to children. I totally disagree and I think that this book is a good way to teach children about sex.
Sex Book for Children
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42fP58EcBuY
Extra Credit 8: Contact an Author
GET OUT OF JAIL FREE!!
Extra Credit 9: Halloween Costume and Relation to Vogler
I dressed up as a devil for Halloween this year. The devil is a shadow that commonly represents temptation. It represents the dark side. It also represents unexpressed, unrealized or rejected aspects of something.
Extra Credit 10: Vote
This was my first election to vote in. I registered to vote in Texas when I turned eighteen but I decided to not vote in my home state for this election. In my home state, my vote would not matter. I registered here in Pinellas County because Florida is a swing state and I wanted my vote to count... and it did! I even got a sticker that says, "I made freedom count. I voted." I did early voting and went downtown to turn in my ballot a week before the election.
Extra Credit 11: Submit Writing to The Eckerd Review
GET OUT OF JAIL FREE!!
Extra Credit 12: Get Out of Jail Free Card
I got one Get Out of Jail Free Card for being in class at 10:45am on the dot!
Extra Credit 13: Perfect Attendance
GET OUT OF JAIL FREE!!
Project Two I-Search Questions 1-3
1. What are some of the larger themes in my memoir? (Themes such as: compassion, knowledge, economics, race, class, gender, politics, etc) Think about what your story ultimately deals with. Have fun and select some topics that you WANT to explore?
My memoir dealt with self discovery and knowledge. Education.
2. Now select one of those themes and brainstorm for a bit about the theme and how it appears in the cultural environment. For instance, if you choose compassion, then you may list ideas such as the Peace Movement, Humane treatment of animals, or issues related to Human Rights such as torture, genocide, etc.
Knowledge and education of women’s rights.
3. Here is where you write one or two paragraphs, discussing what knowledge, experience, or background you already have about your topic, BEFORE having done any research on it. Explore your positions in regards to the topic.
I have had an interest in women’s rights for many years. I am a member of Equality Now, a worldwide organization geared toward educating the public about women’s issues. Equality Now also tries to pass laws that make it illegal to perform GFM and honor killings. I think that people need to be educated on the topic, especially women, because they do not always recognize how much they are put down in all aspects of life.
My memoir dealt with self discovery and knowledge. Education.
2. Now select one of those themes and brainstorm for a bit about the theme and how it appears in the cultural environment. For instance, if you choose compassion, then you may list ideas such as the Peace Movement, Humane treatment of animals, or issues related to Human Rights such as torture, genocide, etc.
Knowledge and education of women’s rights.
3. Here is where you write one or two paragraphs, discussing what knowledge, experience, or background you already have about your topic, BEFORE having done any research on it. Explore your positions in regards to the topic.
I have had an interest in women’s rights for many years. I am a member of Equality Now, a worldwide organization geared toward educating the public about women’s issues. Equality Now also tries to pass laws that make it illegal to perform GFM and honor killings. I think that people need to be educated on the topic, especially women, because they do not always recognize how much they are put down in all aspects of life.
Vogler Annotated Bib 5
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third
Edition. Refusal of the Call. Meeting with the Mentor. Studio City, CA. Michael
Weise Productions. 2007.
The Refusal of the Call is the stage that usually follows immediately after the Call to Adventure. Many times, a Hero is reluctant to embark on his journey and makes up excuses as to why he cannot, at the present time, go on the journey. Forms of Refusal include looking backward, dwelling in the past, and denying reality. If a Hero does not overcome his past demons, the Refusal can lead to tragedy. Sometimes the Refusal of the Call can be positive. By refusing, the hero may save himself much trouble. There are willing heroes and because those heroes are ready to embark on a journey and have already accepted their call, danger of the adventure may be seen through other characters. When a hero is unwilling and refusing the call, meeting with the mentor can calm the heroes’ fears.
The Meeting with the Mentor is the next step in which a Mentor figure protects, guides, teaches, tests, trains and provides magical gifts to the hero. Due to the mentor, the hero gains supplies, knowledge and confidence needed to overcome fear and commence the adventure. Many stories are solely focused on this relationship. With the Mentor teaching the Hero, wisdom and experience of one generation is passed onto the next. Mentors can be seen in folklore as witches, wizards, spirits and gods or goddesses. Vogler mentions Chiron, a famous centaur who trained Greek heroes like Hercules. The origin of Mentor comes from The Odyssey. Mentor stems from the Greek word, menos, which means mind. Menos can also mean courage.
III. Refusal of the Call
A. Dramatic Function
1. signaling the audience that the adventure is risky
B. Avoidance
1. common grounds for refusal is past experience
C. Excuses
1. weak excuses
2. they would undertake the adventure, if not for a pressing series of engagements
D. Persistent Refusal Leads to Tragedy
1. looking backward, dwelling in the past, and denying reality are forms of Refusal
E. Conflicting Calls
F. Positive Refusals
1. Hero is sometimes wise in refusing a call when that call is a temptation to evil or a summons to disaster
G. Artist as Hero
1. Campbell “blandishments of the world”
H. Willing Heroes
1. danger of the adventure is acknowledged and dramatized through another character
I. Threshold Guardians
1. test the hero’s commitment to the adventure
J. The Secret Door
1. Law of the Secret Door
2. stories are symbols of human curiosity, the powerful drive to know all the hidden things, all the secrets
IV. Meeting with the Mentor
A. Function
1. to protect, guide, teach, test, train and provide with magical gifts
2. because of the Mentor, the Hero gains the supplies, knowledge, and confidence needed to overcome fear and commence the adventure
B. Heroes and Mentors
1. stories devoted entirely to the process of mentors teaching students
C. Sources of Wisdom
1. wisdom and experience of one generation is passed on to the next
D. Mentors in Folklore and Myth
1. witches, wizards, witch doctors, spirits, gods, goddesses
E. Chiron, the Centaur: A Prototype
1. man and horse
2. Mentors often show that they are connected to nature or to some other world of the spirit
F. Mentor Himself
1. enthused about learning
G. Avoiding Mentor Cliches
1. defy the archetypes
H. Misdirection
1. mask of a Mentor may be used to trick a hero
I. Mentor-Hero Conflicts
1. being ungrateful or violent can hurt the Mentor-Hero relationship
2. question a Mentor’s motives
J. Mentor-Driven Stories
K. Mentor as Evolved Hero
L. Critical Influence
Questions
1. Explain the Artist as Hero.
2. Give examples of misdirection in Mentors.
3. Explore centaurs.
Edition. Refusal of the Call. Meeting with the Mentor. Studio City, CA. Michael
Weise Productions. 2007.
The Refusal of the Call is the stage that usually follows immediately after the Call to Adventure. Many times, a Hero is reluctant to embark on his journey and makes up excuses as to why he cannot, at the present time, go on the journey. Forms of Refusal include looking backward, dwelling in the past, and denying reality. If a Hero does not overcome his past demons, the Refusal can lead to tragedy. Sometimes the Refusal of the Call can be positive. By refusing, the hero may save himself much trouble. There are willing heroes and because those heroes are ready to embark on a journey and have already accepted their call, danger of the adventure may be seen through other characters. When a hero is unwilling and refusing the call, meeting with the mentor can calm the heroes’ fears.
The Meeting with the Mentor is the next step in which a Mentor figure protects, guides, teaches, tests, trains and provides magical gifts to the hero. Due to the mentor, the hero gains supplies, knowledge and confidence needed to overcome fear and commence the adventure. Many stories are solely focused on this relationship. With the Mentor teaching the Hero, wisdom and experience of one generation is passed onto the next. Mentors can be seen in folklore as witches, wizards, spirits and gods or goddesses. Vogler mentions Chiron, a famous centaur who trained Greek heroes like Hercules. The origin of Mentor comes from The Odyssey. Mentor stems from the Greek word, menos, which means mind. Menos can also mean courage.
III. Refusal of the Call
A. Dramatic Function
1. signaling the audience that the adventure is risky
B. Avoidance
1. common grounds for refusal is past experience
C. Excuses
1. weak excuses
2. they would undertake the adventure, if not for a pressing series of engagements
D. Persistent Refusal Leads to Tragedy
1. looking backward, dwelling in the past, and denying reality are forms of Refusal
E. Conflicting Calls
F. Positive Refusals
1. Hero is sometimes wise in refusing a call when that call is a temptation to evil or a summons to disaster
G. Artist as Hero
1. Campbell “blandishments of the world”
H. Willing Heroes
1. danger of the adventure is acknowledged and dramatized through another character
I. Threshold Guardians
1. test the hero’s commitment to the adventure
J. The Secret Door
1. Law of the Secret Door
2. stories are symbols of human curiosity, the powerful drive to know all the hidden things, all the secrets
IV. Meeting with the Mentor
A. Function
1. to protect, guide, teach, test, train and provide with magical gifts
2. because of the Mentor, the Hero gains the supplies, knowledge, and confidence needed to overcome fear and commence the adventure
B. Heroes and Mentors
1. stories devoted entirely to the process of mentors teaching students
C. Sources of Wisdom
1. wisdom and experience of one generation is passed on to the next
D. Mentors in Folklore and Myth
1. witches, wizards, witch doctors, spirits, gods, goddesses
E. Chiron, the Centaur: A Prototype
1. man and horse
2. Mentors often show that they are connected to nature or to some other world of the spirit
F. Mentor Himself
1. enthused about learning
G. Avoiding Mentor Cliches
1. defy the archetypes
H. Misdirection
1. mask of a Mentor may be used to trick a hero
I. Mentor-Hero Conflicts
1. being ungrateful or violent can hurt the Mentor-Hero relationship
2. question a Mentor’s motives
J. Mentor-Driven Stories
K. Mentor as Evolved Hero
L. Critical Influence
Questions
1. Explain the Artist as Hero.
2. Give examples of misdirection in Mentors.
3. Explore centaurs.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 4
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third
Edition. The Ordinary World. Call to Adventure. Studio City, CA. Michael
Weise Productions. 2007.
Summary
The Ordinary World and the Call to Adventure are stages of the Hero’s Journey. The Ordinary World to the Call of Adventure is a transition stage . The Hero lives in the Ordinary World where he gets by, “trying to adjust to unhealthy conditions by using various coping mechanisms or crutches such as emotional or chemical dependencies” (Vogler 96). The writer needs to establish certain things before the story begins. The writer needs a title, an opening image and a prologue that will include a backstory. In the next stage of the Ordinary World, contrast needs to be made between the Ordinary World and other worlds. The differences should be noted. Foreshadowing is another tool that is commonly used in describing what is to come in further stages of the Hero’s Journey. Questions about the hero also need to be posed. A hero needs to have inner and outer problems, which adds depth to the character. The hero needs to make an entrance that will build a relationship with the audience. When introducing the hero it is important to identify the hero, show what the hero is lacking, note the tragic flaws, and look at the wounds, whether they are physical or emotional, that the Hero has. The writer needs to establish what is at stake and this is best done by providing the audience with the hero’s history. The story needs to get rolling. Synchronicity needs to occur. Temptations are placed during the Call to Adventure to divert the Hero. Disorientation or discomfort of the Hero will most likely occur. The Hero is apprehensive about his adventure. The Hero usually needs to be pushed into the adventure. When a hero is in denial of the need for change the next stage of the Hero’s Journey comes about, the Refusal of the Call.
Reflection
I. Stage One: The Ordinary World
A. A Guide to the Journey
B. Before the Beginning
1. Title
a. metaphoric title and imagery allow many interpretations and help to make the story a coherent design
2. Opening Image
a. visual metaphor
3. Prologue
a. precedes the main body of the story
b. backstory, cue or start the story
C. The Ordinary World
1. Contrast
2. Foreshadowing
3. Raising the Dramatic Question
a. every good story poses a series of questions about the hero
4. Inner and Outer Problems
5. Making an Entrance
a. important part of building a character’s relationship with the audience
D. Introducing the Hero
1. Identification
a. audience and hero are equals
b. give heroes universal goals, drives, desires or needs
2. Hero’s Lack
a. lacking something or something has been taken from them
b. searching for completeness and striving for wholeness
c. often a subtraction of a family member that sets the story in motion
3. Tragic Flaws
a. hubris
4. Wounded Heroes
a. old pain
b. physical injury or emotional wound
E. Establishing What’s At Stake
1. Backstory and Exposition
a. Backstory- is all the relevant information about a character’s history and background
b. Exposition- the art of gracefully revealing the backstory and any other pertinent information about the plot: social class, upbringing, habits, experiences
2. Theme
a. underlying statement of assumption about an aspect of life
II. Stage Two: The Call to Adventure
A. Get the Story Rolling
1. change can be introduced in a number of ways
B. Synchronicity
1. the coincidental occurrence of words, ideas or events that take on meaning and draw attention to the need for action and change
C. Temptation
D. Heralds of Change
E. Reconnaissance
1. information-gathering
F. Disorientation and Discomfort
G. Lack or Need
H. No More Options
I. Warnings for Tragic Heroes
1. Call to Adventure could be dire warnings of doom for tragic heroes
J. More than one Call: Call Waiting
K. Summation
1. a process of selection
2. take responsibility
3. most heroes must be pushed into the adventure
Questions
1. What warnings are given to tragic heroes and what are some examples?
2.
3.
Edition. The Ordinary World. Call to Adventure. Studio City, CA. Michael
Weise Productions. 2007.
Summary
The Ordinary World and the Call to Adventure are stages of the Hero’s Journey. The Ordinary World to the Call of Adventure is a transition stage . The Hero lives in the Ordinary World where he gets by, “trying to adjust to unhealthy conditions by using various coping mechanisms or crutches such as emotional or chemical dependencies” (Vogler 96). The writer needs to establish certain things before the story begins. The writer needs a title, an opening image and a prologue that will include a backstory. In the next stage of the Ordinary World, contrast needs to be made between the Ordinary World and other worlds. The differences should be noted. Foreshadowing is another tool that is commonly used in describing what is to come in further stages of the Hero’s Journey. Questions about the hero also need to be posed. A hero needs to have inner and outer problems, which adds depth to the character. The hero needs to make an entrance that will build a relationship with the audience. When introducing the hero it is important to identify the hero, show what the hero is lacking, note the tragic flaws, and look at the wounds, whether they are physical or emotional, that the Hero has. The writer needs to establish what is at stake and this is best done by providing the audience with the hero’s history. The story needs to get rolling. Synchronicity needs to occur. Temptations are placed during the Call to Adventure to divert the Hero. Disorientation or discomfort of the Hero will most likely occur. The Hero is apprehensive about his adventure. The Hero usually needs to be pushed into the adventure. When a hero is in denial of the need for change the next stage of the Hero’s Journey comes about, the Refusal of the Call.
Reflection
I. Stage One: The Ordinary World
A. A Guide to the Journey
B. Before the Beginning
1. Title
a. metaphoric title and imagery allow many interpretations and help to make the story a coherent design
2. Opening Image
a. visual metaphor
3. Prologue
a. precedes the main body of the story
b. backstory, cue or start the story
C. The Ordinary World
1. Contrast
2. Foreshadowing
3. Raising the Dramatic Question
a. every good story poses a series of questions about the hero
4. Inner and Outer Problems
5. Making an Entrance
a. important part of building a character’s relationship with the audience
D. Introducing the Hero
1. Identification
a. audience and hero are equals
b. give heroes universal goals, drives, desires or needs
2. Hero’s Lack
a. lacking something or something has been taken from them
b. searching for completeness and striving for wholeness
c. often a subtraction of a family member that sets the story in motion
3. Tragic Flaws
a. hubris
4. Wounded Heroes
a. old pain
b. physical injury or emotional wound
E. Establishing What’s At Stake
1. Backstory and Exposition
a. Backstory- is all the relevant information about a character’s history and background
b. Exposition- the art of gracefully revealing the backstory and any other pertinent information about the plot: social class, upbringing, habits, experiences
2. Theme
a. underlying statement of assumption about an aspect of life
II. Stage Two: The Call to Adventure
A. Get the Story Rolling
1. change can be introduced in a number of ways
B. Synchronicity
1. the coincidental occurrence of words, ideas or events that take on meaning and draw attention to the need for action and change
C. Temptation
D. Heralds of Change
E. Reconnaissance
1. information-gathering
F. Disorientation and Discomfort
G. Lack or Need
H. No More Options
I. Warnings for Tragic Heroes
1. Call to Adventure could be dire warnings of doom for tragic heroes
J. More than one Call: Call Waiting
K. Summation
1. a process of selection
2. take responsibility
3. most heroes must be pushed into the adventure
Questions
1. What warnings are given to tragic heroes and what are some examples?
2.
3.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Vogler Annotated Bib 3
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third
Edition. Threshold Guardian. Herald. Shapeshifter. Shadow. Ally. Trickster.
Studio City. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Annotation
The Archetypes in a Hero’s journey serve many purposes in a story. There are Archetype characters that fulfill needs, desires and requirements within the story. The Threshold Guardian Archetype is a character that is used to test the hero. The Guardian will present the hero with obstacles. The Herald Archetype announces the coming of change. The Herald “gets the story rolling.” The Shapeshifter is a character whose loyalty and sincerity are constantly being called into question. Usually the Shapeshifter in a story is the opposite sex of the hero but not always. A Shadow can be a character or inside the hero such as repressed emotions. The Shadow is usually seen as a dark side. Allies are companions of a hero. They serve a variety of functions that aid the Hero. Tricksters embody mischief. They bring about healthy change or transformation. All of these Archetypes have to do with change. That is the constant string that weaves the Archetypes all together. They are all there for the purpose of change in a Hero’s journey.
Reflection
I. Threshold Guardian
A. Function
1. placed to keep the unworthy from entering or advancing
2. symbiotic relationship between villain and a Threshold Guardian
3. temporarily blocks the way of the hero and tests his/her powers
4. can be a character, prop, architectural feature, animal, or force of nature
B. Psychological Function
1. Neuroses
2. may represent the ordinary obstacles we all face in the world around us
3. they stand for our internal demons
C. Dramatic Function
1. testing the hero
II. Herald
A. Function
1. issues challenges and announces the coming of significant change
2. may be a person or a force
3. may be a positive, negative, or neutral figure
B. Psychological Function
1. announcing the need for change
C. Dramatic Function
1. provide motivation, offer the hero a challenge, and get the story rolling
III. Shapeshifter
A. Function
1. nature is unstable
2. change constantly
3. usually the opposite sex
4. loyalty and sincerity are often in question
5. catalyst for change
6. a symbol of the psychological urge to transform
B. Psychological Function
1. Animus
a. the male element in the female unconscious
b. the positive and negative images of masculinity in a woman’s dreams and fantasies
2. Anima
a. the female element in the male unconscious
3. manifested in dreams
4. Projection
a. projection of desire
C. Dramatic Function
1. to bring doubt and suspense into a story
2. “femme fatale”
3. “hommes fatales”
E. Mask
1. sometimes a hero must become a Shapeshifter to escape a trap or get past a Threshold Guardian
2. Shapeshifting is also a natural attribute of other archetypes such as Mentors and Tricksters
IV. Shadow
A. Function
1. represents the energy of the dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized or rejected aspects of something
2. negative face is projected as villains, antagonists or enemies
3. may be a character or force external to the hero, or it may be a deeply repressed part of the hero
B. Psychological Function
1. can represent the power of repressed feelings
2. stands for psychoses that not only hamper us, but threaten to destroy us
C. Mask of the Shadow
D. Humanizing the Shadow
V. Ally
A. Functions
1. companion, partner, conscience, comic relief
2. humanize the heroes, adding extra dimensions to their personalities or challenging them to be more open and balanced
3. explain the unfamiliar or unknown
4. suggest alternate paths for problem-solving and help to round out the personalities of the hero
B. Multiple Allies
C. Introduction to Special World
D. Western Allies: Sidekicks
E. Non-Human Allies
F. Animal Allies
G. Allies From Beyond the Grave
H. Helpful Servants
I. Psychological Function
1. might represent the unexpressed or unused parts of the personality that must be brought into action to do their jobs
VI. Trickster
A. Function
1. embodies the energies of mischief and desire for change
2. (T Heroes) often catalyst characters who affect the lives of other but are unchanged themselves
B. Psychological Function
1. bring heroes and audiences down to earth
2. bring about healthy change and transformation
3. natural enemies of the status quo
C. Dramatic Function
1. comic relief
D. Trickster Heroes
Questions
1. Explain the Animus and Anima more clearly and cite specific examples.
2. The word ‘Trickster’ has a negative connotation. Is that the original context of the word?
3. Are Shapeshifters always “bad”?
Edition. Threshold Guardian. Herald. Shapeshifter. Shadow. Ally. Trickster.
Studio City. Michael Weise Productions. 2007.
Annotation
The Archetypes in a Hero’s journey serve many purposes in a story. There are Archetype characters that fulfill needs, desires and requirements within the story. The Threshold Guardian Archetype is a character that is used to test the hero. The Guardian will present the hero with obstacles. The Herald Archetype announces the coming of change. The Herald “gets the story rolling.” The Shapeshifter is a character whose loyalty and sincerity are constantly being called into question. Usually the Shapeshifter in a story is the opposite sex of the hero but not always. A Shadow can be a character or inside the hero such as repressed emotions. The Shadow is usually seen as a dark side. Allies are companions of a hero. They serve a variety of functions that aid the Hero. Tricksters embody mischief. They bring about healthy change or transformation. All of these Archetypes have to do with change. That is the constant string that weaves the Archetypes all together. They are all there for the purpose of change in a Hero’s journey.
Reflection
I. Threshold Guardian
A. Function
1. placed to keep the unworthy from entering or advancing
2. symbiotic relationship between villain and a Threshold Guardian
3. temporarily blocks the way of the hero and tests his/her powers
4. can be a character, prop, architectural feature, animal, or force of nature
B. Psychological Function
1. Neuroses
2. may represent the ordinary obstacles we all face in the world around us
3. they stand for our internal demons
C. Dramatic Function
1. testing the hero
II. Herald
A. Function
1. issues challenges and announces the coming of significant change
2. may be a person or a force
3. may be a positive, negative, or neutral figure
B. Psychological Function
1. announcing the need for change
C. Dramatic Function
1. provide motivation, offer the hero a challenge, and get the story rolling
III. Shapeshifter
A. Function
1. nature is unstable
2. change constantly
3. usually the opposite sex
4. loyalty and sincerity are often in question
5. catalyst for change
6. a symbol of the psychological urge to transform
B. Psychological Function
1. Animus
a. the male element in the female unconscious
b. the positive and negative images of masculinity in a woman’s dreams and fantasies
2. Anima
a. the female element in the male unconscious
3. manifested in dreams
4. Projection
a. projection of desire
C. Dramatic Function
1. to bring doubt and suspense into a story
2. “femme fatale”
3. “hommes fatales”
E. Mask
1. sometimes a hero must become a Shapeshifter to escape a trap or get past a Threshold Guardian
2. Shapeshifting is also a natural attribute of other archetypes such as Mentors and Tricksters
IV. Shadow
A. Function
1. represents the energy of the dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized or rejected aspects of something
2. negative face is projected as villains, antagonists or enemies
3. may be a character or force external to the hero, or it may be a deeply repressed part of the hero
B. Psychological Function
1. can represent the power of repressed feelings
2. stands for psychoses that not only hamper us, but threaten to destroy us
C. Mask of the Shadow
D. Humanizing the Shadow
V. Ally
A. Functions
1. companion, partner, conscience, comic relief
2. humanize the heroes, adding extra dimensions to their personalities or challenging them to be more open and balanced
3. explain the unfamiliar or unknown
4. suggest alternate paths for problem-solving and help to round out the personalities of the hero
B. Multiple Allies
C. Introduction to Special World
D. Western Allies: Sidekicks
E. Non-Human Allies
F. Animal Allies
G. Allies From Beyond the Grave
H. Helpful Servants
I. Psychological Function
1. might represent the unexpressed or unused parts of the personality that must be brought into action to do their jobs
VI. Trickster
A. Function
1. embodies the energies of mischief and desire for change
2. (T Heroes) often catalyst characters who affect the lives of other but are unchanged themselves
B. Psychological Function
1. bring heroes and audiences down to earth
2. bring about healthy change and transformation
3. natural enemies of the status quo
C. Dramatic Function
1. comic relief
D. Trickster Heroes
Questions
1. Explain the Animus and Anima more clearly and cite specific examples.
2. The word ‘Trickster’ has a negative connotation. Is that the original context of the word?
3. Are Shapeshifters always “bad”?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Disney Character
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! As far as Disney movies go, I think that I can compare myself to none other than Mary Poppins. Mary Poppins is a nanny. I am not a nanny but I see myself as a caretaker. Mary Poppins is fun but firm when she needs to be. She is in complete control of herself and tries to lead by example. She also relies on herself. She takes care of herself and doesn’t need a man around to take care of her. I also relate to her and her bag full of everything! I always carry a bag or purse around with me with all the things I need. I am usually prepared for any situation that comes at me. If your hands are dirty, I have Purell. If you’re covered in lint, I have a lint roller. If you don’t feel well, I have medicine. I spend a lot of my time in the real world but I do tend to daydream and be creative and imaginative… like being in another world. Mary Poppins is centered in the real world but she sometimes goes off on adventures.
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