Vogler, Christopher. “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers." Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998 p. 293-312
Summary
This reading was about how the Hero's Journey model and the Writer's Journey model are essentially the same. All writers face the same troubles; they meet shadows, shapeshifters, mentors, tricksters, and threshold guardians. (Vogler, page 293) Writing is a long and tedious journey, but developing a good story is an amazing reward. Vogler also compares Shamans and Writers. Shamans are special people set apart from the rest by their dreams, visions, or unique experiences. (Vogler, page 294) They, like writers, are prepared for their work by enduring terrible ordeals. (Vogler, page 294) They may have a dangerous illness or fall from a cliff and have nearly every bone broken. "They are chewed by a lion or mauled by a bear. They are taken apart and put back together again in a new way. In a sense they have died and been reborn, and this experience gives them special powers." (Vogler, page 294) Vogler also talks about his experience with Disney, and how he has come to a conclusion about stories; "stories have healing power..they can help us deal with difficult emotional situations by giving us examples of human behavior, perhaps similar in some way to the struggles we are going through at some stage of life, and which might inspire us to try a different strategy for living." (Vogler, page 300)
Reaction:
This reading was interesting because I had no idea what a Shaman was it was interesting to see writers and Shamans compared. What was most interesting, however, was his interaction with Disney and the conclusions he came to about stories. He says they have a healing power, and in a way, they do. For some people, reading can help people deal with difficult emotional situations. Stories are very powerful, and it's interesting how he likes to analyze them.
Questions
1) What are the rewards of writing? Is writing rewarding for you?
2) Do you believe stories really have healing powers? Why do people like to "escape" into books?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
reflection
I haven't done much with the project yet but i know that I want to help out at a retirement home. I feel like I will be able to ask the old women there about fashion during their time and what made a woman "beautiful." I have picked my four modes but I still need to do a rhetorical analysis about them.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Annotated Bibliography
Vogler, Christopher. “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers." Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998 p. 230-290
Summary
This reading included the epilogue, in which we look back on the hero’s journey. Vogler analyzes Titanic, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, and the Full Monty because the films really use his structure of the journey. “The hero’s journey model is a guideline.” (Vogler, page 231) For example, in the Lion King, Simba is a classic hero in his ordinary world and knows that he will one day be king. (Vogler, page 258) This is a calling that most of us can never relate too. He receives other calls as well; “the temptation to explore the forbidden zone, a call of childhood romance from Nala, and most drastically, the death of his father that calls him to enter a new phase of life in which he has to run away to survive.” (Vogler, page 261) He also has many mentors. His father is his teacher that shows him what kingship is like and the Circle of Life. (Vogler, page 261) Vogler also points out that Nala was like a shape shifter to Simba, changing from a young cub to a beautiful, powerful lioness. (Vogler, page 261)
Reflection
It was hard for me to relate to most of these movies because I have never seen them, but the Lion King is one of my favorite movies of all time. Besides loving the soundtrack, the storyline was great as well. Now that I think back to the Lion King, I can really see Simba’s Hero’s Journey, and am now able to analyze the journey in depth. All in all, Vogler was able to really show me his model in different texts and movies.
questions
1) What movie most reminds you of the hero's journey?
2) Do you agree with Vogler's analysis of the movies he mentioned in this section?
Summary
This reading included the epilogue, in which we look back on the hero’s journey. Vogler analyzes Titanic, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, and the Full Monty because the films really use his structure of the journey. “The hero’s journey model is a guideline.” (Vogler, page 231) For example, in the Lion King, Simba is a classic hero in his ordinary world and knows that he will one day be king. (Vogler, page 258) This is a calling that most of us can never relate too. He receives other calls as well; “the temptation to explore the forbidden zone, a call of childhood romance from Nala, and most drastically, the death of his father that calls him to enter a new phase of life in which he has to run away to survive.” (Vogler, page 261) He also has many mentors. His father is his teacher that shows him what kingship is like and the Circle of Life. (Vogler, page 261) Vogler also points out that Nala was like a shape shifter to Simba, changing from a young cub to a beautiful, powerful lioness. (Vogler, page 261)
Reflection
It was hard for me to relate to most of these movies because I have never seen them, but the Lion King is one of my favorite movies of all time. Besides loving the soundtrack, the storyline was great as well. Now that I think back to the Lion King, I can really see Simba’s Hero’s Journey, and am now able to analyze the journey in depth. All in all, Vogler was able to really show me his model in different texts and movies.
questions
1) What movie most reminds you of the hero's journey?
2) Do you agree with Vogler's analysis of the movies he mentioned in this section?
Friday, November 7, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Vogler Annotation
Vogler, Christopher. “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers." Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998 p. 197-228
Summary
This reading was about the resurrection and the return with the elixir. It is important for writers to show their readers that the hero has been through a resurrection. The resurrection is when the story feels most complete because the audience gets to experience that additional moment of death and rebirth. This is "the last and most dangerous meeting with death," so it is known as the climax. True heroes usually return with the elixir from the special world. They bring a lesson or reward that they can share with their old world. (Vogler, page 215) There are two types of story forms. There is the circular form where there is a sense of closure and completion. The other form is the open-ended approach where there is a sense of unanswered questions, ambiguities, and unresolved conflicts. The bringing back of the elixir is the hero's final test. The hero usually brings back a reward or understanding to share with either the audience or the other people in the story.
Reaction
In my opinion, the resurrection is important because as a reader, I like to be sure that the reader has gone through the resurrection because it is a completion of the story. The return with the elixir is also very important because the whole point of the journey is to have the hero's experience end in a lesson learned or a reward. Otherwise, what's the point of going on the journey in the first place? Some heroes probably wouldn't even go if they weren't sure that they would learn something from it.
Questions
1) What is more important in your opinion, the resurrection or the return with the elixir?
2) Which one makes the story better: a tangible reward or a lesson learned?
3) Can you think of any movies or books where the reader earns a tangible reward? learns a big lesson?
Summary
This reading was about the resurrection and the return with the elixir. It is important for writers to show their readers that the hero has been through a resurrection. The resurrection is when the story feels most complete because the audience gets to experience that additional moment of death and rebirth. This is "the last and most dangerous meeting with death," so it is known as the climax. True heroes usually return with the elixir from the special world. They bring a lesson or reward that they can share with their old world. (Vogler, page 215) There are two types of story forms. There is the circular form where there is a sense of closure and completion. The other form is the open-ended approach where there is a sense of unanswered questions, ambiguities, and unresolved conflicts. The bringing back of the elixir is the hero's final test. The hero usually brings back a reward or understanding to share with either the audience or the other people in the story.
Reaction
In my opinion, the resurrection is important because as a reader, I like to be sure that the reader has gone through the resurrection because it is a completion of the story. The return with the elixir is also very important because the whole point of the journey is to have the hero's experience end in a lesson learned or a reward. Otherwise, what's the point of going on the journey in the first place? Some heroes probably wouldn't even go if they weren't sure that they would learn something from it.
Questions
1) What is more important in your opinion, the resurrection or the return with the elixir?
2) Which one makes the story better: a tangible reward or a lesson learned?
3) Can you think of any movies or books where the reader earns a tangible reward? learns a big lesson?
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