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?