Vogler Chapter 1 Annoted

Danielle Grant

February 2, 2009

Vogler Pages 1-20

 

 

Summary- Chapter one is focused around the journey of a hero.  Also, chapter one mentions Joseph Campbell’s contributions to the writer’s tool kit, and how he used these tools to write and tell stories.  His ideas were spread to movie producers, and editors.  In addition, Campbell’s tools were used to draw ideas from past stories or myths to form new and fresh stories.  The way to captivate an audience with one’s story is to clearly depict the hero’s journey from despair to hope, weakness to strength, folly to wisdom, or love to hate.  A hero’s journey is mad up of 12 stages including: ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal of the call, meeting with the mentor, crossing the first threshold, test, allies, enemies, approach to the inmost cave, ordeal, reward, the road back, resurrection and return with the elixir which the hero goes though in 3 acts. 

 

 

Reaction- I found it interesting that Vogler references the hero as a “her” rather than as a “he”.  When most people think of a super hero they think of a man because they are assumed to be stronger and accompanied with a safe place.  I learned a lot of little tips such as when showing a fish out of his customary element an author first must show the fish in that ordinary world.  I know it sounds weird but I never exactly thought that all stories and movies have the same outline.  Every movie or story has each of the twelve elements needed to form a smooth transitional book. I was surprised to read that every hero has a fear, when I think of a hero I think of a fearless person risking everything they have only to help others in need and better the world.

 

 

Reflection-I feel as if I haven’t been reading book efficiently enough because I never caught on to the fact that all books, movies and myths have the same outline.  When I look back on the books mentioned in Vogler such as Star Wars, An Officer and a Gentlemen and The Wizard of Oz I wonder why I never saw the connection between the three books.   I also thought it was really strange that non fiction and fiction also follow the same outline.   I also think that Carl Jung’s theory makes a lot of sense, in which humans relate to characters.  By the character having traits that most people can relate to allows the audience to be able to connect with the movie on a personal level.  This connection makes the story seem more realistic and meaningful to the audience. 

 

 

 

1.     Can you think of a story that does not follow the 12 elements of a Hero’s journey?

2.     Can you think of a story where a hero was halted at the fifth element of crossing the first threshold?

3.     Can a story be complete if it doesn’t meet the twelve elements of a story?