elena's blog: November 2008

Vogler Annotation #11

18 November 2008

Vogler, Christopher, and Michele Montez. The Writer's Journey : Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 293-312.

Summary

Vogler relates the Writer’s Journey to the Hero’s Journey. He expresses how similar the paths we follow and the trials we are confronted with as writers are to that of Heroes’. Vogler then goes on to explain the great amount of meaning and reality that can be portrayed through letters in words, particularly in the symbolic writing of other cultures. The healing powers of words are one of the greatest aspects of writing. Vogler, furthermore, compares writers to shamans. Many writers go through great Ordeals before they feel internally stimulated to write. Shamans are godlike beings who, likewise, have been through great Ordeals that mutilate them and give them the ability to communicate between words. Vogler compares the journey of a Shaman to the work of a writer. He says, “As writers we travel to other worlds not as mere daydreamers, but as shamans with the magic power to bottle up those worlds and bring them back in the form of stories for others to share” (295).

In his section, “The Story is Alive,” Vogler talks about four important ways he views or believes good stories ought to possess: (1) Survival value for the human species, (2) metaphors, (3) outer and inner journey, (4) orientation devices. Stories are alive and are meant to make us seem more human by comparing us to their characters. Vogler goes on to discuss the fairy creatures that appear in stories like Rumpelstiltskin: The commonalities between these creatures like their attraction to strong human emotions and their inability to have children, and, therefore, desire to attain a human child. “The Power of Wishing” discusses the great implications and symbolism behind wishes as well as literally, the great power that their contents contain. Vogler then deciphers between Wants and Needs. Often, when stories appear to treat our hero poorly or take something from him, the aim is actually to give him something greater than what he initially has by removing something he does not know impedes his path. Wishes are also a very effective way of getting one’s audience to relate to her tale since we all have wants, desires, and wishes. He deciphers between what we think we want and what we actually need. It is often the case that if the audience’s desires are not fulfilled in the plot, the film will not do as well in the box-office. Vogler, furthermore, discusses those that Progress from Wishing to Willing. Willing is taken on by those who act to get their wish and are willing to accept the set backs and difficulties that accompany accomplishing their desire. Vogler addresses that we don’t adequately question the ethical dilemmas present in simple fairy tales like Rumpelstiltskin.

Reaction

Vogler very effectively relates the importance of the Hero’s Journey to our own personal journeys as writers and as human beings. I, furthermore, found it very interesting at the end of the reading when Vogler discussed whether Rumpelstiltskin has just results. We do not take the time, as the audience, to question whether the beautiful fair maiden is equipped to mother a child. Although, we feel slightly sorrowful at Rumpelstiltskin’s death, it is not as great a sense of sadness as if our maiden were to not get her child back.

Questions

1. Is the type of justice we seek in stories the same as the type of justice we desire from life?

2. How is the Writer’s Journey different from the Hero’s Journey? Is there a difference?

3. Is there any way in which it might be bad to live by The Journey?