Rhetorical Appeals of the Four Modes

Image Paragraph.

The physique of the statue gives the viewer a reason to believe that this image is an honest portrayal of what a dancer would actually look like. Due to the precision in the dancers’ stance, the examiner can feel a sense of legitimacy. The position of the dancer allows the viewer to feel as if it is an honest depiction of a realistic dancer, by doing so; the viewer can begin to feel an emotion connection to the artwork.  Sadness, disappointment, grace, beauty and perfection can all be drawn from this image depending on the individual examining the work. The tilt of her head and the slouch of her shoulder could suggest that she did not receive a part she had auditioned for, or an instructor gave her a bad review, or she is feeling down about her performance or personal body image. In conclusion, one can see the statue as a real dancer experiencing the strong variety of emotions experience in their attempts at success.

Film Paragraph.

In the movie Center Stage, one of the ballerinas gets into a confrontation with her mother because she is not performing in the showcase.  The conversation between them reveals the existence of a serious, on-going problem between a mother and her daughter. The revelation of such a scenario allows for the acceptance of the validity of the case at hand. Each character makes the audience feel a different emotion; a sense of sympathy for the daughter and a sense of anger towards the mother.  The daughter clearly states that her tenure at dance was an attempt to appease her mother, and not a particular passion of her own. In the dialogue it is made clear that the daughter developed an eating disorder throughout her high-pressure career as a competitive dancer, giving further reasoning for the existence of the conflict. In conclusion, this particular scene from the movie depicts the pressure dancers undergo in order to be successful, and the often-surprising origins of the issues that come from such demands.

Song Paragraph.

In the song Mary Jane by Alanis Morrisette she tells a story about a girl named Mary Jane who is going through a tough time.  Alanis directly addresses characteristics specific to Mary Jane in the lines; “You’re the sweet crusader And you’re on your way You’re the last great innocent And that’s why I love you. These lines reveal the existence of a relationship between Alanis and Mary Jane. Such an existence brings credibility to the story, allowing the listeners to trust what Alanis is saying and have sympathy for the subject.  Alanis’ emotional delivery of the lyrics contributes to the emotional connection made by the listener; empathy, curiosity, worry, and sadness seem prevalent within this particular song. Also, the use of similes and metaphors adds another layer to the emotional impact of the song.  Morrisette questions and addresses Mary Jane’s current state of being, revealing to the listener that she wants to help Mary Jane with her problems. In conclusion, Alanis Morrisette has a friend who is experiencing difficult times, and Alanis feels the need to confront Mary Jane and assist in the solving of her problems.

Text Paragraph.

In the book entitled Thin by Lauren Greenfield, she complies interviews and real pictures from twenty different women who suffer from some form of an eating disorder. Since, Lauren, herself, has struggled with eating disorders in the past she has the credibility to write this book. Through the interviews and images the reader feels a sense of sympathy, sadness, and worriment towards these women who are suffering. This gives the reader a sense of what each girl is going through with the struggle to survive. In conclusion, Thin is a testimony of women suffering with an illness that is taking over their lives and how they are dealing with it.

The Toni Morrison Interview

For this weeks selection we were instructed to watch the Charlie Rose interview with Toni Morrison, who is an author, editor, and professor whose books are captivating to all audiences. At the beginning of the interview Morrison discussed her book Love, which she describes as a riveting display of how people's relationship strive off one man. Morrison said that once being an editor gave her a leg up in the writing community. Eventually, the interview turned to talked about a  group of wealthier African Americans and the growth of the African American culture. She explained how these groups are needed for the African American culture because they bring hope and status to other African Americans.

During the interview Morrison made a statement which was very striking to me as a listener. She said that the most important things in her life were to mother her children and to write these books. Now to me that is very powerful.  To be so certain with what you want to do with your life is very influential; especially to a college student who feels the same drive to be successful.  In the interview Morrison spoke elegantly about her beliefs of the African American culture and how her books reflect certain aspects of that. 

Toni Morrison accepts her recognitions, however, she is quite humble when discussing her success and the life she has lived. Her ability to stay humble through all of her accomplishment should spread to others who do not follow suit. I believe in feeling pride in your work and being recognized for your accomplishments but I do feel it is not necessary to flaunt your success in other faces.  To my knowledge, Morrison would agree. 

What would the world be like if more people were able to humbly accept their accomplishments instead of flaunting them?

Why did Morrison start her writing career so late in life?

How can these 'groups' that Morrison talks about help influence others to feel hope and status?

Four-Mode Teaching Tool

Eating Disorders in Dancers.. 

Book: Thin by Lauren Greenfield

Film: Center Stage

Song: "Mary Jane" by Alanis Morissette

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaldyJFXnS0&feature=related

Visual Aid: Entitled Balanchine Dancer - Best of the Best

The Simpsons as a Critique of Consumer Culture

Cartoonist Matt Groening created an animation TV show for Fox Network in 1989.  The show brought light on subjects such as critique of dominant American institutions, hypocrisy within the educational system, religious beliefs, American political structure, and capitalism all through a contradicting narrative about a middle class American family with traditional values. Figure out the show yet?  The Simpsons has been one of Fox Network hit shows since the beginning through their ability to use each character and show to showcase a lesson within the American culture which has flaws.  Groening made each character an idea; 'they are caricatures of the ideologies they represent.  Homer is often put down and is always governed by an urge for self-satisfaction. Marge is the modern housewife who is ignored by her husband and  not appreciated by her kids; she is the 'site of social injustice towards women'. Bart shows the failures of public school. Lisa is the voice of rationality and the character of Mr. Burns is capitalism. Overall, the text for The Simpsons challenges modern American society.  

Personally, I have never been a fan of The Simpsons because I thought it was a stupid cartoon that just made you dumper with each episode watched.  I did not know nor understanding the underlying message the show portrayed. After reading this article by Sam Tingleff, I feel that I have a new appreciation for what Groening is trying to do; inform the American public of the various flaws that lie within our culture. 

However, what I am trying to understand now, is how is it that almost twenty years have past and the same scenarios The Simpsons started off with in their first season still apply today. It is a scary thought that our society has not changed that most over the past two decades. What does that say for our future?  Hopefully, with the coming of a new political party change is on the rise but only time will tell. 

Some Questions to Think About...

1. Are there any other TV shows that poke fun at the American culture? If so, what are they?

2. What are your views on how The Simpsons portrays our society? Do you believe it to be accurate or no?

3. When do you believe change to come, if ever?

Knowledge Nugget

Three statements I have learned from The Bell Jar...

- People come in and out of your life.

In the serious of Sex and the City, Carrie and Mr. Big have a relationship on and off throughout all six seasons.  However, in the end, even through the trials and tribulations, they end up together in the end.

http://www.spacegravy.com/images/icons/content_icon_1861.jpg 

- Do not give into love temptations.

In the movie Adventureland, which has just recently been released in theaters, has a story line about a girl who falls for a co-worker who has a wife, but then falls for another co-worker who 'loves' her back. 

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm463244032/tt1091722

-In life, you are being judged...more so when are you trying to move on or get ahead. 

For example, most reality T.V shows are all about the judgement of others in a competition setting. America's Next Top Model is the perfect example of that. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkC8idYneMs

The Second Sex

In the introduction of The Second Sex: Woman as Others, Simone de Beauvoir poses the question 'what is a woman?' She start off by stating women make up half of humanity but still are told 'femininity is in danger'. Hence, if it is in danger now what is to say that is ever existed, and if it never exist then how is every human being a singular, separate individual? Man have always, and most likely will always, be seen as the superior race; whereas men will continue to see women as the minority or as St Thomas put it, an 'imperfect man'. Benda stated that 'she' cannot think without man and 'she' is simply a sexual object for mans desire. However, it is through this desire that man have some dependence on women, for the mere fact of offspring. de Beauvior book is her attempt in the 'interests in the fortunes of the individual as defined not in terms of happiness but in terms of liberty'. She wants woman to be able to come together as a whole to fight against men because until then woman's status will be that of what a man wants it to be.  As of now, 'she' lives in a world where men give her the status of the Other and they (men) are the One.  Men propose her as an object. Males and females have never been able to inhabit the world equally due to this bias way of thinking; that man are inferior to woman. 

The author states over and over the concept of being a woman and the struggle woman go through seeking equal acceptance in a 'mans world'.  Although her ideas are profound and hold true meaning, I found the introduction to be quite redundant. She found many ways to state that woman are the lesser of the human race.  However, the examples given made the introduction not so difficult to read; Her example about how man regards the body of a woman as a 'hinderance, a prison' never being able to connect to the world the way in which His is capable of.  Even though, repetition of the same idea exist throughout the work the way it is presented works. It is as though the author is trying to beat it in our heads that woman are not a minority in the world but even more so have the ability to stand up against this controversial issue.

As a woman, I agree with what de Beauvoir says; however, I do believe it needs to be taken into consideration that this piece was written in 1949.  To me, this is an important aspect to consider because I feel the inequality between men and women has sunk since that time. Nowadays women are able to work in positions that in the past have been deemed only for men.  Look at this past year, a female ran for president and a female was the running mate of a white male republican.  As little as 10 years ago, you would have never seen that happen.  All that can say is that the world is changing and society, for the most part, is keeping up.  Women will have to continue to fight to justice. 

Some Questions to Think About...

1. What view point do you believe de Beauvoir is taking on the issue of equality in regards to this book?

2. How do you feel about what de Beauvoir states about woman being the 'other'?

3. How you ever been an 'other'? If so, has that experience taught you anything?

Extra Credit - Week Six

On the Random Acts of Kindness website there was a story posted by a women reflecting on a past experience that moved her to perform a kind act.  When she was young she was the 'coach' for her and her friends pick up soccer team.  One day while in a store the little girl found stickers that would be perfect to hand out at practice, however her mother would not buy them for her. Leaving the store disappointed the little girl heard a man calling to her and in his hand was the pack of stickers she wanted.  As the man walked away without saying a word, she thought about how kind he was. So years later, overhearing a little girl talk about how she wanted Minnie Mouse hair ties, now a women, she bought them for the little girl.  This was her way of saying thank you to the man to did the same deed to her.

This story goes to show how it does not take much to make others happen.  Also, how one kind act can lead to a domino effect of kind acts.  So in the end, I vow the next time I am in a store and I over hear a child talking about a trinket they want and can not get I will buy it for them so they can smile. 

http://actsofkindness.org/node/476317

Extra Credit - Week Eight

IADMS or International Association for Dance Medicine & Science 'enhances the health, well-being, training, and performance of dancers by cultivating educational, medical, and scientific excellence.'

http://www.iadms.org/

Extra Credit - Week Seven

For this weeks extra credit we were told to go on YouTube and find videos that represented our topic for Project two.  I was very surprised when exploring YouTube for videos regarding eating disorders and dance to find that there was not much there.  For the most part they had videos made to get you to start thinking about the effects to generate your own curiosity to research more.  Here are some videos that caught my attention.. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHAAa9p-N_k&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSXpe8BmUUE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn8k3QLeO74&NR=1

Stage Six: Tests, Allies, Enemies

In this section of Vogler, he discusses the different test, allies, and enemies the hero will encounter while fully in the Special World.  The importance of contrast between the Special World and the Ordinary World is now apparent; even if the hero stays in the same place some physical or emotional transformation has to happen, since the Special World has to have a new feel to it.  Testing is the most important function of this point in the Special World.  It is where the hero has to figure out how to deal with traps and test.  However, the relationship with allies and enemies is another function; this is also a test, since the hero has to judge on character.  But the most exciting for both the hero and the audience is there ability to learn the new rules of the Special World quickly; it is another test to see how fast they can adjust. Volger outlines the importance of the hero having allies and enemies, while still building relationships, while good or bad, with allies and enemies. 

Vogler makes it very clear that test are a major part in stories.  I have never noticed their importance in stories until after reading this sections and thinking about to some of my favorite movies.  What Vogler calls test, I would just see as obstacles; since to me test are what I take in math class.  Now that my eyes have been open to a term for test, I believe the next time I view a film the importance of test will stick out to me.

Another topic Vogler touches on in this sections is 'watering holes' in movies.  Since watering holes are seen as 'a natural congregating place and a good spot to observe and get information'. After reading this section, my mind went in to different directions with examples.  First, I was brought back to my senior year in high school and how every Tuesday after school my girlfriends and I would go to the local Starbucks to gossip and catch up on a weeks worth on information.  Second, I thought about my favorite TV show Sex and the City and how in ever episode the four women would go to breakfast or lunch at a local cafe where they could talk openly about whatever was on their mind.  I would never see this events at watering holes but after reading Vogler they definitely fit the definition. 

Some Questions to Think About...

1.  What is a Hero had no allies, would he/she be able to survive the test and enemies in which they will face?

2. What are some other examples of watering holes in movies, besides westerns?

3. What is the best test you have seen in a movie?

Stages: Refusal of the Call, Meeting wit the Mentor, & Crossing the First Threshold

In this section of Vogler he discusses the next three stages taken during a heros journey: Refusal of the Call, Meeting with the Mentor, and Crossing the First Threshold.  Each of these stages continue to propel the story towards the second act.

Refusal of the Call is a temporarily hesitation or complete refusal of the call.  It can appear only in the beginning or throughout the entire story.  The main function of this stage is to redirect the focus of the adventure.  Also, the hesitation allows the audience to be aware of the challenges ahead for the hero.

Meeting with the Mentor is the stage in the Hero's Journey where he gains the supplies, knowledge, and confidence needed to overcome fear and commit to the adventure.  The function of this stage is to provide the hero with something he/she needs for the journey: whether it be advise, magical gifts, or testing.  At some point in the story, if no apparent Mentor has been cast, one of the character has to wear the mask of the Mentor archetype. Lastly, the Mentor shines light on the reality that everyone has to learn the lessons of life. 

Crossing the First Threshold is when the Hero fully commits to the adventure.  Signifies we have reached the border of the Ordinary World and the Special World.  This stages combines the external and internal choices that puts the story in motion past the Threshold Guardian. Whose 'responsibilities' are to block the hero's way and to train them in preparation for their adventure.  It is the Hero's job to find his/her way around the Threshold Guardian. 

It is my belief that Vogler places these three stages in consecutive order because they each lead to the next stage.  For most of the other stages it seems that they can be molded together or mixed around in a different manner to tell a certain story.  However, these three seem to be very connected. The hero overcomes his fear by meeting with the mentor, and by doing so over comes his fear which leads him/her to the first threshold of the journey. 

In the section where Vogler talks about Mentors like parents and how an overprotective Mentor (parent) can lead to a tragic situation.  This reminds me of the relationship that my best friend and her mother have, which can be seen as a love-hate relationship.  Her mother is very overbearing, always wanting to know who she is with, what she is doing, where she is going.  This type of overprotectiveness is what Vogler stated as being obsessed with the hero. For my friend, she feels the need to revolt against her mother just so she can breath.  The relationship they have is leading down the wrong path or as Vogler puts it 'can lead to tragic situations.'

Some Questions to Think About....

1. If the Hero automatically accepts the call to adventure what do you believe would happen to the refusal? Would there still be one?

2. Can you think of any movies where there is no apparent Mentor?  How does the hero learn lessons if there is none?

3. Who have been Mentors and Threshold Guardians in your life? Have they been positive or negative? Why?

Extra Credit - The Web of Language

After searching through the long list of article on Dennis Beron's website I found one that seem interesting.  It was titled What to name the baby? Forget grandma, hire a consultant.  The reason this article grabbed my attention is my cousin is pregnant and currently looking for the perfect name for her baby.  While reading the article I did not know how I felt about people hiring a consultant to give you an exact formula to create the perfect name.  However, I believe that naming a child is a very personal experience for both the expecting mother and father.  But I think its a cleaver article and a unique idea and I will pass it along to my cousin so she can some to her own conclusion about the proposed idea. 

http://illinois.edu/blog/viewblogId=25&topicId=932&count=1&ACTION=VIEW_TOPIC_DIALOGS&skinId=286

Peer Revision

Alex's peer review helped me realize that it is okay for me to talk about my feelings and how I have grown from this experience and not just focus on my father's side of the story.  His suggestions helped a great deal and without them I might not have come to that realization. 

Stages: The Ordinary World & The Call to Adventure

In this section of Vogler, he discusses the first and second stage of a story, the Ordinary World and the Call to Adventure.  The Ordinary World can also be known as the 'world of common day' because this is the comparison for the rest of the story.  It is through this stage the the audience gets hooked to the story.  However, prior to viewing the audience has to be in a certain state of mind for the particular film, play, or novel they are about to view whether it be a thriller, drama, comedy, etc.  Before the story even begins two metaphors are used, the title, which has to be multi-leveled for the condition of the hero and his world, and the opening image which creates the mood and states where the story will go.  All good stories in the Ordinary World raise a dramatic question, present the inner and outer problems of the hero, and also have the hero make an entrance which introduces the hero to the audience. But the most important function of the Ordinary World is the identification between the hero and the audience of the bat because they have to sense they are in some way equal.  The Ordinary World is the first statement of the main idea.  Vogler then moves on to the Call to Adventure which is the event that gets the story going.  Now they may present themselves in many different forms to the hero. For example, by a message or a messenger, from an accident or coincidence, may come from a temptation, delivered from the Herald, from a loss in the hero's life, or just the hero is running out of options.  No matter the way the Call to Adventure is presented to the hero it is still ultimately a process of selection.

Vogler seems to be very adamant in relating his archetype of the Hero to the audience.  It is talked about, so far, in all of his chapters about the importance of the Hero being humanize to a level at which the audience can have a sense of being equal.  Not only is is important for the Hero to be relatable but Vogler also discusses how powerful the opening of a story must be in order for it to be a success.  Without grabbing the readers attention and making the Hero relatable what is to come of your story?  Vogler makes writers focus heavily on these two components because without an audience your story is just words written on paper. 

When Vogler discussed how the Ordinary World and the Special World have to be very different I began to reflect on my life to see if I have a contrast that like.  After sitting with the idea for a while I finally had an ah ha moment, how could I now have thought of this sooner?  For me, the Ordinary World would be the life I live when I am back home in West Chester, Pennsylvania with the comforts of my family and friends close by; then my Special World would be my life here at Eckerd College, where new adventures and challenges are presented to me everyday that I would never be able to experience in my own 'Ordinary World'. 

Some Questions to Think About...

1. In your own life, what would you consider your Ordinary World vs. the Special World?

2. In your first project how is your hero presented the Call to Adventure? Did your hero have more the one 'path' to choice from?

3. Say you are the audience, what is the best way for a movie to capture your attention?

Extra Credit - NPR StoryCorps

With the current start of our economy many Americans who experienced the Great Depression are growing worried because never again do they want to experience the financial anguish again. James Bost was nine years old in 1932 when his father had to work around the clock just to make ends meat.  He recalls one incident when his father went to the back and withdrew all his money because he did not trust what the bank would do with his money.  So when he returned home Bost's father placed the money in a suitcase and buried it deep in the ground in their back yard. Currently with the recent downfall, James Bost has taken some of his funds out of his bank account and placed the money aside just to be prepared if the economy takes a turn for the worse. 

After listening to this piece from StoryCorps my eyes were opened to the fact that our economy is beginning to mirror the economy during the Great Depression, which is a scary realization.  Each person should listen to a person's story who lived through the Depression to learn their experience so hopefully we can avoid a relapse. 

Strength & Weaknesses of Draft #1

Strength:

1. In paragraph number two, I provide the reader with good detail.  It grabs the readers attention allowing them to have a clear picture in their mind about what I am explaining. 

2. In paragraph number four, I show the reader what I have learned.  The reader can understand 'how family can effect an individual' and how I have grown from the experience.

Weaknesses:

1. I need to improve on the sentence structure within each paragraph.  The first sentence needs to be the topic sentence of the paragraphs and from there each paragraph should go from broad to specific. Staying on the same topic, if I create a sentence that is not on the same track of the topic sentence then I will have to remove it and replace it with a new more specific to the paragraph.

2. I need to improve on replacing the vague words.  Replace the words such as "it, this, that, you" with more detailed words to help the reader 'get' what I am trying to say. 

The Archetypes - From Threshold Guardian to Trickster

In this weeks reading of Vogler, he discusses the remaining archetypes that are responsible for bringing a story to life.  Even though the hero and the mentor are two of the major components of constructing a story without having the other archetypes present leaves the audience guessing.  So in order to have a well rounded story the archetypes of threshold guardian, herald, shapeshifter, shadow, ally, and trickster must all have a role.  The threshold guardian primary function is to test the hero and see if the Hero is able to incorporate them instead of destroying them.  The Herald job is to issue challenges and announce the coming of change, it is from the herald the Hero learns about their Call to Adventure.  The shapeshifter are changeable characters who express the energy of animus (male to female) and anima (female to male) and are the symbol of transformation.  The shadow represents the dark side or the power of repressed feelings; however, they do create conflict while trying to bring out the best in the Hero.  The ally can be seen as the Hero's companion whose function is to humanize the Hero.  Lastly, there is the trickster who usually brings comic relief to many stories, whose embodies energy of mischief and desire for change.  As Vogler states 'archetypes are infinitely flexible language of character' which make it possible for audiences to understand the story given.

The way Vogler presents the remaining archetypes shows readers how they are just as important to the story as the Hero and the Mentor.  In my opinion, the archetypes that usually don't pull as much weight in the story are the ones that determine a good story from a bad one.  You can only take so much from the Heros and the Mentors, which leaves the rest up to the other archetypes to piece together the rest of the story.  Without an ally a viewer couldn't relate to the Hero, or if there was no herald the Hero wouldn't be faced with a challenge, and if there was no trickster audiences would not be able to recognize hope in a story.  But the main thing I will take away from archetype's is their ability to be interchanging, or the ability of different characters to take on different archetypes as if they were masks.  I believe that through archetypes audiences relate to a certain character in a film, novel, or play that will help further their understanding of the story.

After reading about the variety of archetype Vogler presents, one movie came to mind right away (even mentioned throughout Vogler), The Dark Knight.  This is a classic comic turned into a big screen hit, where the characters embrace the archetype given to them.  Each character embodies one certain archetype; however like most things these can be debated.  So I believe Bruce Wayne/Batman to be the Hero, Rachel Dowes to be the Shapshifter, the Joker is the Shadow, Harvey Dent at first is an Ally who quickly changes into a Shadow, Lucius Fox is an Ally, and Alfred is the Mentor.  However, each of these characters take on other archetypes to make them seem more human and more relatable to the audience. 

Questions to Think About...

1. If you were to star in a movie, which archetypes do you think you would take on? Why?

2. The Shapeshifter archetype is a catalyst for change, in what whys do you embody this archetype when having a relationship with the opposite sex? 

3. What are examples of other movies where the main character take on multiply masks of archetypes?

Extra Credit - Six Word Memoir

When Professor Kat told us about this weeks extra credit I was intrigued, mostly because I had no clue what six words could describe me. Upon visiting the website I saw a wide variety of memoirs ranging from strange to clover but all very unique. After some contemplation as to what to say, I decided on something simple:

"Forever I.. daughter, sister, aunt, friend."

The reason I chose those four words is because they explain four parts of me that I will "forever" be. Other labels will come and go but those four words are the constants in my life!

Extra Credit - Rice

Freerice.com has a great concept, helping people improve their vocabulary while providing hungry people with rice. For each correct answer 10 grains of rice are donated to the UN. As for the vocabulary portion I felt as though it was laid out for people to easily understand. I know for myself vocabulary has always been a trouble spot. However, through this experience I was able to recognize that I can work through tough words by previous knowledge. Another part about the site that I liked was when you got a word incorrect, the same word would show up again after some rotation to make sure you know the correct meaning. I definitely will be visiting this site again not only to help feed the hungry but more so to improve my vocabulary skills!

"You have now donated
1000 grains of rice."

The Archetypes - Heros & Mentor

In this section of Vogler's book, he discusses the various aspects of the Hero and the Mentor through their different types of archetypes.  The definition given in the chapter is "an ancient patterns of personality that are the shared heritage of the human race; however, it can be defined simply as a model of a person, personality or behavior. Archetype is the key tool for understanding the concepts and functions of a story and is known as the 'universal language of storytelling'.  They are used as functions or can be seen as masks for the characters because they are what moves the story along.  Without archetypes the characters personality would be unknown. Vogler explains the Hero's as 'one who is able to transcend the bounds and illusions of the ego'. Hero's go through many dramatic functions throughout a story including the audiences ability to identify with the hero, sacrifice, dealing with death, character flaws, being able to be flexible, but most importantly the hero is the symbol of transformation.  Then Vogler goes into the different archetypes the Mentor, or the positive figure who helps the hero, goes through. Their function is to represent the self, the aspect of personality that is connected to all things. But their purpose in the story is to train or teach.  The Hero and Mentor are closely tied to each other so much so that their archetypes can be interchangeable.

Vogler's thoughts on archetypes helped my ability to understand the structure of a story.  I certainly feel that is it important for anyone who writes to understand the fundamental structure of how a character is developed and drives a story along.  I especially connected to Voglers idea of the archetypes of the hero and mentor being interchangeable because character development should be something a writer can have liberty with. In other words I do not believe that archetypes are something that should be strictly applied by the writer or enforced by a critic because is this were so, creativity in literature would be greatly restricted.

After finishing reading, the first connection that popped into my head was the movie He's Just Not that Into You where the main character finds the guidance through a complete stranger. Gigi is a helpless romantic whose ideals about love, relationships and men get shattered when Alex explains to her how men see those three things and this realization changes the way Gigi dates.  Gigi can be seen as a willing hero who is not afraid to sacrifice heartbreaks in search for true love.  Alex obtains many different types of archetypes as the mentor.  For example, he teaches Gigi a thing about love but in doing so he learns a little something himself, which can be categorized as a fallen mentor.  Without reading Vogler I would not have been able to analyze these character for what they truly are.

Question to Think about...

1.  What are archetypes in your life?

2.  How have Mentors in your life helped shape the person you are today?

3.  If it is true that each of us are the Hero's of our own lives then how do you think outsiders would portray your personal journey?

Childhood Heros

Who are your childhood heros? When Professor Kat presented us with this assignment, at first I was reluctant because people where calling off batman, cinderella and other fictional fairy tale characters.  Truth be told growing up I was a tomboy and was not big into the whole princesses and mystical characters so I was at a lose for who I was going to write about.  However, after reading Vogler's interpretation of what a 'hero' is (as just the protagonist of the story) ideas started popping in my head.  The first two where (1) my favorite book series growing up, Frog and Toad, and (2) my favorite TV show, Arthur.

Frog and Toad book series was always my favorite because I could easily relate to the character Toad and the friendship he had with Frog. The reason I enjoyed reading about their adventures together was because it reminded me of my friend with my best friend, Marissa and the adventures we went on growing up. Both characters were different, Frog the tall relaxed one whereas Toad was the short

 serious one.  These description resemble Marissa (Frog) and I (Toad) perfectly. Their friendship showed me the meaning of having a best friend, the person you can count on to always be there, even when times get tough and your friendship is tested.  Frog and Toad surpassed obstacles and in the end were stronger friends because of it.  This made me admire them and strive to have that type of friendship with someone. 

Another character I enjoyed watching growing up was D.W the annoying lovable sister of Arthur.  Since I was the youngest of three girls in my family I felt that I had that connection with D.W.  We were similar in the ways of always wanted the attention and doing anything to obtain it but differed in the level of annoyance we brought on to our older siblings (at least I hope). I learned from D.W how not to act toward my other sisters, because I saw the reaction from Arthur and wouldn't want the same kind coming from my sisters.  So I guess I can say D.W was a positive influence of my life as a child because I learned that it's not always about getting the attention as it is gaining the respect.

Book One: A Practical Guide

Vogler started off this section by first discussing Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In Campbell's book, he displays ideas that present and future storytellers deem useful when constructing a book, play, or film. Hollywood has certainly caught on to the way Campbell portrays how a story is played out; as it follows the ancient patterns of myth where every hero (protagonist) in the story goes on a journey. All stories can be understood in terms of a Hero's Journey or the "monomyth" because it appeals to everyone since they are storied with "shared unconscious" and "universal concerns". Vogler then continues with his adaptation of Campbell's outline of a Hero's Journey, where he constructs the twelve stages of the Hero's Journey. His stages are (1) ordinary world, where the hero is shown in their familiar life; (2) the call to adventure, where the hero is given a problem, challenge, or adventure to tackle; (3) refusal of the call, this is where the hero expresses reluctance; (4) mentor, is the relationship between the hero and wise figure who motivates the hero to continue on the call to adventure; (5) crossing the first threshold, the hero agrees to take on the problems, challenge, or adventure; (6) tests, allies, and enemies, the hero begins to learn the rules of the Special World; (7) approach to the inmost cave, where the hero begins to plot out how he/she will defeat the villain; (8) the ordeal, hero faces possibility of death only to be born again; (9) reward, this is when the hero celebrates their ability to obtain what they were seeking; (10) the road back, this is where the hero must deal with the "dark forces" of the ordeal; (11) resurrection, is the second life-and-death moment for the hero; and finally (12) return with the elixir, where the hero reflects on the lesson he/she has learned from the Special World. Now these steps can be deleted, added on, swapped around and till have the same outcome because it's the values of the hero that hold importance.

The stages Vogler has presented, reshape the way audience view a Hero's Journey. These stages put in place give a new way to look at writing, reading, and viewing books, plays and films. Long gone are the days of viewing merely as having a beginning, middle, and end with a climax to hold the audiences attention. It is my belief that these twelve stages give the audience a deeper appreciation as to what the hero is going through during their journey and further more makes you look at your life and analyze it through these stages. Without reading this section I would have continue to view movies as separate genres but now I can make connections with thrillers and romantic comedies.

As stated in the previous paragraph, Vogler's outline can be used to analyze ones life and personal journey, however; there is a difference between real life and myths so be careful when taking this approach. Our class discussion we had on Friday about our childhood heroes ties into what Vogler was talking about in this first chapter because as children we viewed our 'heroes' as people we looked up to or a person we could relate too or even aspire to be one day. This is the same approach we take when reading or viewing a film or play as adults. We discover the character whose experiences resemble the closest to our own then imminently form a connection that last throughout the story.

Some Questions to Think About...

1. Why is the word "Special World" capitalized?

2. How are Vogler's and Campbell's outlines the same? How are they different?

3. If you were to construct your own outline of the Hero's Journey, what would you change, keep or modify?