Zoah Alvarado
Vogler Annotation
Vogler, Christopher. "Book One: Mapping the Journey." A practical Guide.
Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 3-20
Summary.
In this chapter Vogler strives to establish the fact that Joseph Campbell's book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, provides the basic structure on which all storytellers/storymaker, modern or otherwise, construct story lines about a given hero and/or heroine. Campbell, following the ideas of Swiss psychologist Carl G. Jung, states how the subconscious human mind, despite cultural difference, follow similar and repeating contours, similar elements, in terms of how stories are played out. Jung dubs this phenomenon "Collective unconscious of the human race" (4), explaining that it is what has caused so many myths, famous or obscure, native or foreign, to have such similarities in content. Campbell believes it is also due to a universal symbology, or ideology, possessing a power to converge even the human mind which created such high level of conformity. The term "mono-mythic" is coined and used when touching the subject of "heroism", suggesting the idea that every human will experience a series of analogous events in the course of their lifetime.
The Hero's life is threaded through twelve themes Campbell calls" The Stages of the Hero's Journey" (8), each serving to pin point and peak a series of important event that help string along the story. Within these series of "stages" is Crisis and Climax, setting in motion a sort of emotional roller coaster for the hero which will be transmitted to the audience. Probably the most noted of "stages" is the part of the climax screenplay in which, before returning to his original place of abode, the hero willingly shares, or is forced to illustrate( to prove his "coming of age"), the existence of his newly acquired knowledge and wisdom to those around him. In general, however, the outcome of a story is still for the hero to come to a form of self realization, a maturation, both physical or mental, towards the end of his journey. (Vogler notes the fact that some modern types [mostly comedy] will produce a hero who does not learn from his or her experience but continues to trip on old mistakes.)
Reaction.
The topic of a converged human nature coming from this book is rather fitting at this point in time since it ( coincidentally?) coincides with the current QFM course examination of a general human consensus of ethics. It further generates thoughts on just how united we as humans really are despite our cultural or circumstantial differences. It illustrated the innate human need for inspiration, something to look up to for hopes and aspirations, the general need for beneficial changes whether in a single persons character (inner or outer), or an entire congregation. It, in a way, gives a small definition of what it means to be human.
Questions.
1. Is there really any such thing as race except for the human race?
2. Are all myths completely myths or do few contain some level of veracity?
3. Where could have the "collective unconscious of the human race" come from? And how could it have come to be?
Words.
Archetype(4): the original pattern or model from which copies are made: prototype
Sentence: That book is an excellent archetype of it genre
Monomyth (4): An archetypal myth; a theme that underlies a number of superficially different myths.
Sentence: Pandora's Box is a great example of a monomyth.
Resurrection (17): the action or fact of rising again from sleep, decay, disuse, etc. ; revival, restoration to previous status of vogue.
Sentence: I love the story of Osiris' resurrection.
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