Brooke Green
9/29/08
CO 122: Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Annotated Bibliography # 4
Prof. Kathleen Robinson
Fall 2008
Vogler, Christopher. “Book Two: Stage One: The Ordinary World and Stage Two: The Call to Adventure. The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 84-102.
Summary:
Stage One: The Ordinary World and Stage Two: The Call to Adventure:
The ordinary world is the beginning stage of the hero’s journey. This stage sets up the visual of the hero’s world before the challenges are presented to him. These opening scenes set the tone for the story and are very important. The beginning must set up an idea of where the story will head. The prologue of the story can give a back-story or give the audience hint of where the story is headed. The ordinary world must be shown in order to show contrast to the strange world the hero will be thrown into. In the ordinary world the “dramatic question” is presented and starts the plot. The hero is first presented in this ordinary world so these scenes are important for the audience to get an idea of who the hero is. This is the time where the audience makes a connection with the hero and we see what the hero is lacking; the whole theme is introduced in the beginning stage. The call to adventure, also known as “inciting or initiating incident, the catalyst, or the trigger, is the second stage after the ordinary world. An event or incident takes place and the hero is presented with a challenge. This is when the audience figures out the hero’s goals and what must be accomplished during the journey. The hero does not know exactly what lies ahead, but he knows that things will change forever and that the journey will be hard and difficult if he chooses to take it.
Reaction:
I believe thee ordinary world and the call to adventure to be the most important stages of the stories because they completely set up the story, explain what is going on, and present what the entire story is going to entail. These steps set the tone for the rest of the story.
Questions:
1. What do you think would happen to the story is the ordinary world was never presented?
2. Do you think it is necessary for the audience to connect with the hero in the first scenes of the ordinary world? Why? Why not?
3. Can a person decide whether they will like the rest of the story based off of these first two steps?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Brooke Green
9/22/08
CO 122: Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Annotated Bibliography # 3
Prof. Kathleen Robinson
Fall 2008
Vogler, Christopher. “Book One: Threshold Guardian, Herald, Shapeshifter, Shadow, Ally, and Trickster. The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 49-80.
Summary:
Threshold Guardian:
The threshold guardians pretty much do what their titles suggest; they usually are at the beginning of each new obstacle that the Hero will face. They are not the main villains and can even be presented as allies, but there is some kind of link between the threshold guardians and the villain. These threshold guardians can be a symbol for our inner demons that we face, and are placed at these thresholds to test the Heroes abilities and test the hero before he continues on his journey. The ultimate reason for them is to present resistance to the hero, so that the hero may learn from them and grow.
Herald:
Heralds are placed in stories to forewarn the hero and the reader of coming obstacles and big change. They are looked at as messengers and motivation to make the hero change in a big way. Threshold guardians are the calling to an adventure that needs to be faced, and may be an actual person or simply a force, but they can change the entire mood and setting of the story. They can be good, bad, or simply neutral, and even sometimes the villain himself.
Shapshifter:
The shapeshifter is a character that is constantly changing as soon as you think you have them figured out, they surprise you, and they are the most flexible of all the archetypes. This makes them hard for the reader to identify most of the time, and lead the reader and hero in one direction and then flip to another direction. The reader often does not know what to think about the shapeshifter character and questions their allegiance to the hero. Most of the time the shapeshifter is of the opposite sex and plays the romantic role, but can also be the same sex and play the role of a friend. They also represent the male and female elements of our unconscious minds, and as Carl Jung calls it, the animus and anima. But overall they are the presence of doubt and add an element of suspense into the story.
Shadow:
This archetype gives off the evil energy, and takes shape in villains, antagonists, and enemies. They are based on the characteristics we dislike about ourselves, or even the secrets we are keeping from everyone. They threaten to destroy the hero and face them with their biggest conflict of the story, but also are placed in order to bring the best out in the hero and help them realize their potential for greatness. There are both internal and external shadows and both must be destroyed or disabled so that they hero can learn from whatever was being suppressed and keep on journeying down the path.
Ally:
The ally is both a necessary and important character for the hero to have. They act as comic relief to the story, a partner to help defeat obstacles, or just someone to lean on when things are getting tough. The allies do not even have to be human, in a lot of cases allies can be animals, or even ghost, and internal allies like dreams.
Trickster:
The trickster archetype can be used to add comedy to the story and to cut other characters down and reduce their standings. Most of the time they are harmless but annoying, but they can be very harmful to the hero in certain stories.
Reaction:
I like that we are exploring in more depth other archetypes other than the hero, but characters that directly affect the hero. These characters are very versatile and can take the shape of pretty much anything, or even embody one sole character. I found them very interesting, especially the shadow and the shapeshifter. I like the shadow because it is thought of as such a dark thing but in the end it bring out the best in the hero and helps him achieve his greatest goal. I like the shapeshifter because it can be so many different things, and therefore it is a lot harder to pin down and find in the story. But most of all both of these add the exciting elements that make up a story and without them I feel the story would not be complete, nor would the hero be able to go on his journey without them.
Questions:
1. Which out of these archetypes do you think is the most important to have in a story? Least important?
2. If all of these archetypes did embody one character what would happen to the story? Is this even possible?
3. Are the shadow and the villain essentially the same thing? What are the difference?
9/22/08
CO 122: Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Annotated Bibliography # 3
Prof. Kathleen Robinson
Fall 2008
Vogler, Christopher. “Book One: Threshold Guardian, Herald, Shapeshifter, Shadow, Ally, and Trickster. The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 49-80.
Summary:
Threshold Guardian:
The threshold guardians pretty much do what their titles suggest; they usually are at the beginning of each new obstacle that the Hero will face. They are not the main villains and can even be presented as allies, but there is some kind of link between the threshold guardians and the villain. These threshold guardians can be a symbol for our inner demons that we face, and are placed at these thresholds to test the Heroes abilities and test the hero before he continues on his journey. The ultimate reason for them is to present resistance to the hero, so that the hero may learn from them and grow.
Herald:
Heralds are placed in stories to forewarn the hero and the reader of coming obstacles and big change. They are looked at as messengers and motivation to make the hero change in a big way. Threshold guardians are the calling to an adventure that needs to be faced, and may be an actual person or simply a force, but they can change the entire mood and setting of the story. They can be good, bad, or simply neutral, and even sometimes the villain himself.
Shapshifter:
The shapeshifter is a character that is constantly changing as soon as you think you have them figured out, they surprise you, and they are the most flexible of all the archetypes. This makes them hard for the reader to identify most of the time, and lead the reader and hero in one direction and then flip to another direction. The reader often does not know what to think about the shapeshifter character and questions their allegiance to the hero. Most of the time the shapeshifter is of the opposite sex and plays the romantic role, but can also be the same sex and play the role of a friend. They also represent the male and female elements of our unconscious minds, and as Carl Jung calls it, the animus and anima. But overall they are the presence of doubt and add an element of suspense into the story.
Shadow:
This archetype gives off the evil energy, and takes shape in villains, antagonists, and enemies. They are based on the characteristics we dislike about ourselves, or even the secrets we are keeping from everyone. They threaten to destroy the hero and face them with their biggest conflict of the story, but also are placed in order to bring the best out in the hero and help them realize their potential for greatness. There are both internal and external shadows and both must be destroyed or disabled so that they hero can learn from whatever was being suppressed and keep on journeying down the path.
Ally:
The ally is both a necessary and important character for the hero to have. They act as comic relief to the story, a partner to help defeat obstacles, or just someone to lean on when things are getting tough. The allies do not even have to be human, in a lot of cases allies can be animals, or even ghost, and internal allies like dreams.
Trickster:
The trickster archetype can be used to add comedy to the story and to cut other characters down and reduce their standings. Most of the time they are harmless but annoying, but they can be very harmful to the hero in certain stories.
Reaction:
I like that we are exploring in more depth other archetypes other than the hero, but characters that directly affect the hero. These characters are very versatile and can take the shape of pretty much anything, or even embody one sole character. I found them very interesting, especially the shadow and the shapeshifter. I like the shadow because it is thought of as such a dark thing but in the end it bring out the best in the hero and helps him achieve his greatest goal. I like the shapeshifter because it can be so many different things, and therefore it is a lot harder to pin down and find in the story. But most of all both of these add the exciting elements that make up a story and without them I feel the story would not be complete, nor would the hero be able to go on his journey without them.
Questions:
1. Which out of these archetypes do you think is the most important to have in a story? Least important?
2. If all of these archetypes did embody one character what would happen to the story? Is this even possible?
3. Are the shadow and the villain essentially the same thing? What are the difference?
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
What Disney character I would be...
I absolutely love all the Disney movies and shows, and have ever since I was little. If I had to choose one character that I would be, then I would choose Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch. If you have ever seen the show Stitch is a crazy, little, cute, alien, who poses as a dog on earth. He was created by an evil scientist to destroy things, but deep down he is really not bad, he is just misunderstood. Stitch does get a little crazy, breaking things and making messes, and he can be extremely loud. He also eats A LOT! In the end Stitch is really still a child and that personality is overshadowed by his tough exterior.
I picked Stitch to represent me because I have a lot in common with him. I also eat a lot; I get made fun of for it by my friends whenever we go to eat. I am a huge klutz, so I am always breaking things and falling down, which contributes to the making messes everywhere I go. Deep down I have an inner child in me, I still love cartoons and I am easily amused and pleased, the simplest things make me happy. I can definitely be really loud, even when I don't mean to, but overall I always mean well.
I am a very family and friend oriented person, like Stitch comes to be after more time spent on earth. Stitch at first tries to escape earth, but then comes to find out that he is at home with Lilo. Stitch has two memorable quotes that I completely relate to; the first is when he is repeating what Lilo said in the beginning, "Ohana means family, and family means never being left behind or forgotten." The other quote is after he has realized that he is home here on earth and that even though he was created to destroy, there really is more to him, and he says, "This is my family. I found it, all on my own. It's little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good."
Stitch felt like he could never belong, but he adapted and found people he could relate to. I think that we all at some point go through this struggle, especially coming to a new college. But the friends we make are like our families and they help us through everything else.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)