Brooke Green
10/06/08

CO 122: Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Annotated Bibliography # 5
Prof. Kathleen Robinson
Fall 2008


Vogler, Christopher. “Book Two: Stage Three: Refusal of the Call and Stage Four: Meeting with the Mentor. The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 107-125.

Summary:

Stage Three: Refusal of the Call-

In this reading Vogler starts to talk about stage three, and this is when the hero has already been presented with the Call to Adventure, but he does not know how to exactly proceed. All that is known is that the journey will be dangerous, long, and life changing. Sometimes it takes the hero a little time to come to terms with everything he is agreeing to if he chooses to accept this adventure. The first part of this is avoidance. Every hero no matter how strong gets a little hesitant, and might try to avoid the problems faced, rather than take them head on. If not avoidance then the hero can try to make excuses to why they are not able to go on this particular journey at this time. If a call if refused for too long then sometimes tragedy strikes, but this can be the extra push that the hero needed to get going on the journey, and get motivation. A refusal of a call is not always a bad thing. Some heroes are resisting bad temptations they should not seek after, and in this case refusing the call is the best choice. Not all heroes go through this process of refusing the call. Some are ready to fight and go on this journey, and happily accept this call to adventure, or even to the extreme seek it out. The threshold guardians pop up again though, and test the heroes and block them before they are ready to keep going on their journey. If the threshold guardian or mentors are too restricting on the hero there are always secret doors for the heroes to find.

Stage Four: Meeting with the Mentor-

Vogler introduces us to the figures that coax and guide the heroes through their journey, and these archetypes are called the mentors. They are there to help prepare the hero for whatever is to come on this journey, and give them all necessary tools, skills, and knowledge. They are looked at as “sources of wisdom,” and the mentor passes this wisdom onto the hero, whatever that may be. Other times mentors are looked at as “folklore and myth,” and also as “Chiron: a prototype.” Not all mentors accomplish this greater good that they are supposed to though. Sometimes they accidentally, or purposely, misdirect the hero into danger, and can turn out to be a completely different person. The mentor hero relationship can change at any point, and can be positive or negative. The mentor could go against the hero at any point.

Reaction:

I thought this section was very interesting because I like the fact that there is a good refusal of the call to adventure, and it is not always the hero being a coward. I also do like that there is a refusal though because it is nice to see the heroes actually debating what their choices are. The mentor archetype was also interesting, but kind of upsetting because of how easily they can turn on the hero.


Questions:

1. Is it easier for the audience to connect with a hero that is willing to set off down the path right away, or one who is hesitant?

2. What constitutes a hero turning away and making a positive refusal of the call, and what makes it him just being a coward?

3. Can you name a movie where the hero turned on the mentor, instead of the mentor turning on the hero?