Anti Bib 4

Vogler, Christopher. “The Ordinary World” “The Call to Adventure” The Writer’s Journey:
Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd Edition. Studio City, California: Michael Wiese Productions,
2007. 83-105.

Summary:
In the beginning of the section, Vogler talks about the importance of the title. The title can sometimes be a metaphor that expresses the tone of the story. Also opening images of a story can also set the mood or suggest what might happen in the story. Then there is the “prologue” where readers might find the background of the story or what might happen as the story goes on. They introduce may establish the villain of the story. “The Ordinary World” is where the audience last sees the hero before he or she goes off on the adventure. This world must be very different from the “Special World,” because the audience needs to see a vivid change. Foreshadowing can be seen in the Ordinary World by expressing a dilemma or a problem that is about to arise. The audience can get a small glimpse of the Special World through foreshadowing. Then there is the “Dramatic Question” that involves a piece of the story. This question could talk about the plot or the hero’s personality or other characters. Moreover, every hero needs an inner and outer problem. If the hero does not have an inner problem, then his character is seen as flat. These problems can be about the hero’s personal story or moral problems but he or she must solve this problem along the journey. Also the entrance of the hero plays in the important role in the story. The audience needs a buildup of the character so that they can connect with the hero. This is the opportunity to show the hero’s personality and everything about him or her. Another point Vogler talks about is “Identification,” which is when the hero and the audience are on the same page. This can happen by making the hero have a certain set of goals or desires that the audience might have for themselves. “The Hero’s Lack” is when the hero is lacking a certain quality that the audience wishes to see in the hero. “Tragic Flaw” is a feature that the hero has that leads him his downfall. “Wounded Heroes” is another point Vogler talks about, he says that the wound will never be seen but expressed in the story. This wound will humanize the hero in front of the audience. The “What’s at Stake” stage is when the audience starts to care about the hero because they know what he or she is after. The Backstory and Exposition” talks about the character past history therefore the readers will understand he or she more. The theme of the story is a statement about the whole story the audience gets to see. “The Call to Adventure” stage is the second stage in Vogler’s book that he talks about. This call gets the hero to start pursing his journey and also helps the story get going. Synchronicity, are accidents or twist of fate that calls the hero to he or she’s journey. Temptation for a potential partner is another way to get the hero to start his new journey. “Heralds of Change” is an additional example to provoke the hero on his or her journey. The herald can be good, bad or neutral in a story. When a villain or an enemy starts to ask about the hero in the story, this is called “Reconnaissance”. Lastly, Vogler goes on talking about how the hero might show discomfort from the journey or feel that he or she is lacking something in his or her life which causes the adventure.

Reaction:
I thought this section was very helpful in trying to understand a story. I never really thought about the meaning of title until I read that section. He also talked about the first images of a story can tell the audience a lot about what will happen in the story. This section broke down different parts of the story, showing the deeper meaning in everything. I realized that there is so much that goes into making a story captivating to the author’s audience.

Questions:
How can we relate these stages within our personal life?
Do we have a tragic flaw? If so, how can we identify the tragic flaw?
Why is the theme of the story such an important aspect in a story?