Vogler, Christopher. The Writers Journey. Third. CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998. Pgs. 125 -145 "Crossing The First Threshold", "Test, Allies and Enemies"
Summary:
In this section of The Writers Journey the Hero’s quest is now in full effect. The hero has transferred from the “ordinary world” to the “new world” where he must deal with his new surroundings, people, and conflicts.
Crossing the first threshold is when the hero decides personal and with the help of an external force to take part in this journey. He has now decided to leave his ordinary life behind in order to seek something new that is missing or to accomplish some sort of task that needs to be achieved. Vogler calls this the “leap of faith.” The moment when the hero jumps into action and there is no changing his mind or looking back. Even though the hero may have a “rough landing”, he is now in the new world where he will encounter tasks and individuals that will motivate him, aggravate him, and attempt to stop him from reaching his goals.
This brings us to the next section, tests, allies, and enemies. In this section tests occur before the final big test in order to prepare the hero for what is to come. He must encounter some trouble before he faces his major confrontation. He can face these either by himself or with the help of allies or sidekicks. Like in the Harry Potter movies, Harry would not be the same without Ron and Harmony by his side to help him fight off villains and unravel mysteries, although ultimately the final battle is between Harry and Voldermort. We also get to know Harry’s character more through his friends. A hero’s allies show what they themselves are like. An enemy does the same because it shows the hero’s stance on morals. The batman wants to stop the Joker because the Joker is evil therefore we know Batman is a good guy. This section is just another part of the hero’s journey that develops the hero’s character as well as leads up to the hero’s true test.
Reaction:
The only problem I had with this section was that I didn’t know most of the movies, so all of Voglers examples instead of guiding me to understand left me more confused. However it was an easy read and I could understand the two stages from experiencing it in the many movies I’ve seen as well as my own personal life. I like the airplane analogy, where he talked about starting the engine and than finally taking off, because that gave me a good idea of where I was in the journey. I also liked when he spoke about hero being a “freshman all over again” when entering the “new world.” I felt that was very relatable.
Questions:
- Can you think of other popular locations other than a bar where the hero meets his allies, enemies, or love interest?
- Can you give examples of any hero’s that had a “rough landing” when entering the “New World.”
- How does entering the “new world” relate to your first year in college? Does it relate to any other experience you’ve had?
1 comment:
3. I can definatly relate my freshman experience at college to arriving in the new world. I have relative in Florida, so I've been here a lot, but I come from New Hampshire so Florida is quite literally a new world. It's October and it's still not cold! I feel like it's been summer for about six months for me. I stepped across the threshold by accepting the call to college and now I am here in my "new world". The work load is harder and I've been through a lot of new experiences.
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