Annotated Bibliography for 9/29/08

Emily Wiemken
Analytical and Persuasive Writing
Prof. Robinson
9/29/08

Annotations for Vogler’s, “The Ordinary World/The Call to Adventure” pg. 83-105

This weeks reading began with a description of “the ordinary world” of a story. This crucial beginning is the writer’s opportunity to create an impression upon the audience, not only about what the story will be about, but to hook the audience and make them interested in where the story is going. The opening image is a great example of setting the tone for the rest of the story. It creates mood, and can be a “visual metaphor that…conjures up the Special World of Act Two and the conflicts and dualities that will be confronted there” (85). For most adventures and stories, the ordinary world provides a stark contrast to the special world that will follow it. It provides a sort of home base for the hero where he/she begins, and usually returns to after their ordeal, where the audience can see how much the hero changed. Vogler also stressed that the needs of a story will usually dictate the best approach to structure. Another big part of The Ordinary World is making an entrance. This is an important part of building a character’s relationship with the audience and provides a first impression upon viewers or readers that should be a model of the hero’s characteristic attitude and future problems or solutions that will occur. Establishing a “so what?” in the beginning is important because it gives not only the hero something huge to lose whether it’s life/death, or big money, but also the audience something to lose as they should be able to relate to the hero emotionally by this point. The Call to Adventure in a story is the event that gets the story going once the ordinary world and the hero is established. This can be called forth by a messenger or Herald archetype, or just simply a catalyst event that brings forth a need for change required by the hero. The call can also begin as a simple stirring from within the hero, the unconscious mind bearing news that it’s time for a change in the form of a dream or vision. Temptation can also be a driving forth in the call to adventure. It could be a tantalizing lover that the hero can’t resist, or a rumor of treasure. Sometimes the call could just be the hero running out of options, and the only way to get out of being killed or saving a loved one, is going on that adventure.

I enjoyed reading about the different aspects of the ordinary world, and how they relate to a writer’s interaction with its readers. Like for example how the beginning of the story can be brought down to just those simple few metaphors and symbols that puts the audience into the mood you want to create for your story. A great opening image that I thought of was during the movie O Brother Where Art Thou? With all the prisoners singing and working. An example of a Prologue in a movie that I thought of was in the movie Shrek. I really enjoyed reading about the back-story in this section as well because I automatically thought of the show Lost, where as the show progresses and we get to know the characters as they are on the island, we suddenly get transported into scenes that show them as they are in their “ordinary world” back home. In this show, the ordeal happened before we get shown what their normal life was like.

1. What kinds of metaphors/symbols have you noticed in some popular movies during the Ordinary World?
2. For a character you were writing, would you add more characteristics from yourself? Which ones do you think your character would have?
3. Can you think of any perfect, flawless characters that you don’t think are realistic at all?

Annotated Bibliography for 9/22/08

Emily Wiemken
Analytical and Pursuasive Writing
Prof. Robinson
9/22/08
Annotations for Vogler’s, “Different Archetypes” pg 49-80

In this section Vogler identifies and explains several different archetypes including the Theshold Guardian, The Herald, The Shapeshifter, The Shadow, The Ally, and the Trickster. First the Threshold Guardian. It is not the main antagonist in the story, but it is usually a person or thing that places itself as an obsticle between the hero and its goal. The Threshold Guardian could be a bodyguard, or a simple mindless minion, or even an omnious cliff that the hero has to climb to get to the captured princess. They usually test the hero, and always tend to make the hero stronger before he or she has to face their final advisary. The Herald is the character who issues a challenge and announce the coming of a significant change. This character can be employed at any time, but is usually introduced at the beginning of the story in act one. The Shapeshifter is a figure who constantly changes and shifts, which the audience has continual difficulty pinning down exactly where their allegiance lies. Often times it could just be our own projection upon that character that we as an audience see. The funtion of the Shapeshifter is usually to bring drama and suspense into the story, to continually keep the hero and the audience guessing. The Shadow is the character who represents the energy of the dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized, or rejected aspects or something. It represents the antagonish, villan or enemy that is hell bent on the hero’s destruction. However, this just like any other archetype, is just a mask. It can be slipped on and off by any other type of character. For example, the mentor can also slip into the shadow role, or the ally, who becomes jealous of the hero’s successes. The Shadow usually also has some kind of humanizing aspect which appeals to the audience and makes them sympathetic to the evil character. An Ally is the character who helps and accompanies the hero on his or her journey. They do “many mundane tasks but also serve the important function of humanizing the heroes, adding extra dementions to their personalities” (71). The Ally is also known as the “sidekick”, like Robin from Batman and Robin. Finally, the Trickster is the character who often provides comic relief to a story. They often bring about healthy change and transformation, often by drawing attention to the imbalance of absurdity of a stagnant psychological situation.

I enjoyed reading about these different personalities and trying to pin them to popular stories and characters I know. I also absolutely loved the psychological aspect Vogler brings into the descriptions of the characters. Like the Threshold guardian who represents our own inner neuroses and inner demons that rise up to test us to see if we are really determined to make a major change in our lives. Another example would be the Herald, who symbolizes either a dream figure, a real person, or a new idea that we encounter that calls forth a change in ourselves that eventually becomes inevitable. Vogler also gave the example of Carl Jung’s Anima and Animus that symbolize the corresponding male or female qualities that each of us have within us.

1. Do shape shifters always have to be the antagonist? Or could a shape shifter also be like, a constant hero figure that continually shifts and in turn brings about change into the other characters?
2. Could there be any modern day major theshold guardian figures serving as a kind of test to see if we are really resolved to change?
3. Could any character in Vogler’s list of character become a shadow figure at any point in a story?

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

I thought this was a great example of Ethos, because it invokes some "shared values" that different people have.










I think this is a fantastic example of pathos because it envokes emotion full of ecstacy and freedom.










I absolutely love this political cartoon drawn by Dr. Sues on America's stance in WW2.

















Songs for Ethos, Logos, and Pathos:

Ethos: Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer
Pathos: I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
Logos: The Bare Necessities - The Jungle Book

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Nala from The Lion King

If I were to define myself to any Disney character, I would choose Nala from The Lion King. Nala is a main supporting character for Simba, from his childhood when she was his best friend, to his adult life, appearing at the most opportune time, after he had grown up in the jungle with Timone and Pumba.
When they were kids, she evoked his adventurous side when she convinced him to go to the elephant graveyard with her. They teased and bantered and when the coyotes showed up, they battled them together. Then when they grew up she stayed by his side, forcing him to choose between staying in the jungle or going back with her to face his past.
I would like to think I was most like Nala because I stick with my friends "in the face of danger". My friends can rely on me and when they need a push in the right direction, I'm usually the one to give them that push. Plus The Lion King is like, my favorite Disney movie EVER.