Annotative Bibliography #11

Vogler, Christopher. “The Writer’s Journey and Stories are Alive.” The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.

Now that all twelve stages of the hero’s journey are complete, and Vogler has “looked back” on the story, he has a short three page section explaining different ways to apply the hero’s journey. The hero’s journey and the writer’s journey are in many ways, the same thing. The same steps a hero takes through his journey are the same a writer takes while writing a story. All writers encounter several archetypes. To take it a step further, the heroes journey are the same steps any one takes to become a human being. Vogler also introduces a new type of person, called a “shaman”. This is someone, who sometime during their life, has gone through some life threatening experience, survives this experience, and continues on to write about their experience. The next section of the book is called Stories Are Alive. In this section he is trying to prove that “Stories are alive and conscious and respond to human emotion”. He starts by saying that stories have healing power. He believes this because what a story does is give us an example of human behavior, so we can relate it to our own problems and our own situations. In a sense, it helps us cope with our problems. He also believes that “stories have survival value” for humans. I interpret this as meaning, stories passed down from generation to generation have passed down survival knowledge through the generations. He uses the story of Rumpelstiltskin as an example the power a person wishing has.

While writing many college essays I often feel that I come into contact with many shape shifters. The “mentor” figure is usually the teacher who assigns the essay. The teacher is someone I feel helps you along the way, and guides you when you need it. A librarian or a tutor at the writing center can also be a mentor to me, because they will also give me guidance and assistance when I need it. I believe my roommate, or people my roommate has over in our dorm, are often times threshold guardians. My roommate will watch TV, talk on the phone, or play her music loud which makes it very hard for me to focus. When she has friends over I find my self getting caught up in their conversations and hanging out with them, rather than working. This is when I hopefully gain the courage to cross the first threshold, which is leaving my dorm, and heading to the library. When Vogler says stories have healing power, I believe this is very true. If I am having a relationship problem, I will often watch a romance movie, like the notebook, and it reminds me how lucky I am to have someone that loves and cares about me. When I get into an argument with my mom, I like to watch the movie Step Mom, or Practical Magic, because this reminds me of how lucky I am to have a mom who is alive and well and who cares about me as much as my mom does. Even a story as simple as Cinderella makes me feel grateful to have such a happy life.

1. Can you think of an example, besides Rumpelstiltskin, where the power of wishing is proven?
2. Give an example of a time when you have used a story to heal yourself.
3. Do you see the heroes journey play out in your everyday life?