Vogler Archetypes Part Two

Summary:
This section of the reading continues with detailed descriptions of each archetype including the Threshold Guardian, Herald, Shapeshifter, Shadow, Ally and Trickster. When looking at the Threshold Guardian from a psychological perspective it is often that they symbolize a sort of internal barrier that is meant to hold the hero back. It is overcoming this and moving forward that shows the hero worthy of moving forward in his expedition. The Herald archetype signifies the coming of change in a story and is often the motivation for progression in the story. The Shapeshifter in a story is the character that can never be definitely trusted and is constantly changing form, either physically or mentally. Often the Shapeshifter in a story is the opposite sex of the hero and signifies the balance between masculine and feminine qualities that the hero needs to survive. The archetype of the Shadow represents the dark, looming uneasiness that is usually conjured from within the hero, like guilt, and must be dealt with head on in order for the hero to overcome and move forward. The Ally is a character who provides the hero with humanizing qualities and brings out parts of the hero that wouldn’t otherwise be seen by the audience. Lastly, the Trickster archetype is a character that provides lightness to some stories and keeps the hero in check. All of these archetypes help to progress the story along and advance the hero’s journey both physically and mentally.

Reaction:
I fully agree with the Shadow representing suppressed memories, emotions, or feelings, and that not bringing these into your conscious frame of mind will always come back to bite you. Many movies and stories lead to the hero having to confront suppressed feelings that could have been dealt with earlier and saved the hero a whole lot of suffering. I’m not sure that I fully understand the connection between the Shapeshifter and the need for masculine and feminine balance in a hero’s life. I can see how having both sets of qualities would aid a person but I don’t see how it fits in with the idea of a character transforming their physical and mental appearance. The book says that encountering an opposite-sex person to help the hero balance themselves is “an important step in psychological growth,” which I don’t really understand. The further exploration of archetypes has added to my knowledge of the components in a story and all of the elements that come together to progress and make sense of a hero’s journey.

Reflection:
In each of the areas that discuss a certain archetype there are many different directions that the archetype can take on. It would be interesting to break them down into even more specific groups and look at each one in more detail in regards to what they provide for the hero and the story in general. The idea that the Threshold Guardian is merely resistance that the hero must take into their body, learn from and then use in their future endeavors is one of great interest. It seems as though this could be a metaphor for life and the obstacles that we face every day and must embrace as knowledge and not a barrier in order to overcome them. Everything can be learned from and seen as just another experience in life and it is only when you get stuck on one that you will run into problems. Another thing that I found interesting in this section was the idea of projection, meaning forcing someone into taking on a personality or physical look that matches what we want them to be. Is this not what society does to us through media and propaganda every day?

Questions:
1) Do you agree with the saying “Make ‘em cry a lot; let ‘em laugh a little,” in regards to the dramatic and humorous sides to a story?
2) Does anyone feel that they have had a moment when they were struck by a Herald or realized that there was need for change in their life? What did you do about it?
3) Could the image of men (powerful, strong, assertive) and women (submissive, quiet, weak) have all started from storytelling and passing on these stereotypes?