Crossing the First Threshold & Tests, Allies and Enemies:
Summary:
In this section of the reading Vogler’s focus is on the first steps into the journey and the obstacles and people that the hero will meet. The crossing of the first threshold marks the hero’s first step into the unknown world and it signifies that they have “committed wholeheartedly” to the adventure. In trying to cross into the unknown world the hero may run into a threshold guardian who is placed there as a barrier that the hero must learn to get through. Once the hero has gotten past the threshold guardian they take a leap of faith into their journey that cannot be reversed once it is set into motion. After committing to the leap of faith the hero must now conquer tests that are put before the hero to prepare her for the harder tasks to come. The hero will meet people upon entering the unknown world and have to determine whether or not they are someone who can be trusted to be an ally of the hero. The hero’s enemy of the journey may also be recognized in this part of the story as the hero is familiarizing themselves with the new terrain and community.

Reaction:
The idea that the threshold guardian can be just an illusion or something that needs to merely be recognized is an idea that I completely agree with. We are constantly making obstacles in our way into much bigger problems than they really are. If every problem were dealt with in a head-on manner with an attitude of optimism and kindness we would find our lives much less complicated. There are valuable lessons to be learned from every step of the journey and the threshold guardian provides the hero with their first test which can be used to determine the hero’s character or personality. In life we are often faced with situations in which it is crucial to make a decision between taking a leap of faith or opting out. It seems to me that you will not gain knowledge or strength within yourself without taking these leaps of faith and believing that you can overcome whatever challenges are on the other side. In the Contrast section of the text Vogler brings up the point that the hero doesn’t necessarily need to leave their known world but there must be some kind of change or movement internally within the hero. This idea is extremely interesting because if this proves to be the case then we would be going through a hero’s journey inside ourselves every time we experienced a significant change.

Reflection:
In reading the section about the creation of teams that surround the hero and help them on their journey and in achieving their goal I could not help but think of The Lord of the Rings. Frodo is the main hero in this journey; however, he has a large group of friends who all have different skills and knowledge which allow them to overcome each challenge as a team. In the movie Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne is coached by his Mentor well beyond the first threshold and into the tests so that when the time comes Bruce has the skills to take on his supreme enemy. Reading Kafka’s Metamorphosis it is difficult to distinguish who is the enemy of the story or what exactly the hero Gregor is being tested about. Gregor is tested when his sister and mother start cleaning his room and taking all of his belongings away but I am still unsure what this test shows about his character or what it is preparing him for. The enemies that are evident in the story, like his father and boss, are not like traditional enemies that we see in other stories. It is hard to determine whether or not his father can be considered a true enemy even though he throws apples at Gregor and shows outward hostility toward him.


1) How does one go about challenging and testing their boundaries if they are too scared to take a leap of faith? Are they essential to the growth of us as human beings?
2) What is an example of a Threshold Guardian who is transformed into a valuable ally of the hero?
3) How exactly does the water hold allow for a musical sequence that announces the mood of the Special World? What is an example of a movie that shows the significance between music and plot?