Vogler Annotated Bibliography #3

Vogler, Christopher. “Book One: Threshold Guardian, Herald, Shapeshifter, Shadow, and Ally”. The Writers Journey. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 1998. 49-80.

Summary
  In this section, Vogler continues discussing some of the main archetypes including the Threshold Guardian, Herald, Shapeshifter, Shadow, and Ally. Vogler describes the Threshold Guardian as protector of the “new world” that the hero enters during his journey. In some examples, these guardians can be hostile and work for the villain. In other instances, however, Threshold Guardians can simply represent “ordinary obstacles we all face in the world around us” (50). Some of examples of these ordinary obstacles can be the weather, oppression, or just plain bad luck. The most effective heroes use this guardian as a learning experience for future encounters with the true villain.
    The Herald is another archetype that does not necessarily have to be a person. The Herald is the point in the story in which the hero realizes that a change is going to be made. This is usually reflected in the “Call to Adventure” section of the Hero’s Journey as the Herald tries to “get the story rolling” (56). The Shapeshifter is a very hard archetype to identify, as they are “shifting and unstable” (59). The Shapeshifter can change internally or externally, as they can change frame of mind, appearance, and are very hard for the hero to keep track of. Most commonly, the Shapeshifter is the opposite sex from the hero.
The Shadow archetype is associated with darkness and evil. The shadow “can be as mask which is worn by any character” (66), and can be part of another archetype such as the mentor. It is representative of repressed feelings or something that the hero spends a great amount of their time trying to change or running from. The Ally, the hero’s travel buddy, is someone who fights at the heroes side, yet is not as strong or important as the hero during the journey. The ally is usually a concrete character, whether it is a human, ghost, or animal.

Reaction
    In continuing to learn about different archetypes, it is easy to distinguish them in my narrative writing project for class. As I was reading the descriptions for archetypes of the herald, the shadow, and the ally, I could see each of them distinctly representing a character or idea that is included in my narrative. For example, the Herald in my story is represented by a simple telephone call.
One of the most interesting comments on the archetypes that Vogler makes is that a successful hero uses the Threshold Guardian as an ally; To test themselves and to prepare for what is coming out of the new world that they are entering. This same idea is frequently brought up in life, as people commonly learn more about themselves as they overcome challenges set by others.

Questions
1. Are there any archetypes that you can recognize from your own personal “Hero’s Journey” narrative?
2. Why is the shapeshifter most often portrayed as a member of the opposite sex?
3. Which archetype do you like the best? Which one can you relate to the best?