11/17/08

Vogler states that the Hero’s Journey is an accurate map to become a writer, and better yet a human being. He states that the Hero’s Journey and the Writer’s Journey are the same. Vogler explains that the Elixir in a story writer’s journey is a good story. He also says that writers have the potential to be healers for other people. Vogler compares writers and shamans and states that they both are prepared for their work by enduring terrible ordeals. Furthermore, Vogler states that when we write we also travel to the worlds of our imagination. Vogler goes on to talk about how stories have a healing power, in which they can help others deal with difficult emotional situations. He also states that stories have a survival value, they are metaphors, and that good stories show at least two journeys, an outer one and an inner one, also that stories are orientation devices. Vogler states that stories are somehow alive and are responsive to human emotions and wishes. He states that stories have an agenda just like humans do. Vogler goes on to talk about the story of Rumplestiltskin and discusses the power of wishing. He states that wishing is an underlying principle of storytelling. Vogler states that the expression of a wish has the important function of orientation for the audience. He states that stories hear the wishes with intense emotion attached to it. Vogler states that often heroes wish for something that they want badly but the journey teaches them what they need. Vogler also states that the aim of good storytelling is to get the audience to wish along with the hero. A good story can do this by making the hero sympathetic and making the audience identify with the hero. Vogler also states that we have wishes for our villains also. Vogler also goes on to talk about the progression from wishing to willing. He states that just like wishing, the will must be managed. Vogler also states that there is a connection between needs and willing, which is that both evolve from the idea of wishing or wanting.

REFLECTION <3

reflection && action
-rhetorical analysis -> i have completed an RA for my movie, song and visual but i need to finish for the book i have chosen and complete the ETHOS, LOGOS, and PATHOS for each
-interviews-> i have completed two interviews posing similar questions with different answers
-volunteers-> i have volunteered for breast cancer organizations twice already
Plan
-craft a plan->expand on each aspect of my paper and elaborate on what i feel is the most vocal and important part of my view
-reflect on what you have done

Four Modes <3

Movie-The movie that I chose was "Step Mom". I chose this film because it is a representaion of how a tragedy can bring a family closer together. In the film the family is split due to divorce, the mother is spiteful, and the father has found new love leaving the kids caught in between. As the film progresses, the mother is diagnosed with cancer, through this pain the family is brought closer together, the mother begins to accept who will be the "step mom" and the tension begins to release. This relates very well to my project because in my project it discusses how a family can be brought together or torn through brest cancer.

Visual-The visual i chose was the traditional nativity scence. I chose this piece because it shows unity and it shows family brought together from all over. The animals represent distant family being brought together in the case of breast cancer. The birth of Jesus is what gathers members from all over just as a patient of cancer brings family from all over closer together for one solitary reason. It shows family support like that needed in the face of breast cancer.

Song-The song i chose was Superwoman by Alicia Keys. This song shows strength in women as individuals. I chose this song because women with breast cancer are forced to be strong individuals to overcome their personal battle. This song is also motivational to fight for ourselves and to be total woman and i feel that it is a good song for a woman in a struggle, such as breast cancer, to listgen to. This song gives hope to be strong, like a hero, like superwoman.

Book-

11/10/08

Annotation 11/10/08
The next piece of the writer’s journey that we focus on is “Epilogue: Looking Back on the Journey”. In this chapter of the book, Vogler gives a basic review of everything that has been taught thus far in the book. He brings to attention five movies to help further explain the hero’s stages. He uses The Titanic, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, The Full Monty, and Star Wars. He makes a point to stress upon the fact that his book was not written as a guide or an outline for someone who is writing a story. Instead this book is supposed to be used as a guideline for a writer’s creative process. Within the first portion of this book, he tells his readers to analyze a book or movie using the writer’s journey that he has given.
Using this book, I understand better the writing process and how to break down each stage in my writing. It also has helped me to break down the stories that I read and think more like the writer.
1. If you could change anything about Vogler’s writing process what would it be?
2. What do you think is the most critical part of a writers journey?
3. Overall do you feel like this has helped you?

11/3/08

Annotation for Vogler 11/3/08
In this section we first look at stage eleven; The Resurrection. This is the final climax to the story, and is also the final and most dangerous meeting with death. This stage is necessary in order to create the final peak within the story and is also the defining moment in which we see a change, by way of action or plan, from our hero. The key to the resurrection is that the hero must shed his existing self to re enter the ordinary world. He must change his ways and reform what was known of who he was, just like they did originally to enter the special world. The reason for this is that their actions within the special world are not sufficient for life back in the ordinary world. Therefore they have to evolve taking what they have learned with them but acting in a manner sufficient for the normal world. The second portion that was looked upon was Stage Twelve; Returning with Elixir. The true hero after the resurrection returns home with Elixir, this is something from the special world that is going to be an aide to others within the normal world. It may be a piece of knowledge or a cure to a disease, but it is almost always beneficial. If a hero fails to return with Elixir than it is assumed that the journey of the hero has not been completed.
I was particularly interested in how endings are favored differently around the world. It surprised me that there must be a death in the story either the hero, within the hero or in the villan.
Questions
1. Can you think of any stories where there is no death in the ending?
2. Would you say that you side with amercian culture in the way we prefer our endings?
3. When it comes to endings, do you prefer there to be no questions, or would you rather be left with suspense?

four categories

book- The Woman Warrior:Memoirs of A Girlhood Among Ghosts

movie- step mom

visual- a nativity scene

song- super woman [alicia keys 2008]

strength vs weakness

After reviewing my peer comments i have come to the conclusion that my strengths are my choice of topic and the point of view that i am going to convey.  My weakness is that i need to have a lot of detail and support, and also to show both sides of the story.