Vogler pg.'s 23-47

Summary
Archetypes are a concept introduced by Carl Jung and refer to the collective unconscious patterns of personality. In storytelling these common prototypes give way to a shared experience among everyone, in addition to being the various aspects of a hero's personality. A hero is someone that we can identify with through universal qualities but he/she must also be unique. A hero is usually of two types: willing and unwilling, and can take many forms in a story such as group-oriented, loner, anti-hero, tragic hero, and catalyst hero. But, the hero must grow or change in someway. The hero doesn't have to be perfect and through his/her flaws he/she will become humanized and much more appealing to the audience. Along the hero's journey and transformation hep and guidance will be needed, and this is where the mentor figure intervenes. A mentor functions to aid the hero and even act act as a conscience, but their teachings and help should be earned. The mentor must motivate the hero although the mentor may have some internal struggles or might still be trying to find their way as well.

Reaction
I think that Vogler did a good job laying out what a hero is and what his/her function is in a story. He provides many examples of the diversity of the role of the hero but also identifies necessary qualities that this character must have to be a "hero." I agree that there are many varieties of a hero but, "Heroes are symbols of the soul in transformation, and of the journey each person takes through life" (37). I think that is what separates the hero from another character in a story, and allows the audience to be able to pick out that character. I thought it was interesting how Vogler also presented many different faces of the mentor. I never really thought of there being a mentor role in a romantic comedy or the mentor as growing or changing himself; he had good examples in the text that opened up my eyes to new things.

Reflection
When you asked us who our childhood heroes were everyone in the class had such different answers from the little mermaid to yours as Dolly Parton. I think that the responses just in our own class are proof for many of Vogler's points in the reading. The hero is widespread yet functional in such a broad range of ways. There isn't a specific molding that has to be fit which is why I think we have so many different types of heroes that we look up to. And this allows for every person to be able to find someone that they can relate to. Whenever I think of a mentor character I can't help but think of Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio. In my mind he fits the typical description of what a mentor should be, always guiding and interferring whenever Pinocchio needed help.