Vogler 3

This section explains the psychological and dramatic functions of each of the remaining archetypes—the threshold guardian, the herald, the shapeshifter, the shadow, the ally, and the trickster. The threshold guardian embodies the external, physical obstacles and the internal psychological obstacles a hero must face. A threshold guardian’s dramatic function is to test the hero, which in many cases actually aids the hero. A herald brings the message of a need for change, which in turn motivates the hero to get on with the adventure. Characters have the shapeshifting quality to maintain an internal balance; this archetype brings suspense and doubt to a story. The shadow represents repressed feelings and brings drama to the story. There are many different types of allies, but they all in some way or another humanize heroes and add extra dimensions to their personalities. Finally, a trickster’s main functions are to put things in perspective and many times provide comic relief.

            I liked that in this section Vogler didn’t just rely on examples from film to support his points; this time he used circumstances that really happened in history or that regularly occur in everyday life. For example when explaining how the threshold guardian tests a hero, he uses a scenario where an individual makes a positive change in himself or herself but others resist. This tests the hero’s resolve, resulting in making the hero stronger. I like this example because I can imagine myself as that ordinary person in an everyday situation instead of trying to imagine myself in an alternate world or as someone with extraordinary talents.

            I liked how in this section I could easily find each archetype in my own life. I see threshold guardians and heralds in my day-to-day challenges, the herald alerts me of my challenge that is brought to me by my threshold guardian. Perhaps a syllabus acts as herald informing me of what homework I must do, while the work involved in doing the homework acts as my threshold guardian. People change with regards to their personalities and moods all the time, in these people I see a shapeshifter. Luckily I don’t often see the shadow archetype in my daily life, but I have definitely “taken over by the shadow” and done things that I later doubted or felt guilty about. Lastly, my friends are of course my allies, and in them I also see traits of a trickster.

 

Q1: How can you relate these archetypes to people in your own life?

Q2: How do these traits feed off of one another?