Vogler's Annotated Bibliography (Stage Nine: Reward & Stage Ten: The Road Back)

Vogler, Christopher. “Book Two: Stages of the Journey-Reward & The Road Back.” The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd Edition. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. 175-194.

Summary

Right after the hero passed through the Ordeal, it is time for him to claim his reward. The hero has now gained experiences and it is different; he has changed. It is very common for heroes to want to celebrate after they have survived death (176). Sometimes there is an opportunity for the hero to have a love scene; a hero may get married at this point. It is also the time for the hero to get what he/she was looking for. Seizing the Sword is when the hero aggressively takes possession of whatever was being sought in the Special World (178). Heroes expect to be recognized as special and different, because they survived death (179). When heroes survive death they perceive things in a different way. They are more aware of things; they become more intuitive (181). In some cases the hero may experience a sense of greatness, what it is called epiphany. After a moment of supreme Ordeal, they feel like they are divine, like a sacred being (181).

Having what he/she was looking for, the hero is in his Road Back to the Ordinary World, if that was the decision. Some heroes decide to stay in the Special World, but most of the go back home. At this point, heroes can use what they learned in the Special World for their own benefit. The Road Back marks a time when heroes rededicate themselves to the adventure (189). There are cases in which heroes leave the Special World because they are running for their lives. These are called chase scenes (191). Another way for the hero to go back to the Ordinary Word is by the magic flight. Another twist of the Road Back maybe a sudden catastrophic reversal of the hero’s good fortune (192). Sometimes the hero may encounter setbacks that call them into an adventure again. While in the Road Back, heroes may set themselves a new goal to achieve, maybe to escape, or to return home (193). Resurrection is the next step that a hero needs to pass before the end of the journey.

Reaction

I really liked these two past sections, because Vogler explains everything so detailed and clear that it is very easy for me to follow through and understand. In a personal experience, after I graduated from high school I felt that I had to be known as special, because I was successful even though I had a hard time with the language of English. In my case death was not graduating, and I survived it. I decided to stay in the Special World, Florida, because I wanted to test myself again by going to college. I decided to use the experience and knowledge gained in the past to help me with my college journey. As Vogler explains every section, I can relate it to my experience of moving to the United States. It feels wonderful to know that I was a hero at a certain point in my life.

Questions
1. What do you think heroes get from their experiences of facing death?
2. What have you gained from a failing experience, or maybe from a life-threatening experience?
3. In one of your personal experiences, did you decided to stay into the Special World? Why? Why not?