Vogler and the Elixir

Vogler, Christopher. “The Resurrection- Return with the Elixir.” The Writer's
Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Third. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese
Productions, 2007.

Summary

Vogler begins discussing the hero’s resurrection, which is the climax of the story. Sometimes this can be shown by a hero’s change in personality which is created for the new world to incorporate the lessons learned along the journey. The hero can also be cleansed of the ordeal so that they can be peaceful in society again. Sometimes there are two climaxes one in the middle and one at the end. There is often a physical ordeal where the hero might face death one last time. The active hero is important too, sometimes allies come through, but it is best for the hero to pull through. Showdowns are the biggest confrontations with the highest stakes between the hero and the villain. Sometimes tragic heroes die at the end of the story. Choices are also a big part of the hero’s journey testing his or her values. The choice can be a romantic one as well. The climax can be quiet which is gentle emotion and that the tensions have been eased. Rolling climaxes may be a series of events that might be experienced on different levels. Catharsis is an emotional release often felt at the end of stories by the audience. It is best expressed through tears and laughter. The resurrection is also the hero’s last chance for change and there can be missteps here. Missteps can create drama. A false claimant may come forward and question the hero who often needs to return from the special world with proof. Heroes must often sacrifice something during the climax, too. At this point the hero shows what he or she has learned and how they have changed. The old self should be dead and the new self would not make the same mistakes.
The next step of the journey is the return with the elixir in which the hero brings something he or she has learned to share with others. There are two story forms: circular and open ended. The circular form is most common and most popular. Here the story comes back to the beginning, either returning home or repeating an initial image. This provides for comparison. Many stories like to end with weddings or some sort of happily ever after moment. The open ended story concludes with loose ends, it continues in the audience. Returns might also have surprises, without them the story could end flatly. At this stage rewards and punishments are handed out. Villains should earn their fate and heroes should get their reward, only if they have earned it. The elixir is the prize it can be a literal treasure or medicine or a figurative lesson that the hero should share so as not to be greedy and selfish. Love is a good example of an elixir. Sometimes the world is altered, not just the hero. There can be elixirs of responsibility or tragedy. Heroes can be sadder but wiser, learning from their mistakes, but there can also be sadder but not wiser heroes that do not seem to understand their mistakes and will not learn from the experience. Epilogues can also be used to tell about the characters in the future and tie up the ends. There are also several pitfalls of the return like unresolved subplots, too many endings, abrupt endings, or a lack of focus. Punctuation can be used to understand ways of ending stories, period, exclamation, question or ellipsis.






Reaction

Vogler makes several good points, bringing up ideas that had never occurred to me. These steps are important for the hero because they tie up the story and leave the audience with a sense of finality. This is when we see how the hero has changed and what they have learned to share with the rest of their world. We are emotionally invested at the time of the climax and interested to see if the hero defeats the villain. I think its interesting that he says all of the old hero must die, I’m not sure that is true because many heroes begin with several good qualities that they cannot and do not lose. I liked the observation that stories can be circular or open ended because they definitely fall into one of those two categories. I think the circular stories are more common and more satisfying because there is a distinct end, however open ended stories seem to be becoming more popular, almost a modern twist. They often lead to sequels. I wonder about Vogler’s idea that heroes sometimes receive awards that they did not earn. I have trouble thinking of many examples of this although it seems like a typical idea that there must be some. Not all villains receive the punishments they deserve, and sometimes heroes receive punishments that they do not seem to have earned. I think this idea is interesting and could be furthered.

Questions

Must all of the old self of the hero die before the new self can return?

What are some examples of heroes who have received rewards without earning

them?

Do you have a preference for circular or open ended story forms and why?