Vogler: The Approach & the Ordeal

In "The approach to the inmost cave," Vogler discusses the functions of the approach and the emotions that can be expressed through certain courtship rituals, often seen in this stage.  Emotions are also expressed through pity and sorrow sometimes to threshold guardians that may "cave" and help the hero although their initial efforts permit the hero from advancing in their journey.  Vogler also describes the Bold approach which describes the a particular type of Hero that exudes confidence and confronts all problems head on.  Obstacles and illusions are discussed in this chapter and their importance is established when Vogler makes the comment that "Past experience on the journey may be the hero's pasport to new lands."  What he means by this is that the past experiences can, and most often do, lead up to a event that strengthens and leads the hero to his/her next journey. 

Vogler discusses the "death and rebirth" stage of the Hero's journey as one of the most crowd pleasing because it not only symbolizes a major turning point in the hero's life but it most often grinds the journey to a halt and puts you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see how the hero will rise to the challenge.  Vogler states that the ordeal is most often encountered around the middle of the story, around Act II a to be exact.  Simultaneously the Central crisis reveals itself and the climax of the story, following up with the delayed crisis which often provides the most appealing outcomes to the hero.  The "ordeal" seems to be a dark area for the Hero as in most cases, the hero must face serious consequences, often death or a personal loss of some sort.

Throughout the Approach to the inmost cave, Vogler discusses forms of threshold guardians that may be encountered and often times the process that the Hero goes through building up to the climactic events seem just before "the ordeal."  The darker side of the story is often seen here where the Hero faces many trials and tribulations within themselves and their surroundings.  Consisting of death and persona changes throughout, the ordeal can be a rough patch for the hero.  I think this part is, as Vogler would agree, the most interesting part of the journey because this is the point where you really see the Hero's true colors.  This is the moment when you can finally classify the Hero into whatever persona you had pictured for them before joining their "journey."  For me this is the most interesting part because 90% of the time, all confusion had with a journey is eliminated as the approach and the ordeal make sense of the struggles the Hero faced until this point.