Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
smell and sharp teeth, tends to keep other animals from wandering into the cave
while the bear is sleeping. T h e fox also serves as an early warning system for the bear
by making a racket if something tries to enter the cave. In similar fashion, villains of
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T H E W R I T E R ' S JOURNEY ~ T H I R D EDITION
Christopher Voghr
stories often rely on underlings such as doorkeepers, bouncers, bodyguards, sentries,
gunslingers, or mercenaries to protect and warn them when a hero approaches the
Threshold of the villain's stronghold.
P S Y C H O L O G I C A L F U N C T I O N : NEUROSES
These Guardians may represent the ordinary obstacles we all face in the world
around us: bad weather, bad luck, prejudice, oppression, or hostile people like the
waitress who refuses to grant Jack Nicholson's simple request in Five Easy Pieces. But