Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
Christopher Vogler
PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION
In the anatomy of the human psyche, Mentors represent the Self, the god within us,
the aspect of personality that is connected with all things. T h i s higher Self is the
wiser, nobler, more godlike part of us. Like Jiminy Cricket in the Disney version of
Pinocchio, the Self acts as a conscience to guide us on the road of life when no Blue
Fairy or kindly Gepetto is there to protect us and tell us right from wrong.
M e n t o r figures, whether encountered in dreams, fairy tales, myths, or screen
plays, stand for the hero's highest aspirations. T h e y are what the hero may become
if she persists on the R o a d of Heroes. Mentors are often former heroes who have
survived life's early trials and are now passing on the gift of their knowledge and
wisdom.
T h e M e n t o r archetype is closely related to the image of the parent
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