Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
hero might lose fortune or life. T h e pause to weigh the consequences makes the
commitment to the adventure a real choice in which the hero, after this period of
hesitation or refusal, is willing to stake her life against the possibility of winning
the goal. It also forces the hero to examine the quest carefully and perhaps redefine
its objectives.
AVOIDANCE
It's natural for heroes to first react by trying to dodge the adventure. Even Christ, in
the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of the Crucifixion, prayed "Let this cup pass
from me." H e was simply checking to see if there was any way of avoiding the ordeal.
Is this trip really necessary?
Even the m o s t heroic o f movie heroes w i l l sometimes hesitate, express
reluctance, or flatly refuse the C a l l . R a m b o , Rocky, and innumerable John W a y n e
characters t u r n away from the offered adventure at first. A c o m m o n grounds for
Refusal is past experience
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