Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
god-inspired, having a god in you, or being in the presence o f a god.
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T H E W R I T E R ' S JOURNEY ~ T H I R D EDITION
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
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