Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
W h e n a hero takes a decisive action, her whole
world can be changed at once.
CATHARSIS
A climax should provide the feeling of catharsis. T h i s Greek word actually means
"vomiting u p " or "purging," but in English has come to mean a purifying emotional
release, or an emotional breakthrough. Greek drama was constructed with the intent
of triggering a vomiting-up o f emotions by the audience, a purging o f the poisons
of daily life. Just as they took purgatives to empty and cleanse their digestive systems
from time to time, the Greeks at regular times of the year would go to the theatre
to get rid of ill feeling. Laughter, tears, and shudders of terror are the triggers that
bring about this healthy cleansing, this catharsis.
In psychoanalysis, catharsis is a technique o f relieving anxiety or depression
by bringing unconscious material to the surface. T h e same is true, in a way, of
storytelling
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