Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
an adventure from the Tests phase, complete with sound effects and a funny mimed
impression of a m a m m o t h Threshold Guardian they met on the quest. A wounded
hunter laughs as his injuries are tended: in film language, a declaration of the healing
power of stories. Returning with the Elixir means implementing change in your daily
life and using the lessons of adventure to heal your wounds.
D E N O U E M E N T
Another name for the Return is denouement, a French word meaning "untying" or
"unknotting." ( noue means k n o t ) . A story is like a weaving in which the lives of the
characters are interwoven into a coherent design. T h e plot lines are knotted together
to create conflict and tension, and usually it's desirable to release the tension and
resolve the conflicts by untying these knots. W e also speak of "tying up the loose
ends" of a story in a denouement. W h e t h e r tying up or untying, these phrases point
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