“What happens to the hero happens to us. We are encouraged to experience the brink-of-death moment with her. Our emotions are temporarily depressed so that they can be revived by the hero's return from death. The result of this revival is a feeling of elation and exhilaration.”
This quote sticks out to me because when engaging with a story, the audience becomes emotionally invested in the hero, forming an attachment to them. Viewers see themselves in the hero by identifying with the hero’s journey, struggles, and experiences. Many stories involve intense conflict, danger, and sometimes life-threatening situations, which all create a sense of tension and fear within the observer. These powerful emotional responses form a connection between the hero and the observer. As observers, we empathize and learn from the hero to apply lessons and revelations to our own lives.
“The hero Returns to the Ordinary World, but the journey is meaningless unless she brings back some Elixir, treasure, or lesson from the Special World. The Elixir is a magic potion with the power to heal. It may be a great treasure like the Grail that magically heals the wounded land, or it simply might be knowledge or experience that could be useful to the community someday.”
This quote is about the hero’s return. I like the idea of the hero going through a great deal of hardships to learn something new or to prove something to themselves. Relating this idea to real life, I believe it can be easy for people to forget to apply the lessons that they’ve learned to their pursuit of a better life. It is also important to demonstrate the hero’s evolution throughout the story to complete it. A fulfilling story involves personal growth, development, and transformation. As designers, we must use the Elixir/treasure as a narrative tool to convey a user’s growth.
“From the hero's point of view, members of the opposite sex may appear to be Shapeshifters, an archetype of change. They seem to shift constantly in form or age, reflecting the confusing and constantly changing aspects of the opposite sex. Tales of vampires, werewolves, and other shapechangers are symbolic echoes of this shifting quality which men and women see in each other.”
I was pretty confused and struggling to understand this part of the text at first. I think that this text is referring to the confusion that a hero has when understanding the opposite sex but I’m unsure if this applies to all types of people. I think this quote refers to the ambiguity and complexity often associated with romantic relationships. I believe the shapeshifter metaphor symbolizes the differences in human psychology between men and women. This can include psychological confusion and ambiguity when people are navigating complex romantic relationships with members of the opposite sex.
