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This original analogy explains the Threshold guardian’s powerful force by comparing it to a wall. Walls are usually an important barrier between two things, like between the road and a neighborhood. Similarly, the threshold guardian usually protects or guides the hero, depending on their intentions.
"Archetypes in the Hero's Journey." Archetypes in the Hero's Journey. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
"Sphinx." Story of the Greek Sphinx ***. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
"What Drawbacks Did the American Forces Face During the Revolutionary War?" The Classroom | Synonym. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
Winkle, Chris. "The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey." Mythcreants. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
"Writers, Know Your Archetypes: The Threshold Guardian." MOON IN GEMINI. N.p., 23 Apr. 2014. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.
YourDictionary. "Analogy Examples." YourDictionary. N.p., 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
An example of my archetype in film is the doorknob in Alice in Wonderland. The doorknob is located at the very end of the rabbit hole, at the entrance of Wonderland. His purpose is to give the hero, in this case Alice, a small challenge. The hero must be able to fit through his tiny doorway. This was challenging for Alice, as the first “Drink me” bottle made her shrink very small, but the “Eat me” cake made her a giant. This ended up making her frustrated, which was practically the doorknob’s purpose. Many times characters like the doorknob use confusing riddles to challenge the hero. At one point, the doorknob says, “Read the directions directly and you will be directed in the right direction” (Carroll). This is a perfect example of the tricky language used that can easily confuse and mystify the hero and the reader. In conclusion, the doorknob is a great example of a Threshold Guardian due to his use of interesting riddles and strange directions.
Many times in the real world, family members question big decisions involving their loved ones. Usually, it is out of love or concern for the person, and similar to the Threshold guardian in stories, they want to make sure that they are ready to face the challenge.
An example of a Threshold Guardian in history is during the American Revolution. The Americans lacked a proper military, so fighting against Britain was tough. In 1775, the Continental Congress had created an army with George Washington as the leader. He had some training fighting in a war, but that wasn’t enough. He had some trouble training, preparing, and organizing the troops for war. This tested the American Colonists, but in the end it all worked out.
An example of a Threshold Guardian in literature is the story of Orpheus and Cerberus in the Odyssey. Orpheus encounters a large 3 headed dog, Cerberus, who protects the entrance of the underworld.
The sphinx from greek mythology is a well known part human part lion threshold guardian. According to greek mythology, those who cannot answer the sphinx’s riddle would suffer a terrible fate. In the story of Oedipus, the only way to destroy the sphinx was to solve one of her riddles, and Oedipus was successful.
Heimdall tries to keep Thor out of the Human world because he thinks that it is dangerous.
Right before Alice can get in to Wonderland, she needs to get through this door. The doorknob tests her cleverness in order to make sure that she can handle wonderland.
“Threshold Guardians are typically the henchmen of the villain or antagonist, but they can also be neutral to either side, simply doing their job” (Goodin n.p.). Basically, the Threshold Guardian is testing the hero’s limits, and is sometimes a helper to the antagonist.
The purpose of a Threshold Guardian is usually to make sure that the hero is capable of new change or adventure. Many times the Threshold Guardian seems to stand in the way of the hero, but its main purpose is to make sure that new challenges will be a good fit for the hero. “The Threshold Guardian's job is to ensure the protagonist is worthy of passing the threshold, and thus they act as part of the tests the protagonist must face in the journey” (Goodin n.p.).