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| Fu dogs are an excellent example of Threshold Guardians. |
One of my favorite archetypes is the Threshold Guardian. The Guardian serves as a challenge to the hero, a test for her to prove her worthiness and her resolve to continue her course of action.
In both real life and in a story, the Threshold Guardian
represents the ordinary obstacles we all face in the world around us: bad weather, bad luck, prejudice, oppression, or hostile people....But on a deeper psychological level, they stand for our internal demons; the neuroses, emotional scars, vices, dependencies, and self limitations that hold back our growth and progress. It seems that every time you try to make a major change in your life, these inner demons rise up to their full force, not necessarily to stop you, but to test if you are really determined to accept the challenge of change. (Vogler, The Writer's Journey, p. 58)
In a story, the Guardian is the antagonist's head of security, the Sphinx and her riddle, the army of the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of OZ, bouncers, doormen, entrance exams. A hero and a person must learn how to deal with these tests. You can run, attack it head on, use deceit, bribe or appease the Guardian, or make an ally of them.
Again, Vogler:
Successful heroes learn to recognize Threshold Guardians not as threatening enemies, but as useful allies and early indicators that new power of success is coming. (p. 59)
Think of who or what has been a Threshold Guardian for you. How did this energy show you what you had to do?
