The Study of ARCHETYPES 10th Grade Literature Mrs. Green

What is an archetype? an image, character, story, symbol, situation, or pattern that has been used since the earliest times to represent a universal idea throughout all human cultures a universal symbol (a symbol is a concrete object used to represent an abstract idea)

Who’s responsible for this? The word is derived from the Greek “archetypos,” meaning “beginning or original pattern from which later things are made.” The term was first used by the psychologist, Carl Jung, who spent much time studying people’s dreams as well as myths and legends from around the world. He recognized similarities in the types of symbols and stories that humans recalled. These similarities led him to the conclusion that a “collective unconscious” existed – a collection of inherited stories and images that exist in the subconscious of every human being.

…but what does that all mean? Basically, Carl Jung determined that people everywhere can recognize the same symbols, or the same archetypes, because they are concrete representations of universal human experiences.

Why study archetypes? The study of archetypes can help you make the leap from literal to symbolic interpretation of a work of art, whether it be literature, a painting or a film You’ve been studying archetypes throughout your entire life. You just didn’t know it!

Archetypes: Places Place What it represents The underworld The encounter with the dark side of the self, the fear of death The wilderness Passion, lawlessness, the subconscious, chaos (the happy forest, the haunted forest, the heath, the prairie/frontier, the jungle, the primeval forest, the sea) The river The stream of time and the flow of circumstance, purity regained, sin washed away, death

…More Places Place What it represents The garden The production and idyllic state of innocence, reconciliation and peace, harmony with nature, the imagination, childhood (the tree of life, the enchanted garden, the hidden garden – the self; sexuality) The rock The stony place of suffering The desert The place of purity, self-awareness, deprivation, solitude, loneliness, lonely quest for meaning The crossroads The place of decision, penance, self-denial

…A few more places Place What it represents The maze or labyrinth Puzzling dilemmas or great uncertainty, the search for the dangerous monster inside the self, journey to the heart of darkness The winding stair Arduous and dangerous way into the unknown The wheel Fortune, the circle of life, death and rebirth, cycle of nature The castle Strong place of safety, holds treasure or princess, may be enchanted The tower Strong place of evil or isolation of the self

Archetypes: People THE HERO Common Characteristics: Characterized by self-sacrifice, heroes will endure separation and hardship for the sake of their people Must pay a price to attain their goals Common Characteristics: Born and raised in a rural setting away from cities Is of mysterious origin or becomes orphaned at an early age and is raised by animals or a wise guardian Has a mentor or teacher Loves and admires a beautiful lady Must go on a journey, learn a lesson, change in some way Is special, one of a kind Is helped by divine, supernatural forces Struggles for something valuable or important Has a loyal band of companions Is prepared to fight or die at any moment

The Hero’s Journey The Call to Adventure Refusal of the Call/Acceptance of the Call (by force, chance, mistake or choice) Supernatural Aid Crossing the threshold or defeating the guardian of the threshold Rebirth of the Hero: hero emerges with a new sense of self, a belief in him/herself The Task: the action which heroes must perform in order to save the people The Initiation: ordeal undergone by the hero in order to attain full status/maturity The Fall: the hero’s loss of innocence or high position, hubris causes the fall, humility results in the end The Journey: representative of the journey of life, this is the hero’s path through danger, hardship, ordeals, and other tests of strength, maturity, wisdom on the way to the goal The Return: hero uses new wisdom to restore order and peace to the land

Archetypes: People The Mentor Teaches a hero and gives him/her gifts (weapons, food, magic, information); can serve as the hero’s conscience The Threshold Guardian Tests the hero’s courage and worthiness to begin the journey The Warrior Noble champion; knight in shining armor Companions Loyal companions willing to face hardship and ordeal in order to stay together The Trickster The clown, mischief-maker, sometimes an ally or companion of the hero; represents the force of cunning pitted against opponents who are stronger or more powerful

…More People The Traitor or Backstabber The double-agent who betrays those who trust him most. Plots the destruction of friends. The Outcast The lonely outsider who wanders aimlessly hoping to belong The Devil Figure Evil incarnate (often, but not always, the villain) The Shadow The hero’s dark self or what he/she refuses to “see” within themselves; may appear as something or someone who is bad, fearsome, or despicable in some way The Monster The prince who has been turned into the beast; the double, the frightening side of nature Evil Figure with the Ultimately Good Heart A devil figure with the potential to be good. This person is usually saved by the love of the hero.

…Just a FEW more… The Scapegoat An animal, or more usually a human, whose death in a public ceremony resolves the sin of an entire community. They are often more powerful in death than in life. The Platonic Ideal A woman who is a source of inspiration to the hero, who has an intellectual rather that physical attractiveness about her. Damsel in Distress A vulnerable woman who needs to be rescued by the hero. Earth Mother/Nurturer Symbolic of fruition, abundance, and fertility. Offers spiritual and emotional nourishment. Temptress/Siren/Black Goddess Characterized by sensuous beauty. The hero is often attracted to her and she brings about his downfall. May appear as a witch or vampire.

Archetypes: Concepts/Ideas Father-Son Conflict: In this relationship, the tension is built due to separation from childhood or some other source when the two meet as men Star-Crossed Lovers: Two characters engaged in a love affair fated to end tragically for one or both due to the disapproval of society, friends, family, or some tragic situation

Current Archetype Trend Recently, in film, it has become very trendy to mock or satirize archetypes. For example, movies like Shrek, The Princess Bride, and Enchanted all take fairy tale concepts, characters, places and situations and exaggerate them for comedic effect.

You see? you’ve been studying archetypes since you started reading BOOKS AND watching TV/movies, and you didn’t even know it!

Consider the following films: Think-Pair-Share Now let’s see how many examples you can come up with: Think about examples we’ve discussed in class, as well as others you can come up with. Share your thoughts with a partner. Complete the third column of your “people” chart. Consider the following films: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Twilight, The Chronicles of Narnia, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Matrix, The Wizard of Oz, etc.