An Archetype Concerning Violence

Violence in Literature Violence can occur during an important moment in a novel Writers can create violence happen to spur action or cause plot twists In some novels violence exists as the main plot Murder novels and mysteries are major examples of violence used as a plot The archetype of violence is closely related to disease because both can be used to develop the plot.

Two types of violence Specific injury: Narrative violence: Injuries characters inflict on one another or themselves Shootings, poisonings, bombings etc. Narrative violence: Violence that causes characters harm in general Death and suffering authors induce into their work as a method of plot development

In this chapter, Foster describes two categories of violence found in literature. The first category is the specific injury that an author causes such as shootings, stabbings, bombings, poisonings, and many more of course. The first category of violence is written deliberately by the author without a specific reason or purpose for it. The violence may not affect the plot, but it will potentially create the mood or theme for a work. The second category is merely narrative violence that causes harm to characters in general. This category of death and suffering is used to advance the plot or develop the story.

Violence in Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison) Violence is used as an attempt to gain worldly power, material objects, or desired relationships. In literature, violence is often used in the same way, but more often than not, violence in literature is present to serve as a symbol for something larger and deeper within the writing. in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, violence is a prevalent aspect of the piece, and the violence present is meant to represent negative African American stereotypes that white people applied to black people. Ellison's novel throws readers into a world that encompasses senseless violence right from the start, that violence is not senseless, but instead it contributes to the theme of identity and breaking free of societal identities given to individuals.

Violence in Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison) In Invisible Man, Ellison writes of the Battle Royale a scene in which a large group of white men essentially torture a group of black men for entertainment, a scene of seemingly senseless violence. It serves as not only foreshadowing, but also as a catalyst for all of the events to follow.

Violence in Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison) As the numerous African American boys are forced to enter a boxing ring blindfolded these boys, lost and blind, both metaphorically and literally, can not do or be who they themselves desire, but are forced to follow instructions by the white men around them (Ellison, 21). This foreshadows the rest of the novel, which is the story of the narrator progressing in life, while trying to adapt to his surroundings and understand the social norms

The Long Walk An example of the first category of violence described by Foster can be found in The Long Walk by Stephen King. The novel is a fictional telling of a grotesque contest in a city where boys are forced to walk a treacherous journey with no food or water, and the last boy left standing or the first to make it to the finish line wins. The walk takes days to complete, and once started if the boys quit or stray off the path they are automatically shot and killed by the looming snipers refereeing the “race”.

The author is using this violence to The plot and basic story is sick and twisted, but within it, there are several incidents of fist fights, stabbings, starvation, and shootings that are in no way specific to the plot or story’s development. The author is using this violence to set the tone of the story create the mood of death and harm ignite a sense of danger in the minds of the readers and main characters in the story Since this violence is done directly from the author for no reason relating to plot, this violence fits in the first category described by Foster. 

The Great Gatsby The second category of violence is death and suffering that is specifically used to thicken the story or advance the plot. This type of violence has a very specific purpose beyond just gore and action. An example of this category of violence is depicted in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  In chapter seven, Myrtle, Tom’s mistress, is struck dead by a big, yellow car racing down the road.

The reader later learns that it was Daisy driving. This violence may seem pointless at first; an author’s mere attempt to play god and end a life with a twist, but with all actuality this death is a pivotal catalyst in the plot that is needed for the story to progress. This violence is what will keep Tom hooked upon Daisy’s heart since he no longer has the mistress option this act of violence is what will ultimately lead to the main character’s death, Gatsby, because Myrtle’s husband seeks revenge on Gatsby after wrongly accusing him for being his wife’s former secret lover and murderer. Because Myrtle’s fatal hit thickened the plot and had a specific purpose within the story, this act of violence is an example of the second category described by Foster.

Sources Foster, Thomas. "More Than Its Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence." How to Read Literature Like a Professor. New York: Harper-Collins Publishers Inc., 2003. 87-96. Print.  Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York :Vintage International, 1995. Print.