ARCHETYPES

What is an Archetype?  Archetype: an original model or pattern from which other later copies are created.

What is an Archetype?  Archetype: an original model or pattern from which other later copies are created. Especially a character, an action, or a situation Especially a character, an action, or a situation

Characteristics of Archetypes  They are not individual; they are the part we share with all humanity.  They are the inherited part of being human which connects us to our past and go beyond our experience to a common source.  They express themselves in forms.  They are universal.  They are recurrent.

SITUATIONAL ARCHETYPES  The Journey  The Quest  The Task  The Initiation  The Fall

The Journey  Sends the hero in search for some truth or information necessary to restore the kingdom. Usually the hero descends into a real or psychological hell and is forced to discover the darkest truths, quite often concerning his own faults.

The Journey  Think of a movie you’ve seen or a novel you’ve read that contains the situational archetype of a journey.

The Journey  Finding Nemo  The Longest Journey  Wizard of OZ  Star Wars

The Journey  Batman Leaves his place of luxury, descends into a rougher world, and learns combat skills etc then returns to Gotham to protect its people. Leaves his place of luxury, descends into a rougher world, and learns combat skills etc then returns to Gotham to protect its people.

The Journey  Batman  Star Wars  Forrest Gump

The Journey  Batman  Star Wars  Forrest Gump  The Odessey

The Quest  The hero’s ultimate goal. When achieved, this will restore the kingdom.

The Quest  Lord of the Rings

The Quest  Destruction of the ring will save the world from evil.

The Task  To save the kingdom, to win the fair lady, to identify himself so that he may resume his rightful position. The hero must perform some nearly superhuman deed.

The Task  Star Wars  King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table  Hercules

The Task  Can you think of another movie that involves a nearly impossible task?

The Task  Tommy Boy

The Initiation  An initiation into life that is the depiction of an adolescent coming into maturity and adulthood with all the problems and responsibilities this process involves. An awakening, awareness, or a larger view of the world and the people in it usually forms.

The Initiation  Any examples?

The Initiation  Snow White and the Huntsman  Dead Poets Society

The Fall  A decent from a higher to a lower being. This experience involves a loss of innocence and happiness. Usually accompanied by expulsion from a kind of paradise as a punishment.

The Fall  Thor  The Odyssey

CHARACTER ARCHETYPES  Hero  Young Man From the Provinces  Mentor  Magic Weapon  Devil Figure (Evil)  Villain  Scapegoat  Star-Crossed Lovers  Hunting Group of Companions  Outcast  Creatures of Nightmare  Friendly Beast  Apparently Evil Figure with an Ultimately Good Heart  Woman Figure

The Hero (Protagonist)  His or her life can be clearly divided into a series of well-marked adventures.

Young Man from the Provinces  This hero is taken away as a young man or woman and raised by strangers. He later returns to his home and heritage where he or she is a stranger who can see new problems and solutions.

The Mentor  A teacher, counselor, and role model to the hero.  The mentor teaches by example the skills necessary to survive the quest.

The Magic Weapon  This symbolizes the extraordinary quality of the hero because no one else can wield the weapon or use it to its full potential. It is often given by the mentor.

The Devil Figure (Evil)  This character offers worldly goods, fame or knowledge to the hero in exchange for possession of his soul.

The Villain & Scapegoat  This character attempts to foil the efforts of the hero.  An animal or human whose death in a public ceremony atones some sin that has been visited upon a community.

The Star-Crossed Lovers  Two characters engaged in a love affair that is fated to end tragically for one or both due to disapproval by society, friends, family, or some tragic situation.

The Hunting Group of Companions  These are loyal companions willing to face any number of perils in order to be together.

Outcast  A figure banished from a social group for some crime against his/her fellow man. The outcast is usually destined to become a wonderer from place to place.

The Creatures of Nightmare  A monster, usually summoned from the deepest, darkest part of the human psyche to threaten the lives of the hero/heroine.

The Friendly Beast  This character shows that nature is on the side of the hero.  Finding Nemo Whale Delivers them to the coast Nigel “jump into my mouth…”

The Apparently Evil Figure With an Ultimately Good Heart  This is a redeemable devil figure saved by the nobility or love of the hero.

The Woman Figure  The Earth mother  The Temptress  The Platonic Ideal  The Damsel in Distress

The Earth mother  This character offers spiritual and emotional nourishment to those whom she comes in contact. The Platonic Ideal  A source of inspiration and a spiritual ideal, for whom the protagonist has an intellectual rather than physical attraction.

The Temptress  Sensuous beauty to whom the hero is attracted and who ultimately brings about his downfall.

The Damsel in Distress  The vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the hero

Symbolic Archetypes

Light/ Darkness  Light usually suggest hope, renewal, or knowledge.  Darkness implies the unknown, ignorance or despair.

Water/ Desert  Water suggests birth, resurrection, purification, fertility, and growth.  Desert implies death, hopelessness, and spiritual emptiness.

Death/ Rebirth  Death represents evening, winter, and old age.  Rebirth suggests morning, springtime and youth. **Parallels the cycle of nature and cycle of life.**

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