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Literary Archetypes

Literary Archetypes. Adapted from: www.shoreregional.org /.../lib/.../ Archetypal Symbols%5B1%5D. ppt. What is an archetype?. An archetype is a symbol ingrained in our consciousness (awareness) that has been repeated throughout time and across cultures.

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Literary Archetypes

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  1. Literary Archetypes Adapted from: www.shoreregional.org/.../lib/.../ArchetypalSymbols%5B1%5D.ppt

  2. What is an archetype? • An archetype is a symbol ingrained in our consciousness (awareness) that has been repeated throughout time and across cultures. • In literature, art, film, and life, these archetypes are present.

  3. Common Character Archetypes • The Hero: The courageous figure who always saves the day. (Superman, Odysseus, Prince Charming) • The Outcast: The outcast is just that. He or she has been cast out of a society or has left it on a voluntary basis. (Hagrid from Harry Potter) The Damsel in Distress:The scapegoat figure is one who gets blamed for everything, regardless of whether he/she is actually at fault. (Every Disney princess) The Star-Crossed Lovers: This is the young couple joined by love but unexpectedly parted by fate. (Romeo and Juliet) The Trickster: The figure who outwits the protagonist through trickery or cunning. (the coyote, brer rabbit, donkey)

  4. Situational Archetypes • The Task: A situation in which a character, or group of characters, is driven to complete some duty often of monstrous proportion. (Frodo’s task to keep the ring safe in The Lord of the Rings) • The Quest: Here, the character(s) are searching for something, whether consciously or unconsciously. Their actions, thoughts, and feelings center around the goal of completing the quest. (Shrek ) • The Loss of Innocence: This is, as the name implies, a loss of innocence through sexual experience, violence, or any other means.(Red Badge of Courage)

  5. Common Image Archetypes • Certain images that recur in myths and other genres of literature often have a common meaning or tend to elicit comparable psychological responses and to serve similar cultural functions. • Water • Sun • Colors • Shapes, Numbers, & Other objects

  6. Water • a symbol of life and death, cleansing, rebirth, the mystery of creation Traveling on Water A rebirth as a new person/transformation (Odysseus) The Sea Spiritual mystery and infinity; timelessness and eternity River Death / rebirth (baptism), flowing of time into eternity, transitional phases of the life cycle

  7. Sun • Represents energy, creativity, thinking, enlightenment, wisdom, spiritual vision, the passing of time, and life Dawn or the Rising Sun Birth, Creation, New Knowledge, New Life Dusk or the Setting Sun Death, The End of a Way of Life, A Break of Some Kind (Red Badge of Courage)

  8. Colors • Red • love, sacrifice, hate, evil, anger, violent passion, sin, blood, disorder (The Scarlet Letter) • Green • birth / death, fertility, luck, hope, jealousy, decay, greed (Green Lantern) • Blue • sadness, spiritual purity, truth, religious feelings of security, loyalty (The Navy) • Yellow • enlightenment, power, happiness, joy //illness, deceit, or cowardice (Sun) • Black • power, doom, death, darkness, mystery, primal wisdom, unconscious evil (priests, Batman) • White • purity, innocence, death, terror, supernatural, blinding truth (brides)

  9. Shapes • Circle (Sphere) • wholeness, unity, infinity, loyalty, fidelity (wedding rings, crowns) • Oval • the mystery of life and the forces of regeneration, birth, the cycle of life (eggs) • Square • righteousness, four corners of the earth, balance of elements, creation (land or acreage)

  10. Animals • Snake • evil, corruption, sex, earth, sensuality, destruction, wisdom, temptation //also healing (Satan or the medical profession) • Dark-colored bird • death, corruption, the cyclical pattern of life, wisdom (Raven or Crow) • This can be positive or negative depending on the outlook of the culture • Light-colored bird • peace, love, life (Dove) • Beaver • cunning, workmanship, cleverness, stubbornness • Coyote • slyness, trickery, falsehood, violence, deceit (Wily Coyote)

  11. Numbers • One • Loneliness, New Beginnings • Two • Unity, Love, Harmony, Duality of humankind (balance of dark and light) • Three • represents creativity, spiritual awareness, magic, and light • Four • cycle of life, (earth, water, fire, air) nature, balance, the square • Five • instability, chaos, unpredictability • Six • harmony, beauty, diplomacy • Seven • unity between 3 and 4, completion and perfect order

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