Transcript 10th grade English Lesson plan

Archetypes
Think about...
• Think about stories that feature a “good guy” or hero.
• What are some characteristics that a typical “good
guy” usually has?
• Think about stories that feature a “bad guy” or villain.
• What are some characteristics that a typical “bad guy”
usually has?
• We refer to these characteristics as archetypes
What is an Archetype?
• The word “archetype” derives from a Latin word which
translates to pattern, model or type
• Archetype is an original model which other things are
similarly patterned after
• Archetypes are the basic building blocks for creating a
story and characters
• An archetype can be an image, story pattern,
character type, setting, theme or idea
The Common Archetypal Characters
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Hero
Villain
Fair Maiden
Mentor
Sidekick
The Archetypal Hero:
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Can either be male or female (in western literature, the hero is
usually male)
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Usually superior than common people in three ways:
1. Morally – the hero holds higher morals than the opponent
2. Mentally – her hero is smarter or more clever than the opponent
3. Physically – the hero is stronger than the opponent
• The Willing Hero: Willing to undertake any quest courageously, puts
his needs aside to help others
• Ex: Captain America, Superman, King Arthur
• The Unwilling Hero: Doubtful, passive, unwilling to begin the journey
• Ex: Achilles, Shrek, Neo (The Matrix)
• The Loner Hero: Able to overcome opposition alone
• Ex: James Bond, Indiana Jones, Batman
• The Tragic Hero: Have a tragic flaw which hurt them in the end
• Ex: Romeo, Darth Vader, Mufasa (Lion King)
ANTI-HERO
• Lacks traditional heroic qualities (courage, moral standards, positive
physical appearance)
• Generally oppressive, pessimistic, and/or corrupt.
• Motivated by own personal desires
• Reluctant to help others
• Contains both good and bad qualities; usually experiences suffering and
sorrow
•Ex: Ethan Frome
The Archetypal Villain:
• Foil to the hero
• Usually embodies the evil within the story
• Is the person the hero must defeat to conquer evil
• Thwarts positive action of the hero
• Usually dark or clothed in dark clothes
The Archetypal Fair Maiden:
• The romantic focus of the hero and/or the villain
• The victim who must be saved from evil
• Pure and innocent of the world’s evil ways
The Archetypal Mentor:
• Is the one who prepares the hero for the journey and the
ultimate battle
• Is the person who provides moral strength as well as lessons
the hero uses during the quest and ultimate battle
• May give the hero a weapon or tool to conquer the enemy
• May give up his life or make sacrifice to save another or save
the cause
The Archetypal Sidekick:
• Reinforces the heroic personality
of the hero
• Often adds humor to the story
• Supports or is the best friend of
the hero or villain
OTHER ARCHETYPES
• The CHIEF - a dynamic leader, he has time for nothing but work
• The BAD BOY - dangerous to know, he walks on the wild side
• The BEST FRIEND - sweet and safe, he never lets anyone down
• The LOST SOUL - a tormented being, he lives in solitude
• The CHARMER - a smooth talker, he creates fantasies
• The PROFESSOR - coldly analytical, he knows every answer
• The WARRIOR - a noble champion, he acts with honor
Archetypal Events
The Quest: the hero undertakes a long journey, and he must perform
impossible tasks (such as battles with monsters, solving unanswerable
riddles, and overcoming insurmountable obstacles).
The Initiation: the hero undergoes a series of excruciating ordeals that
allow him to grow from ignorance and immaturity to social and spiritual
adulthood. The hero becomes an “initiated” member of his social
group. The initiation most commonly consists of three distinct phases:
(1) separation, (2) transformation, and (3) return.
Sacrificial Scapegoat: the hero must die to atone for the people’s sins and
restore the land or kingdom.
Other archetypal events include the hero’s descent into the underworld
and possible ascent into heaven.
Archetypal Imagery
Water: could represent the mystery of creation, the birthdeath-resurrection cycle, purification and redemption,
and/or fertility and growth. Water is often used to
represent the unconscious.
a) The Sea: the mother of all life; spiritual mystery and
infinity; death and rebirth; timelessness and eternity;
the unconscious.
b) Rivers: death and rebirth (baptism); the flowing of
time into eternity; transitional phases of the life cycle
(think about the River Styx).
Archetypal Imagery
Sun: could represent creative energy, law in nature,
consciousness (thinking, enlightenment, wisdom,
spiritual vision), and/or the passage of time and life.
Also, consider the close relationship between fire and
sky.
a) Rising sun: represents birth, creation,
enlightenment
b) Setting sun: death
ARCHETYPAL COLORS
• Archetypal colors get their meanings or symbolism through
their existence in the natural environment.
• The colors may have positive or negative connotations.
ARCHETYPAL COLORS
• Black: Death/mourning, emotional darkness, hidden
desires/instincts, un-enlightenment, chaos, mystery, the unknown,
death, wisdom, evil, melancholy.
• Blue: The color of the spirit, the spiritual, the heavenly, the divine,
intuition, inspiration.
• Green: Mother Nature, fertility, hope, renewal, health, youth,
harmony, prosperity.
• Orange: Balance, creative expression, pride and ambition, cruelty,
ferocity, luxury. As the color of fire, can represent burning away
impurities.
ARCHETYPAL COLORS
• Purple: The color of royalty, imperial power, pride, justice,
intuition, wisdom, truth.
• Red: Blood, life, life-force; embarrassment, anger; fire, lust,
passion, courage, will power, and war.
• White: Purity, holiness, sacredness, redemption, mystical
enlightenment, innocence, joy, light, perfection.
• Yellow: The sun, illumination, intellect, maturity, enlightenment,
wisdom.
Archetypal Symbols:
 Something concrete or real that represents something greater, usually an
abstract idea
 Example: The Circle
• reminds of the huddle around the communal fire of early man
• inherent are bonds of family, unity, togetherness created by arms around
each other stance in an embrace or hug
• eternity built into the symbol because it has no beginning or end
• Consider a wedding ring which features a circular shape which symbolizes
unity and eternity
 Other Symbol Examples:
Archetypal Settings:
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Setting includes time, place, and atmosphere
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Pay attention to the time of day a story takes place.
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Settings are carefully chosen by the author to emphasize mood within the
story
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Literary Examples:
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DAY = Good things, rational things
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NIGHT = Bad things; lack of understanding; presence of evil
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AUTUMN = things may turn negative soon
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SPRING = birth; new beginning; life
Archetypal Settings…continued
Garden: could represent paradise, innocence, unspoiled
beauty and/or fertility.
Tree: stands for inexhaustible life and is equivalent to
immortality. Think about the life/growth cycle of a tree
– the growth, proliferation, generative and
regenerative processes.
Desert: think about the dry and arid landscape of a
desert. This could symbolize spiritual acridity, death,
complete rejection of religion and morals, and/or
hopelessness
Archetypal Themes:
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Theme is the main idea or an underlying message of a literary work
which may be stated directly or indirectly.
Archetypal Themes are themes that are used frequently in stories
Major Archetypal Themes:
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Love conquers all
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Good will triumph over evil
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Hate, if victorious, will destroy all
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Power of love should be stronger than the power of hate.