Archetypal Symbols, Characters and Stereotypes

What are a few examples of archetypes commonly found in literature and movies?

-Austin Hughes-

ARCHETYPES

IN LITERATURE AND FILM

OBJECTIVE • Performance: Students will be able to locate examples of

archetypal characters, symbols, and images.

• Condition: Using these examples, students will identify patterns in archetypal usage and make suggestions regarding the author’s purpose of usage, and classify the examples into groups that represent their stereotype.

• Criteria: The students will identify at least three archetypes and apply their knowledge to accurately classify each character to a particular stereotype and provide evidence for their decision.

OVERVIEW• Brief history

• “The Good Guys”

• “The Bad Guys”

• Activity (worksheet Hand-out)

• Archetypal Colors and Symbols

• Group Activity

ETYMOLOGYARCHETYPE

• First used in English in 1540.

• The word archetype derives from the Latin noun archetypum.

• Meaning “Pattern, Model, Type”

• Villain• The Trickster• The Shadow

• The Hero• The Anti-Hero• The Mentor

COMMON TYPES OF ARCHETYPES

Protagonist Antagonist

“THE GOOD GUYS”

TYPES OF HEROES• The Willing Hero

• Willing to undertake any quest courageously

• The Unwilling Hero• Doubtful, passive, unwilling to journey

• The Loner Hero• Able to overcome opposition alone

• Tragic Hero• Have a tragic flaw that hurt them in the end

EXAMPLES OF HEROES• The Willing Hero

• Beowulf; King Arthur; Red Crosse Knight

• The Unwilling Hero• Achilles, Hercules, Bilbo, Aragorn

• The Loner Hero• James Bond; Superman; Indiana Jones

• Tragic Hero• Romeo; Brutus; Hamlet; Macbeth

TYPES OF MENTORS• The “Wise Old Man/Woman”• Possesses wisdom and experience

• The Comic Mentor• Provides humorous advice• Continuing Mentor

• Recurring character such as boss or best friend

• Fallen Mentor• Have faced a similar crisis; provides warning

EXAMPLES OF MENTORS• The “Wise Old Man/Woman• Yoda, Van Helsing, Gandalf• The Comic Mentor

• Glenda the Witch, Fairy Godmothers, • Continuing Mentor• Alfred, Mentor, Una

• Fallen Mentor• Haymitch, Yoda

ANTI-HEROES• Generally oppressive, pessimistic,

and/or corrupt. • Motivated by own personal desires

• Reluctant• Classic Anti-Hero

• Frankenstein, Achilles, Hercules• The Tragic Anti-Hero

• Jack Sparrow, Darth Vadar, Han Solo

HEROES & THEIR MENTORS• Heroic characters typically have a guide that enlightens

them near the beginning of their journey and/or in times of hardship.• Frodo had Gandalf

• Batman had Alfred

• Luke Skywalker had Ben Kanobi

• Mina Murray had Van Helsing

“THE BAD GUYS”

THE VILLAIN• The foil of the hero

• Dueling personalities, tricky

• Classic Villains• Moriarty, Long John Silver, The

Dragon• Modern Villains

• The Joker, Hannibal Lector

THE SHADOW• Hero’s foil (Mirror Image of the hero)

• Dueling personalities, tricky• The arch enemy

• Classic Example • Mr. Hyde, Duessa • Modern Example• The Dark Sith,

THE TRICKSTER• Seek to humiliate or outwit the Hero

• Antics cause the adventure• Cunning and foolish

• Classic Tricksters • Archimago, Reynard the Fox

• Modern Tricksters• Bugs Bunny, The Riddler, the Joker

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 fantasiesThe PROFESSOR - coolly analytical, he knows every answer The WARRIOR - a noble champion, he acts with honor

During Reading Activities

ARCHETYPAL COLORS• Black: Death/mourning, emotional darkness, hidden

desires/instincts, un-enlightenment. Black: darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy.

• Blue: The color of the spirit, the spiritual, the heavenly, the divine, intuition, inspiration. Has the association with the unconscious and feminine qualities.

• Green: In positive terms, Mother Nature, fertility, hope, renewal, health, youth, harmony, prosperity. The color of sensual and spiritual passion.

• 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. As a blend of red and blue, it is the color of authority/ power and the wisdom to know how to use it.

• Red: Blood, life, life-force; embarrassment, anger; fire, lust, passion. Associated with activity, energy, courage, will power, and war.

• White: Purity, holiness, sacredness, redemption, mystical enlightenment, innocence, joy, light and life it is transcendent perfection. It signifies the union of opposites to form a whole as well as the symbolic death of transformation and renewal.

• Yellow: The sun, illumination, intellect and generosity, maturity. The color of fire and thus the purification of flame. Yellow: enlightenment, wisdom.

AFTER READING ACTIVITY

• Each group will choose an archetype: (Hero, villain, mentor, or trickster.)

List 3 physical characteristicsList 3 personality traits and/or ideals

Describe the archetype’s typical purpose in the story.

Provide 3 famous examples of your archetype in literature

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

• Applying the information from today’s lesson, create a unique set of archetypal characters (a hero, a mentor, and a villain) and write a short story using your characters.

• Story must be at least one page in length

• Contain an introduction, problematic situation, and a conclusion explaining the hero’s triumph or defeat.

• Ticket in the door:

• Place completed short story in box beside the door.

GEORGIA STANDARDS • ELA10RL2: The student identifies, analyzes,

and applies knowledge of theme in literary works and provides evidence from the works to support understanding.

• E. I. Archetypal Characters (i.e., hero, good mother, sage, trickster, etc.) ii. Archetypal Patterns (i.e., journey of initiation, search for the father, etc.) iii. Archetypal Symbols (i.e., colors, water, light/dark, etc.)