Archetypal CriticismAn Introduction to Archetypes: The Jungian Approach

JUNGIAN ARCHETYPESPsychologist Carl Gustav Jung described

several archetypes that are based in repeating patterns of thought and action that re-appear time and again across people, countries, and continents.

He listed four main forms of archetypes:1. The Shadow 2. The Anima 3. The Animus 4. The Self

The Shadow•The Shadow reflects deeper elements of our psyche—where 'latent dispositions' (which are common to us all) arise—or something that was once split from us early in our lives.

•The Shadow tends to disobey rules and in doing so may plunge things into chaos and battle; however, the Shadow has a sense of the exotic and can be disturbingly fascinating.

THE WILD MAN/WOMANHYBRID-PEOPLE MYSTERIOUS

FIGHTERSDARK ENEMIES

The Shadow appears as…

The Anima (male)The Animus (female)•More simply, the Soul, the anima/animus is the route to communication with the collective unconscious.

•The anima/animus represents our true self, as opposed to the masks we wear every day.

•The anima/animus is the source of our creativity.

HEROESSUPER-HEROES GODS POWERFUL BEINGS

The Anima/Animus appear as…

The Syzygy (divine couple)•Combined, the anima and animus are known as syzygy

•The syzygy represents wholeness and completion— a combination that brings great power and omnipotence. 

CHRISTIAN TRINITY (FATHER, SON, AND HOLY

GHOST)

HINDU TRINITY (BRAHMA, VISHNU, AND SHIVA)

The Syzygy can be found in religious combinations …

The Self•The Self connects with and is part of the universe. •It is the coherent whole that unifies both consciousness and unconsciousness and may be found elsewhere in such principles as nirvana and ecstatic harmony. •The creation of the Self is a process of individuation: the process of psychological integration, having for its goal the development of the individual personality.

“RE-BIRTH” (RETURNING TO

THE WHOLENESS OF BIRTH

SPIRITUAL/MORAL RE-ASSESSMENT

The Self is represented through. …

Other ArchetypesFamily archetypes

◦The father = stern, powerful, controlling

◦The mother = feeding, nurturing, soothing

◦The child = birth, beginnings, salvation

Animal archetypes ◦The faithful dog = unquestioning

loyalty ◦The enduring horse = pertinacious◦The devious cat = self-serving,

conniving

Other ArchetypesStory archetypes

◦The hero = rescuer, champion ◦The maiden = purity, desire ◦The wise old man = knowledge,

guidance ◦The magician = mysterious, powerful ◦The earth mother = Nature ◦The witch or sorceress = dangerous ◦The trickster = deceiving, hidden ◦The scapegoat = someone who pays for

the crimes/sins of others

URSULA LEGUIN’S“THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS”

Close Reading: Applying Knowledge of Jungian Archetypes

The Literary 3x3 Three, three-word sentences to state the essence of the

work (“A Jury of Her Peers”)

Apathy strangles devotion

Tidiness uncovers truth

Sympathy chokes justice

Guilt creates bondChair symbolizes

satisfactionBird justifies death

Unpredicted fate evolves

Curiosity unearths reality

Empathy conceals truth

Guilt consumes women

Curiosity unveils evidence

Lost heart’s saved

Create a 3x3 on your yellow card for “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”

Archetypes include the scapegoat, an individual whose death--or, in this story, extreme maltreatment--is believed to expiate the sins of a community.

LeGuin calls stories with archetypal themes "pyscho myths," another Jungian term referring to the collective unconscious and the role in myths transcending human minds. ◦ "psycho myth" = a blend of psyche and myth: our psyche

being what we think we are.◦ According to LeGuin, these stories take place "out of real

time" ◦ Though they are still fantasy or science fiction, elements

of specific locale and characters are stripped down so that the archetypal theme takes on primary significance.

“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”

Science Fiction/FantasyPragmatismAllegory – politicalAllegory – religiousSymbolismThe meaning of the work as a

whole