INTRODUCTION TO ARCHETYPES

The Hero’s Quest

What IS an archetype? An archetype is a universal symbolic

pattern. (www.PBS.org)

There can be archetypal characters and archetypal stories. Some examples:

Characters StoriesThe trickster The underworld The wise old man / sage The apocalypse The great mother A paradiseThe evil one (devil / Satan)

The great flood

Different Stories, Same Archetype

Pair up with a partner and try to find an example of each character archetype.

Characters StoriesThe trickster The underworld The wise old man / sage The apocalypse The great mother A paradiseThe evil one (devil / Satan)

The great flood

(Five minutes, then we’ll share)

Why? Now that we have a few examples of how

different stories and characters represent common archetypes, any ideas on why this happens?

Joseph Campbell World famous mythologist. His cross-cultural studies of ancient people

allowed him to conclude that different cultures had similar myths, or archetypes.

He further concluded that there was an archetypal plot line, or formula, within these myths which remained constant from one culture to the next.

The Hero’s Quest According to Campbell, “A hero ventures

forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

From The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1949. p.23.

A Simplified Version:

The Journey: Star Wars and the Matrix!

Campbell Star Wars The MatrixI: Departure The call to adventure Princess Leia's

message"Follow the white rabbit"

Refusal of the call Must help with the harvest

Neo won't climb out window

Supernatural aid Obi-wan rescues Luke from sandpeople

Trinity extracts the "bug" from Neo

Crossing the first threshold

Escaping Tatooine Neo is taken out of the Matrix for the first time

The belly of the whale Trash compactor Torture room

Adapted from www.MoonGadget.com

The Journey: Star Wars and the Matrix!

Part II: Initiation The road of trials Lightsaber practice Sparring with MorpheusThe meeting with the goddess

Princess Leia (wears white, in earlier scripts was a "sister" of a mystic order)

The Oracle

Temptation away from the true path1

Luke is tempted by the Dark Side

Cypher (the failed messiah) is tempted by the world of comfortable illusions

Atonement with the Father

Darth and Luke reconcile Neo rescues and comes to agree (that he's The One) with his father-figure, Morpheus

Apotheosis (becoming god-like)

Luke becomes a Jedi Neo becomes The One

The ultimate boon Death Star destroyed Humanity's salvation now within reach

The Journey: Star Wars and the Matrix!

III: Return Refusal of the return "Luke, come on!" Luke

wants to stay to avenge Obi-Wan

Neo fights agent instead of running

The magic flight Millennium Falcon "Jacking in"

Rescue from without Han saves Luke from Darth

Trinity saves Neo from agents

Crossing the return threshold

Millennium Falcon destroys pursuing TIE fighters

Neo fights Agent Smith

Master of the two worlds

Victory ceremony Neo's declares victory over machines in final phone call

Freedom to live Rebellion is victorious over Empire

Humans are victorious over machines

The Journey: Star Wars and the Matrix!

Common Archetypal Elements

Two Worlds (mundane and special)

Planetside vs. The Death Star

Reality vs. The Matrix

The Mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi Morpheus

The Oracle Yoda The Oracle

The Prophecy Luke will overthrow the Emperor

Morpheus will find (and Trinity will fall for) "The One“

WearingEnemy's Skin

Luke and Han wear stormtrooper outfits

Neo jumps into agent's skin

The Matrix

In conclusion… Archetypes are universal patterns. They have developed over time, in

different cultures and areas of the world, because we make sense and understand the world in similar ways.

As we read different stories and examine different characters, look for archetypal characters and stories.

When you identify one, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What name would you give this archetype? (Hero, villain, trickster, sage, etc.) Support with evidence.

2. How do they compare to other forms of the same archetype?

3. How did the author convince you that this particular character or story was an archetype? (Events in plot, interaction with other characters, etc.)