Archetype
Archetype: "An original model or pattern from which other later copies are made, especially a character, an action, or situation that seems to represent common patterns of human life. Often, archetypes include a symbol, a theme, a setting, or a character that some critics think have a common meaning in an entire culture, or even the entire human race. These images have particular emotional resonance and power. Archetypes recur in different times and places in myth, literature, folklore, fairy tales, dreams, artwork, and religious rituals. Using the comparative anthropological work of Sir James Frazer's The Golden Bough, the psychologist Carl Jung theorized that the archetype originates in the collective unconscious of mankind, i.e., the shared experiences of a race or culture, such as birth, death, love, family life, and struggles to survive and grow up. These would be expressed in the subconscious of an individual who would recreate them in myths, dreams, and literature"
Wheeler, L. Kipp. Dr. Wheeler's Website. (2003) Accessed on April 19, 2013.http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_A.html
Archetype: "The literary critic applies the term to an image, a descriptive detail, a plot pattern, or a character type that occurs frequently in literature, myth, religion, or folklore and is, therefore, believed to evoke profound emotions because it touches the unconscious memory and thus calls into play illogical but strong responses. The archetypal critic studies a work in therms of the images or patterns it has in common with [a parallel figure in] other poems, plays, or novels, and thus by extension as a portion of the total experience. In this sense the archetype is, as Northrop Frye defines it, "a symbol, usually an image, which recurs often enough in literature to be recognizable as an element of one's literary experience as a whole"
Harmon, William and C. Hugh Holman. "Archetype". A Handbook to Literature, Seventh Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.
Wheeler, L. Kipp. Dr. Wheeler's Website. (2003) Accessed on April 19, 2013.http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_A.html
Archetype: "The literary critic applies the term to an image, a descriptive detail, a plot pattern, or a character type that occurs frequently in literature, myth, religion, or folklore and is, therefore, believed to evoke profound emotions because it touches the unconscious memory and thus calls into play illogical but strong responses. The archetypal critic studies a work in therms of the images or patterns it has in common with [a parallel figure in] other poems, plays, or novels, and thus by extension as a portion of the total experience. In this sense the archetype is, as Northrop Frye defines it, "a symbol, usually an image, which recurs often enough in literature to be recognizable as an element of one's literary experience as a whole"
Harmon, William and C. Hugh Holman. "Archetype". A Handbook to Literature, Seventh Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.
The Journey
The Journey: "The journey sends the hero in search for some truth of information necessary to restore fertility, justice, and/or harmony to the kingdom. The journey includes the series of trials and tribulations the hero faces along the way. Usually the hero descends into a real or psychological hell and is forced to discover the blackest truths, quite often concerning his faults. Once the hero is at this lowest level , he must accept personal responsibility to return to the world of the living"
"Archetype Definitions." Edmond Schools, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2013 <http://www.edmondschools.net/Portals/0/docs/Writing%20Center/Middle/STEPS-Archetype-Definitions.pdf>
"Archetype Definitions." Edmond Schools, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2013 <http://www.edmondschools.net/Portals/0/docs/Writing%20Center/Middle/STEPS-Archetype-Definitions.pdf>
The Monomyth
American writer and mythologist, Joseph John Campbell, referred to the hero's journey as the monomyth. He breaks the hero's journey down step by step, beginning with an ordinary day. In "The Hero With A Thousand Faces", Campbell defines the monomyth, or heros journey.
"In a monomyth, the hero begins in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unknown world of strange powers and events. The hero who accepts the call to enter this strange world must face tasks and trials, either alone or with assistance. In the most intense versions of the narrative, the hero must survive a severe challenge, often with help. If the hero survives, he may achieve a great gift or "boon." The hero must then decide whether to return to the ordinary world with this boon. If the hero does decide to return, he or she often faces challenges on the return journey. If the hero returns successfully, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world"
"In a monomyth, the hero begins in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unknown world of strange powers and events. The hero who accepts the call to enter this strange world must face tasks and trials, either alone or with assistance. In the most intense versions of the narrative, the hero must survive a severe challenge, often with help. If the hero survives, he may achieve a great gift or "boon." The hero must then decide whether to return to the ordinary world with this boon. If the hero does decide to return, he or she often faces challenges on the return journey. If the hero returns successfully, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world"
Joseph Campbell. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1968.
There are different types and stages of archetypal journeys. Some include the quest for identity, vengeance or knowledge. The journey to find the "Promised Lane" or the journey to save people. Though the purpose of one's journey may differ from the next, there are overarching stages that can be found in all archetypal journeys. From the early stages of the hero's departure to the return and reintegration with society, the stages of a hero's journey is crucial to the story. According to Campbell, not all stages are used and not all elements are experienced. It is useful to understand the journey because it can serve as a map or guideline. The common structural elements found in myths, movies, and fairy tales help the audience understand the hero better but it is important to remember that the hero's journey has no set formula. Instead it allows the audience to take familiar expectations and get a better sense of the story and focus on the values of the hero's journey.