Tuesday, April 3, 2012

• What does it take? Activity• Notes

What makes a “good” teacher?

“For we have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us...”

― Joseph Campbell

Archetype

ar·che·type (ärk-tp) n. 1. An original model or type after which other similar things

are patterned; a prototype: "'Frankenstein' . . . 'Dracula' . . . 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' . . . the archetypes that have influenced all subsequent horror stories" (New York Times).

2. An ideal example of a type; quintessence: an archetype of the successful entrepreneur.

3. In Jungian psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious.

Background:

• Psychologist (A person trained and educated to perform psychological research, testing, and therapy) Carl Jung and scholar Joseph Campbell spread the idea of archetypes. They did not create the concept.

• There are repeating patters of character types, symbols, relationships, and situations in stories across time periods.

Background:• For example, each culture has a creation myth,

and history repeats itself.

• Archetypes are common character types, symbols and relationships that appear often in stories (new and old). Archetypes help us to understand the purpose/function of characters in a story.

Background:• Archetypes are like masks that the characters

wear at different points of the story.

• We will focus on 7: hero, mentor, herald, threshold guardian, shapeshifter, trickster, and shadow.

Your mission:

1) In small groups of four, identify the qualities/characteristics that your archetype commonly has in the story-whatever that may be.

2) Create a poster and label these qualitiesor characteristics.

3) Add any other notes that your classmates should know. You are the expert, so teach them!

4) You will share these notes with the class.

What makes a (insert archetype)?

Hero

Qualities/Characteristics:• Selfless; self-sacrifice• Easily identified with; everyman• Seven different types

Types/Examples:• Willing: King Arthur, Hercules• Unwilling: Shrek• Cynical Anti-Hero: Gollum,

Gatsby, Captain Jack Sparrow• Tragic Anti-Hero: Hamlet• Group Oriented: William

Wallace• Lone Hero: Indiana Jones• Catalyst Hero: Superman

Mentor

Qualities/Characteristics:• Loyal friend, wise adviser,

teacher, guardian• Connected to all things; older• Acts as the hero’s conscience• May be what the hero could

become• 2 responsibilities: teaching and

gift giving

Types/Examples:• Dark mentor: opposite of heroic

values• Fallen mentor: has trouble w/

own heroic journey• Continuing mentor: recurring

characters in a series of stories• Multiple mentors: each teaches

a new skill to the hero• Comic mentor: advising sidekick• Shaman: aids the Hero in

seeking a guiding vision to help on the journey.

Herald/Harbinger

Qualities/Characteristics:• Gives a challenge or announces

the coming of change.• Can be a chance or planned

meeting with the hero.• Often represented by an animal• Compels the Hero to answer

the Call to Adventure*• Can be Hero’s inner knowledge

that change is needed or a feeling of restlessness

Types/Examples:• Negative: a Shadow or

Threshold Guardian (issuing a challenge or trying to trick the Hero)

• Positive: the mentor in disguise• Neutral: an Ally or Threshold

Guardian (Hero has found his/her own way to the 1st Threshold)

Threshold Guardian

Qualities/Characteristics:• A menacing face to the Hero,

but can be overcome or turn into an ally

• Not the villain, but a lesser thug or henchman hired to guard the chief’s headquarters

• Placed to test the Hero’s willingness and skill.

Types/Examples:• Not always characters• May represent obstacles (bad

weather, bad luck, prejudice, oppression)

• Can be the Hero’s internal demons (emotional scars, vices, dependencies, self-limitations)

• Fully evolved Hero can learn to feel compassion for his enemies rather than just destroy them.

Shapeshifter

Qualities/Characteristics:• Can be confused w/ Trickster• Main job = lure the Hero to

his/her doom or reward.• In some stories the hero has to

figure out which side he or she is dealing with

• Often begins life as a Threshold Guardian.

Types/Examples:• Changes form• Often the Hero’s love interest

whom the Hero doesn’t understand

• Sincerity and loyalty is called into question

• Characters out for blood who may try to murder the Hero

• Ally or enemy label revealed at the end of story

Trickster/Fool

Qualities/Characteristics:• Differs from Shapeshifter in that

it is the comic aspect of story• Often begins life as a Threshold

Guardian.

Types/Examples:• Personification of world’s chaos

w/ no purpose• May or may not work with the

Hero or Shadow• May have own skewed agenda

Shadow

Qualities/Characteristics:• Represents the energy of the

dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized, or rejected aspects of something

• In direct conflict with the Hero whose goal it is to destroy

Types/Examples:• External shadows (Villains) must

be destroyed• Internal shadows must be

acknowledged• Mirror and personify the traits the

Hero refuses to acknowledge are within himself/herself

• A Mentor may act as a Shadow to teach the Hero a lesson

• Any character can be a shadow, but only the character whose motivations are in direct conflict with the Hero’s is the Villain

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Hero:

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Hero: Marlin

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Mentor:

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Mentor: Crush (sea turtle)

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Herald: Nemo starting school

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Threshold Guardian:

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Threshold Guardian: Bruce, Anchor, & Chum (sharks) among other obstacles.

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Shapeshifter: Ocean (?)

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Trickster:

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Trickster: Dory

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Shadow:

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Shadow: separation from son; dentist, scuba-diver

Let’s use a movie example: Finding Nemo

• Hero: Marlin• Mentor: Crush (sea turtle)• Herald: Nemo starting school• Threshold Guardian: Bruce, Anchor, & Chum

(sharks)• Shapeshifter: Ocean (?)• Trickster: Dory• Shadow: separation from son; dentist, scuba-diver

• Go to Day 2 PP