WHAT TYPE OF ARCHETYPE What is an Archetype

WHAT TYPE OF ARCHETYPE?

What is an Archetype? § A universal symbol that represents patterns of human nature. - Typically have a recurring representation in a culture or race § Can be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting. § An archetype can “shape the structure and function of a literary work. ”

THE QUEST

Definition § In literature a quest consists of 5 part: - a quester: usually does not know he/she is going on a quest - a place to go - a stated reason to go there - challenges and trials en route - a real reason to go there

Other Important Points § The real reason for the quest is always self-knowledge - Questers almost always fail so they gain insight from their failures § Questers are almost always young!!! because they’re still learning about themselves

Effects of the Archetype In the novel, Invisible Man, the narrator describes his lifelong struggle to create an identity amongst white people in America. He wants to be like a white man and distance himself from uneducated blacks in the south. • The narrator doesn’t think the identities he possesses are true to his character so he feels invisible to the world. • The narrator creates the identity that he has been longing for by learning a valuable lesson after each quest that was noticed before. -Ralph Ellison explains the social and political forces such as racism that attempt to keep black citizens in their place which causes the challenges that were faced in the quest to establish his identity.

Quest #1 in Invisible Man § Questor: The narrator § A place to go: State College for Negroes § Stated Reason: To go to school and gain intelligence experience. § Challenges: Racism, expulsion, struggle to prove himself to Mr. Norton § Real Reason: To prove himself in a white society

Quest in Invisible Man § Questor: The Narrator § A Place to Go: Harlem and the Brotherhood § Stated Reason: Find a job with his "recommendation letters" so he can eventually go back to college § Challenges: Racism, distancing himself from previous identity, Ras the exhorter, credibility of the brotherhood, finding a job § Real Reason: He learned his identity doesn't come from the approval of white men

Quest in Invisible Man § Questor: The narrator § A Place to Go: Reinhart § Stated Reason: Create a disguise that allows the narrator to be invisible § Challenges: Racism, dealing with the realization that he was part of a sellout, feelings that he betrayed his people, conditions in Harlem getting worse for blacks § Real Reason: To realize that his personal experiences build his own identity

Quest in Despicable Me § Questor: Gru § Place to Go: Orphanage/Adoption Agency § Stated Reason: To advance as a villain § Challenges: not knowing how handle children, job got in the way of raising the kids § Real Reason: He wanted a family

Quest in Thomas Crown Affair § Questor: Thomas Crown § Place to Go: Metropolitan Museum of Art § Stated Reason: He is very rich and he wants to prove to himself that he can pull off a really clever con. § Challenges: Do the con in broad daylight, not get caught, not ruin his reputation § Real Reason: He wants to be with the detective that he knows will follow him and try to figure him out

Works Cited § “Archetype - Examples and Definition of Archetype. ” Literary Devices, 11 Mar. 2015, literarydevices. net/archetype/. § “The 7 Types of Plots: The Quest. ” The Write Practice, 14 Oct. 2015, thewritepractice. com/the-quest/. § “Archetype Examples and Definition. ” Literary Devices, 30 Oct. 2015, www. literarydevices. com/archetype/.