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SYMBOLISM, ARCHETYPES, & PLOT PATTERNS. I. SYMBOLISM. A symbol is something that stands for something else A person, place, thing, or event that represents something beyond its literal meaning to the story. II. ARCHETYPES.
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I. SYMBOLISM • A symbol is something that stands for something else • A person, place, thing, or event that represents something beyond its literal meaning to the story
II.ARCHETYPES • A recurring pattern found in the mythology, religion, and stories of all cultures and time periods • These patterns can be found in characters, symbols, themes, and plots • Why are they important? • Archetypes help us realize that we have common traits that we share with others outside of our culture. • Since archetypes are universal and timeless, they help us interpret situations and characters that might be quite different from ourselves.
III. SOME COMMONLY USED ARCHETYPES • The Mother • Symbolizes growing, dependence, self-concern, nurturing • The keeper and protector of life • The Father • Symbolizes independence or a giving nature • Often acts as a protector or guide
C. WATER • Most commonly represents birth and rebirth • It also serves as a symbol for separation, union, life, and destruction
D. THE COLOR BLACK • Can represent evil, death, terror, chaos, and the unknown E. THE COLOR RED • Most commonly used to represent love. • Can also be a symbol for death, murder, and lust
F. THE RISING SUN • Represents new life, beginnings, birth, hope, and peace G. THE SETTING SUN • Often represents death, endings, and no hope • Can also be used to represent the movement towards the unknown, ignorance, or despair
H. THE CAVE OR HUT i. Used to represent the womb
IV. THE HERO ARCHETYPE • Usually the hero is from a mysterious origin, born under unusual circumstances, or born in secret • They are often are physically set apart from others or emotionally feel like it • Has an “I can do anything” attitude • Performs great deeds • Goes on a quest
V. WHY DO WE HAVE A NEED FOR HEROES? • Role models – we want to strive to be like someone better than us. • Want someone to pave the way for all of us – someone to “break the mold” • Someone to make the world safe at an unsafe or uncertain time.
VI. PLOT PATTERNS IN LITERATURE • Throughout cultures and times, certain patterns of story-telling exist. • These patterns contain a specific formula of events that drive the story, its central conflict, and theme.
C. FREYTAG’S PYRAMID • Gustav Freytag was a Nineteenth Century German novelist who saw common patterns in the plots of stories and novels. • In 1863, he wrote Die Technik des Dramas in which he developed a diagram to analyze these stories and novels. • He diagrammed the story's plot using a pyramid. 1816-1895
FREYTAG'S PYRAMID CLIMAX FALLING ACTION RISING ACTION DÉNOUEMENT INCITING INCIDENT EXPOSITION RESOLUTION
D. THE HERO’S JOURNEY • Joseph Campbell was a theorist in the 1920s who began to study myths and legends. • He found a pattern that spanned all cultures and all ages, which he developed into his theory of “The Hero’s Journey.” • It models human experience, describing the patterns of life, growth, and experience 1904-1987
STAGE ONE: SEPARATION STAGE THREE: RETURN Call to Adventure Reward Threshold Guardians The Return The Known The Unknown or Shadow Realm Crossing the Threshold Helpers Revelation Tests STAGE TWO: TRANSFORMATION Transformation Abyss or Supreme Test