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Archetypes. What are they?. Definitions :. An original model which other things are similarly patterned after An image, story pattern, character type, representation, or recurring idea Generally, it evokes strong associations to the reader or observer
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Archetypes What are they?
Definitions: • An original model which other things are similarly patterned after • An image, story pattern, character type, representation, or recurring idea • Generally, it evokes strong associations to the reader or observer • Archetypes can refer to a constantly recurring symbol or motif in literature, painting or mythology
Where do archetypes come from? • Social/cultural anthropology • 1: the science of human beings; especially: the study of human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture • 2: theology dealing with the origin, nature, and destiny of human beings
Sir James George Frazer • anthropologist and writer • He identified shared practices and beliefs between primitive and modern religions
Psychoanalysis • findings and a set of theories on human motivation, behavior, and personality development • human behavior is controlled by our unconscious minds • we inherit traits, as well as develop based on early childhood experiences
Sigmund Freud • Father of Psychoanalysis • “Theory of the Unconscious” • Dreams, slips of the tongue, etc. all point to our desires, repressed needs • His work in psychoanalysis helps us understand how archetypes are formed or already present in the human mind
Famous PsychoanalystCarl Jung • Came up with the idea of a “collective unconscious” • Inherited/intrinsic in all humans • Comprised of archetypes and patterns • (These help us make sense of our world, our dreams and why we share the same experiences) • Jung’s thoughts on shared archetypes in humans can help us explain why we have LITERARY ARCHETYPES
As Christians, how do we reconcile these views? How should we view archetypes, or assimilate them into our worldview? • Ecclesiastes 3:11 • “…Set eternity in the hearts of man…” • Colossians 2:17 • “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
Discussion Points: • What patterns do you see in literature, film or life? • How might these patterns we observe relate to scriptures?