Introduction to Archetypes in Literature
- 1. Introduction to Archetypes Lydia Elrod 8th grade ELA
- 2. Standard • ELACC8RL9: Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new.
- 3. Objectives • The student will define what an archetype is in his or her own words. • The student will find examples of different archetypes in the novel. • The student will compare the archetypal characters in the class novel, The House of the Scorpion to characters of the same archetype in other stories, television shows, etc.
- 4. What’s an Archetype? • An archetype is a first model from which others are derived or copied. This can be a symbolic character that fits a certain role, such as the hero or the underdog.
- 5. What are some other examples? • • • • • • • • The mother or father figure The fatal woman/temptress The witch The monster/villain The innocent The alter ego or double The wise old man or woman The trickster or fool
- 6. Think-Pair-Share • On your own paper, write your own definition of “archetype” in your own words. Include an example from a book, movie, or television show that represents an archetype we’ve discussed. • When the timer goes off, turn to your neighbor and discuss what you’ve written.
- 7. The Lesson/Activity • The teacher will then discuss the many archetypes represented in The House of the Scorpion. • The students will work with a partner to research an assigned archetype to create a presentation about this particular archetype. It will include a description of this archetype’s characteristics, examples of characters from the book that identify with this archetype, and other examples that they’ve recognized in books, movies, television shows, etc. • Pictures will be included in their presentations.