Paper
Cassidy Crust
English 121
This paper is going to be a reflection on five of the twelve archetypes from Carol S. Pearson’s book Awakening the Heroes Within. The twelve I am choosing to talk about are the Innocent, the Warrior, the Lover, the Magician, and the Fool. I am going to compare the archetypes to famous characters in literature and famous celebrities in our world today. I am also going to compare one of the archetypes to myself. To begin with I am going to start with the archetype the Innocent.
In the story Watership Down written by Richard Adams, a character in the book reminds me of the Archetype the Innocent in many ways. Fiver main objective in Watership Down is to flee the warren and find safety. This is very much like the Innocents goal. The Innocents goal is to “remain in safety”, which is also Fiver’s goal. As Fiver sets out on his journey to find a safe warren he faced with many obstacles and risk he must take to go on. The shadow side of the Innocent is risk taking. Just as I stated Fiver took many risk in his journey to find a new warren. This shows that Fiver also has the shadow side of the Innocent. In the book Awaking the Heroes Within Pearson talks about how “the archetypal Innocent is seen as somehow to blame for the fall” (75). In Watership Down Fiver is often blamed for making the rabbits that decided to follow him leave their warren and enter the dangerous world to find a new one. Just as the Innocent is blamed for “the fall” Fiver is also blamed for the fall. However, Pearson also states that the Innocent may be blamed for the fall, but it is a “fortunate fall”. Fivers fall ends up being a fortunate fall for even though they risked leaving their warren, he ended up helping the rabbits find a new safe warren to live in. This was fortunate because, their old warren was destroyed by humans. The call of the Innocent is to find a “safe, secure environment; a desire to be protected” Fiver also experiences this call when he sees the vision of the warren being destroyed by the humans. He knows he must go find a new warren to feel the safety. One last comparison of Fiver and the archetype the Innocent is when Pearson is talking about the Innocent “assuming that they will be cared for by the universe and other people.” I feel as though Fiver assumed he too would be cared for by Hazel, his big brother.
The Warrior is an archetype that is seen as being very strong and disciplined. The Celebrity Oprah is very much like the archetype the Warrior. Everyone knows Oprah as the wonder woman of today. She has traveled to many countries helping people in need and is known for helping in the battle against diseases such as AIDS, HIV, and many other killing diseases. She is also known for her great battle against poverty in the world. The Warriors goal is to “make a difference through struggle” just as Oprah has made it her number one goal in her life to make a difference in the world. Pearson states in her book “the warrior myth tells us how human courage and struggle can overcome evil” (95). Oprah has made a great struggle and has used her courage to overcome the evil that is in our world. On her website she has posted “Live your best life” Oprah Is doing this by trying to change the evil in our world as much as she can well she is alive, just as the Warrior would do. Another comparison between Oprah and the Warrior is they both share the same call. The Warriors call is “confrontation of a great challenge or obstacle”; this too is also Oprah’s call in life. Oprah also shares level one, two, and three of the Warrior. The levels basically say that the Warrior will fight for others without using violence. Oprah is seen all throughout her life fighting for others. Whether a fight for women’s rights or a fight to save starving children if the world, Oprah is always seen fighting for someone else. One last comparison between the two is that the Warrior will “set their goals and devise strategies to achieve them. In doing so, they identify the obstacles and challenges they are likely to meet and how each will be overcome” (103). Oprah also is seen as doing this. She sets goals in her life and figures out ways to achieve what she wants. When Oprah first started out in Hollywood she was a simple new cast girl. She knew she wanted to do bigger better things and achieve more in life. She knew that if she wanted to do this she needed to have her own show. Before she knew it she is the woman she is today. She achieved this by setting goals and overcoming challenges.
The Lover archetype reminds me of myself in many ways. My goal in life is to find pure bliss, just as the Lovers goal is. My greatest fear is “the loss of love” just as the Lovers fear is. The greatest thing the Lover archetype and I share in common is the call the Lover has. The Lovers call is “infatuations, seduction, yearning, falling in love”. I feel my call in life is to fall in love with the man of my dreams and have children and love them. I have always been obsessed with love stories all throughout my life. I am always in and out of relationships and find myself falling in and out of love with different boys. I know my call in life is to find that right man who will treat me like I deserve to be treated. Another huge similarity the Lover and I have in common is the shadow side of the Lover. The shadow side of the archetype is “jealousy, envy, obsessive, and fixation on a love or object or relationship” (157). I have found myself being very jealous at time of other people’s relationship. I find myself wishing at times I could be in a relationship more like the people I envy. However, I have come to realize that not one relationship Is perfect, and every relationship needs work. One last comparison the Lover and I have in common is level one, two, and three of the “Levels of the Lover”. I am also trying to follow my bliss and trying to bond with it. My bliss in life is finding love with someone. Finding true love would be true bliss to me.
In the book series Harry Potter written by J.K. Rowling, one of the main characters Dumbledore reminds me of the archetype the Magician. They share many things in common such as the same goals, fears, and gifts. Dumbledore is introduced as the older man who is very wise. He is very good at magic and has a very deep fatherly lover for the main character in the book Harry Potter. When Pearson says “Magicians also need to find their own healing circle, coven, or group- the people with whom they have a special connection” this reminds me of Dumbledore. Dumbledore all throughout the series has a special connection with Harry. Dumbledore is seen asking Harry for help with tasks he needs help with. Harry is the only person Dumbledore turns to, which is what makes their connection so special. Some other comparisons between the Magician and Dumbledore are the “Levels of the Magician”. The shadow side of the Magician reminds me of Dumbledore. Dumbledore is seen in the book at one point as calling negativity to oneself. He blames himself for the death of his younger brother, which brings a negative feeling on himself. When Pearson talks about the level three of the Magician, this too reminds me of Dumbledore. Dumbledore in the end of his life time realizes that “everything is connected to everything else” just as the Magician does.
The archetype the Fool is very much like the celebrity Adam Sandler. The goal of the foal is enjoyment. All throughout Sandler’s life and career he has made it his goal to enjoy life by making other people laugh. He is one of the most well known actors in Hollywood. The goal of the Fool is also Enjoyment. Another similarity between the Fool and Sandler is the gift of joy. Sandler gives many people joy if their life through his acting, just as the Fool. They also both share level one, two and three of the “Levels of the Fool”. Both the Fool and Sandler also share the same call in life. “Desire to have more enjoyment in life.” (225)
Works Cited:
Pearson, Carol. Awakening the Heroes Within: tweleve archetypes to help us find ourselves and transform our world. New York: HarperOne, 1991. Print
WWW.oprah.com. Web. 1 March 2010.
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