NCHS AP English Language

Hannah Robinson Ishmael's Archetype

Hannah Robinson
English – H
10/05/06

Archetypes

Archetypes are found everywherethroughout literature; every story and most characters can be classified into an archetype. Archetypes are also present in our everyday lives. These archetypes affect the decisions and actions people will make. In the novel Moby Dick Ishmael, one of the main characters and narrator, develops his own specific archetype.
Jungian archetype, which is one form of identifying archetypes, is an unconscious thought pattern that effects and "parallels" the choics one makes in the world. Jung, whom Jungian philosophy is named after, introedcued and discovered a new model and study to the human mind. His discoveries ledt o this dfinition of an archetype. The Jungian archetype is usually inherited or greatly influenced by the culture, ancestors, and race of individuals. Most Archetypes rather are not whole pictures but just small clips of images that have existed since the origin of one person. One analogy protrayed by Jung describes archetypes rather as negative of film waiting to experiences something that will develop the archetype into a full picture.
Ishmael's character provides many qualities and certain actions that bring about an overall "Ishmael archetype". Part of Ishmael's archetype is contribuited from his ancestors and the way he was raised. Ishmael brought up as a Christianand occupying the conservative job as schoolteacher, unconciously makes a immediately bias against Qeequeg, his roomate at The Spouter Inn. this prejudice against ueequeg produces the image in Ihsmael's mid that anyone whol looks like a cannibal or acts as Queequeg does is a corrupt man. However, after Ishmael discovers Queequeg's true character he lets down his unitentional barrier. THis bias of Ihsmael towards ueequeg represents a "negative photo" of an archetype that becomes a fully developed picture through the interaction with Queequeg. Another archetype of Ishmael comes from Ishmael's depressive state. In the first page Moby Dick, Ishmael states that his soul "feels like a drizzly November". Something tells Ishmael that going to participate in a whaling voyage, would do him better then sitting around being an unhappy schoolteacher. Even though this archetype is more conciously aroused, Ishmael lets this partial image and feelings guide his decision to board the Pequod. Overall "Ishmael's archetype" defines one who is quick to judge, an outsider, and inexperienced.
Archetypes influence most characters and people we will read about or meet. Archetypes develop into whole images differently and at different types in everyone. Certain outside experiences from our birth affects the outcome of one's own Jungian archetype. No matter how alike some people may seem usually the archetypes will end up contrasting.

www.questia.com [Jungian Reflections within the Cinema: A Psychological Analysis of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Archetypes; Iaccino, James]

posted by NCHS AP English Language III @ 8:02 PM