NCHS AP English Language

Ishmael Archetypes- Lindsay Miller

An archetype is way of defining the inner psyche or a primordial image. The four archetypes of the mind are the self, or the personal and in which encompasses the other three archetypes: shadow, which hides anything that is taboo from the conscious mind, anima, which is the spiritual, passive part, inferior to the next archetype, animus, which is the expression of emotion, the outer, more extroverted, aggressive part. Archetypes, according to Jung, emphasizes on the power of the unconscious mind, which is the source to all creative impulses. Under these four archetypes, the mind also catergorizes dream subjects and real subjects as archetypes in the sense of the eternal child, wise old man, wandering hero, etc. However, this is not applicable to Moby-Dick. These mind archetypes are living systems of reactions and aptitudes that determine the individual's life in invisible ways, according to Jung. "Jung in Contexts: A Reader" [I cannot figure out how to do italics]
Ishmael can be viewed as the shadow or the anima archetypes. In the sense of the shadow, he is an outsider who views everything and takes in the taboo and accepted because nothing is taboo to an outsider. Unlike a person on the inside, their shadow would hide the taboo from them, but since Ishmael basically is the shadow, he sees the taboo and realizes, such as thinking that Christians maybe are not as good as the s, i.e. Queequeg.
Ishmael could also be viewed as the anima because he is very passive and not too outgoing. He does not assert himself; he is just along for the ride, in a sense. He simply does what he is told and does not question or object, just like the inferior, passive anima. He is always there, but he does not express his emotions too flamboyantly, and he is not particularly extroverted, passionate or egotistical as the animus archetype is.
As a stereotypical archetype, Ishmael would be viewed as the outsider. He is silent, observant, a loner. He has not family, no friends, no real outer connections. He is an observer, unbiased, just always watching.

Or, to state what the Ishmael archetype would be may be a little difficult. The classic Ishmael archetype would be an unbiased outsider. He is depressed and distant, no connections to the outside world. He is friendly and approachable though, becomes attached to protective friends who are typically viewed as outsiders also. He is simply along for the ride, very passive and introverted, to himself. He views something, such as the sea, as an escape from the humdrum day to day world which depresses him. He needs structure in his life at all times, but he cannot have repetitive structure, thus in Moby-Dick the structure of his day to day life bothers him after awhile, and he moves to the rigid structure and uniformity of being a sailor on a ship. Furthermore, Ishmael archetypes tend to be quiet, keeping their thoughts to theirselves, not too passionate, or outgoing. They can view all things, even the taboo, openly, and nothing is hidden from them because they judge nothing, seeing as they are the outcast. They are not readily accepted into groups, if they left most people would not notice. However, they are just a cosntant prescence, a wallflower, at whatever group they happen to flit into at the time. They are floaters and drifters, never in one place too long because they cannot take the tedious of life for too long.

- Lindsay Miller

posted by Anonymous @ 9:09 AM