Archetypes Essay

An archetype is a human experience or symbol that is universally known and accepted. Archetypes can be images or stories passed on through history. Carl Jung, a prominent psychiatrist in the early 1900’s, used archetypes in his theory about the human psyche and how humans can recognize these symbols because they reside in the collective human subconscious. Some common examples of archetypes are The Hero, The Mentor, The Mother, The Villain and many more. Archetypes like these can be seen in everyday things like books, tv or movies. In The Complete Stories by Zora Neale Hurston there are many different archetypes in each story but three prominent ones are The Trickster, The Devil or Evil, and The Hero. In the novel The Trickster archetype

The people used to get mad but they never could catch him.” (62) Coon Taylor is a trickster because he is a petty thief but one who can not get caught. Other Tricksters in the novel are Sweet Back and Jelly from Story in Harlem Slang. While they are not thieves like Coon Taylor they are still Tricksters because they are liars, only lying to one up and impress the other person. “Put your money where your mouth is”, he challenged, as he mock-struggled to haul out a huge roll.” (129) “Jelly slammed his hand in his bosom as if to draw a gun. Sweet Back did the same.” (131) When these characters are arguing they begin trying to be better than the other person as shown in these quotes. Another archetype seen in the novel is The Great Devil or Evil. An example of this is in the story Sweat. The character Sykes is evil

She seems like an unlikely hero but she saves her love John from being killed. “I’m going and get it, Ham’ she announced as she stepped over the threshold to freedom. ‘Lawd! He’ll kill me sho’s you born.’ Her feet were already on the stairs. I’ll have that key or die. Ham, you put some victuals in that rowboat.” (38) Another Hero is John De Conquer in High John De Conquer. John de Conquer is a symbol of freedom for anyone in need and who summons him but especially for slaves. He is highly renowned in the story as a savior and the person who freed the slaves. He is compared to the great historical figure King Arthur. The author writes “Like King Arthur of England, he has served his people, and gone back into mystery. He waits to return when his people shall call again.”(142) This is an example of John de Conquers great power and leadership. John de Conquer was considered the true freer of the slaves. He put the idea of ending slavery into the people's heads and gave slaves hope for when it would end. The author portrays this when writing: “John de Conquer had done put it into the white folks to give us our freedom, that's what Old Massa fought against it, but us could have told him that that it wasn't no use. Freedom just had to come.” (143) John de Conquer was a Great Hero in this story because he was a symbol for hope and freedom and that is what he gave the