Archetypes In Movies

Films have a successful universal story that represents different kinds of people in American society. You may feel you are only average, and not much of an interesting person to even share a story about your life but, “We live the same stories, whether they involve the search for fulfillment, going after an ideal, achieving a dream, or hunting for a precious treasure” (Seger 334) we all live, and share a similar life experience. These hero stories we can relate to break down into different categories because everyone is different, however we all have a story that defines us. Myths which are stories that involve people living more than a life of a common folk, but live a more intense life with a destiny that determines the fate of their world.

Research shows us that most films contain not only a hero myth, but also archetype characters who play a different role in the hero’s journey. Linda Seger provides a great example of hero myths, and archetype characters which can be found in films that have a positive influence on American society due to the connections people can make, and learn life lessons from a hero’s journey in her essay, Creating the Myth.
Myth stories have been spread throughout American society for many years which has entertained us, and connected us for centuries. It is one of the oldest forms of storytelling in history. These stories are found in all cultures as well as literature which includes Greek myths, fairy tales, legends, and religion. Seger describes myth stories as “more than true because it is lived by all of us, at some level, a story that connects, and speaks to us all” (335). Myths are still influencing modern society, and are fascinating as Huang-Ming Chang describes as “more than just storytelling some scholars consider a myth as a way of making sense to the physical world” (100). Myths are created by a person in which Dimitris Anastasopoulos describes is “a man’s need to answer his existential anxieties: his origins, understanding of the supernatural, his past and future destiny” (119). When people watch a Hollywood film, and have a basic knowledge of Mythology they can easily connect with the films story because it contains a myth. Most filmmakers out there were inspired by myths they’ve heard as a child to create their understanding of myths into their own stories to tell that have become a worldwide phenomenon movies. Myths contain life lessons in which people in American society can learn from their mistakes in the past that impacts them throughout their lives today. We can learn many historical facts about life in these stories as well as different types of characters in a myth. “Moreover, it is also claimed that the cinema delivers a contemporary experience for the viewers to set apart from their daily life, and engage their unconscious in a manner similar to hypnosis and dreaming” (Chang 103). Films that contain myths can be an inspiring experience for the audience once they watch it, and experience the adventure with the hero which brings this fantasy world that they now have a connection with, to their daily lives as Americans.
Archetypes are useful features in films.

It is anything repeated in storytelling from ancient times to the present. “Some researchers have put efforts towards elaborating symbolic meanings on modern movies according to Jung’s theory” (Hauke and Alister 2001). Jung discovered many types of archetypes such as the hero, shadow figure, animal, mentor (old man), and mother. These characters can have a positive or a negative effect in the films myth. Mythologist Joseph Campbell was able to extend Jung’s concept of the hero archetype into the Hero Myth which is “a common structure in all mythical hero stories in different cultures and religion” (Chang 101). “They show who the hero is, what the hero needs, and how the story and character interact in order to create transformation” (Seger 335). The hero starts off as an average person living a normal life, but once something changes in the hero’s life, he begins his journey and becomes a changed man by the end of the story. “Out of the interaction between warrior and institution development the particular American archetype of the anti-hero, the character who rejects social codes in favor of his own” (House 67). Almost every film created has a good guy, and a bad guy which is the anti-hero archetype character who is the opposite of the hero due to them having a different view on the conflict that takes place in the film. Another version of the hero archetype is the heart of gold archetype which are heroes with a little more darkness than normal heroes. George Lucas was one of the first film makers to be inspired by Campbell’s work, and credited him for the making of Star Wars using many of his archetype

characters.
George Luca’s Star Wars is a great example that contains archetype characters, and most importantly a myth. By being inspired by television shows like romance, and adventure as a child he was able to incorporate them into his own version of a myth, and is loved by fans around the world. Before studying film, Lucas studied sociology and psychology. When he came across the story A Hero with a Thousand Faces written by Joseph Campbell which contains all myths for example, classical times, the bible, and the middle ages. This book inspired him to become a filmmaker. Luca’s set out to give young people his kind of fantasy world for example he uses a similar scene from a show called Western. This is when Luke, Obi-Wan, and Han Solo are arrive at their destination realizing that the planet Alderaan has been destroyed, and now they’re new mission is set to save Princess Leia. The spaceships in Star Wars were inspired by World War II planes in Hollywood films. The Force which is a very important element in Star Wars was inspired based on a religion of destiny that works for both good, and evil which Lucas describes as always been basic in mankind. “Star Wars itself has become a full pledged phenomenon, it has become more than just a movie” (Conrad). Star Wars tells of a hero myth story that can have an impact on a person more than just becoming a fan, but relating to a fictional character. Harrison Ford related to the character Chewbacca as “if he were a special kind of a dog” (Ford). Luke Skywalker who is the hero of Star Wars was inspired by Flash Gordon. “Luke is the reflection of every young boy’s adventure spirit” (Conrad). He is described as “simple, naïve, straightforward, the classic character in literature that doesn’t want to stay home, and wants to see the world beyond” (Hamill).