Although There Were None, but There Were Still Some Archetypes Anonymous 10th Grade

Have you ever noticed that no matter what the context, you automatically associate the woods with creepiness and assume that the hero will rescue the damsel in distress? This is because the woods, damsel in distress, and hero are all examples of archetypes. Certain elements of literature are often subconsciously associated with a specific meaning based on the universal psyche of humankind. These archetypes exhibit symbolism, while adding significance to the characters, situations, settings, and other aspects of the text. One way to examine the significance of archetypes is through a literary critical lens, which provides a way to approach and understand literature through a specific element of the text. The lens used to examine literature specifically through the viewpoint of its archetypes is called the archetypal lens. Founded by Carl Jung, this lens allows readers to predict events in the story based on the typical predisposed meanings of the archetypes.

According to the archetypal lens, archetypes have a significant impact on literature, which psychological myths shape. Readers are able to recognize these archetypes, sometimes subconsciously, through collective basic beliefs of humankind. When applying the archetypal lens...