Tuesday, April 5, 2011

What is an Archetype?

An archetype is an ORIGINAL model or pattern from which later copies are made.  Really, it's what sets the "bar" for everything that follows.  Mary Shelly, 19 at the time Frankenstein was written, created a masterpiece of the macabre, a "horror" novel that terrorized readers not simply by the "creature", but by the reality that they, themselves, could be monstrous, as humans, in their streotypical and bigoted way that they treat each other.
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19 comments:

  1. Mrs. HowardApril 5, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    So...what archetypes do you see in this novel so far?

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  2. AnonymousApril 6, 2011 at 8:37 AM

    I don't feel that the archetype supposedly set by this novel is apparent, at least not at this point in the story. I feel that it's the remakes and the film adaptations that create the archetype, not this novel. The adaptations set a standard of Frankenstein being a fumbling, mindless monster, while in actuality, he's very nimble and is consumed by his own thoughts. And the novel appears to have a level of depth that the movies and adaptations don't. So I don't feel an archetype is really set quite yet.

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  3. UnknownApril 7, 2011 at 6:12 PM

    Pretty much every movie or young adult novel including the plot where someone is shunned by the majority or in other words outcast by society. - stacy d

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  4. BrittanyApril 13, 2011 at 9:23 AM

    So far I have seen the archetype used in many "horror" movies and novels, where a murder occurs to "spook" the town citizens into a frenzy. Which is like a huge game of Clue to figure out the killer. Another archetype I see is "The Blame Game" where everyone is pointing fingers but the true criminal cannot be found so a substitute is used as a scapegoat to take the punishment.
    - Brittany C. Brown

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  5. UnknownApril 14, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    To me, the archetype that is evident in this novel is the created turning against the creator. Specifically, the monster Frankenstein turns against his creator, killing his brother and framing one of his friends. This theme has been used in more recent films such as Tron, and even terminator.

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  6. UnknownApril 14, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Honestly from reading the chapters the archetype of HORROR! stands out the most. For expample the book makes the readers visualize the towns peopole runig scared in a frenzy.

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  7. Cn3LLApril 15, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    This novel has set a variety of Archetypes in motion. For example one Archetype would be how the monster viewed itself as a monstrocity and seccludes itself in an isolated area. This concept has been used in countless movies, such as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".

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  8. Cn3LLApril 15, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    Cn3LL is Cornell Poole

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  9. AnonymousApril 18, 2011 at 6:33 AM

    the archetype i see throughout this novel so far would be that of fear. When people are exposed to the monster they are terrified by his appearance and f;ee from him. The monster retreates to hiding because he is afraid of how people will react to him and he doesnt wish to be publlically shunned again.
    -Jolynn Robinson

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  10. UnknownApril 18, 2011 at 4:46 PM

    In Frankenstein there is defiantly archetype when victor mother rescues Elizabeth from Italy.

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  11. AnonymousApril 18, 2011 at 9:02 PM

    In frankeinstein there is an archetype where victor lives a normal life then after he creates his creature his life gets hectic and he tries to control the enormous problem he has to face which deals with a death of another character

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  12. UnknownApril 24, 2011 at 10:07 PM

    Th archetype in Frankenstein I agree with is the fact that we as human beings find that we can be just as monstrous or even more so than what we call monstrosities. It's moreso of how people treat living creatures whether our own kind or something else differently based on physical aspects. Frankestein's Monster was more prone to violence due to the fact that he lived off of mere instinct and probably felt threatened often by peoples' reaction to him.

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  13. b.hightowerApril 25, 2011 at 7:04 AM

    The archetpye in Frankenstein is that fact that people treat something or someone else differenly due to their physical aspects. Victor run away from his creation because he thought that what he created wouldnt be appected in society.

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  14. Ash24April 25, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    The archetype would be victor the mad scientist and the "deadly" monster.

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  15. AnonymousApril 25, 2011 at 7:59 AM

    I believe the archetype in Frankenstein is the creator himself. Thinking of a way to create life by hand. Then the creation turns against the creator and so on.

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  16. AnonymousApril 25, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    I feel that Victor Frankenstein is the only archytype i see so far. Along with the little things; thunderstorms, laboratory, and the setting.

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  17. UnknownApril 25, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    I BELIEVE THE ARCHETYPE IS THE PERSON/THING THAT IS SO OBVIOUS TO US BUT WE'RE SO OBLIVIOUS TO WHAT IT REALLY IS BECAUSE WE'RE MOST FOCUS ON WHAT IT SHOULD BE..
    -Katelyn Gordon

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  18. Kierra WilliamsApril 26, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    the archetype I see in the novel is horror aswell as fear. The towns ppl are terrified of frankenstein yet frankenstien is terrified of himself which has got to be pretty scary..

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  19. Tyler(Vash)May 9, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    Frankenstein holds the archetype of most horror novels and even movies, the feeling of being constantly afraid because of a serial killer or frightening creature after you and gunning for your life. Always feeling like at any point someone could bust in your window and flat out kill you is a big point in most horror flicks, ex. Friday the 13th.

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