4th Grade Close Reading Lesson
Archetypes (lesson borrowed and adapted from Ian Byrd, byrdseed.com) the beginning of an interesting character
Inductive lesson: begin w/ examples and then move to the big idea
1. Show collage of a variety of characters Each represents a certain type of archetype
2. Label the groups w/ different colored symbols (yellow star, red circle, etc.)
Label the Groups with Symbols (yellow star, red circle, etc.)
Color each shape with a different color to symbolize group’s specific common characteristic.
Symbol
Common Trait
Characters
3. Discuss Ask students to share their groupings and record their information to create a “class” grouping of characteristics and/or labels.
Ask if anyone would switch a character to a different group. You can double-label a group if students disagree.
4. Summarize and Congratulate Provide a summary of the students’ input. Congratulate them on identifying a “college-level” concept all on their own. Explain that they have grouped characters according to their character archetypes.
If your class does not reach this conclusion on their own, you could restart the activity and start some categories to serve as a guide, scaffolding them towards the archetypes. Remember to allow for freedom and self-direction.
5. Introduce Character Archetypes Give the expert’s definition of an archetype: “an original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated” (again, taken from Wikipedia).
The root words are archein, which means "original or old"; and typos, which means "pattern, model or type". The combined meaning is an "original pattern" of which all other people, objects, or concepts are copied, patterned after, or emulated.
Five (of the many) Archetypes
• Hero/Protagonist: a character that begins in a lowly status, but achieves greatness • Rogue: a sidekick who isn’t afraid to break the rules; he/she supports the hero physically • Mentor: an older character that guides the hero; oftentimes, the Mentor disappears so that the hero must solve the story’s problem • Jester: a comical sidekick who supports the hero emotionally • Antagonist: the villain, has a relationship with the hero or mentor
6. Build on Understanding • Use additional information to ask questions for students to build understanding and think w/ more depth.
Resources • List of Fictional Mentors http://thehogshead.org/a-list-of-fictional-mentors-4037/ • Loveable Rogues http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LoveableRogue • Character Archetypes http://www.robynopie.com/articles/writingchildrensbooks_tipsoncharacters.htm • List of Antiheroes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_antiheroes • Ian Byrd http://www.byrdseed.com/patterns-in-writing-iv-character-archetypes http://www.byrdseed.tv/character-archetype/ • Archetypes and Mythology in The Hunger Games http://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1190&context=educ_understandings • By the Great Horn Spoon http://www.sbsd.k12.ca.us/cms/lib02/ca01001886/centricity/domain/576/bghs.pdf
Archetypes: Five Most Commonly Found in Literature
Hero/Protagonists: the main character, advocate for a cause, hero
o Do any of these heroes begin the story as a hero? How do they change over time? o What patterns do you notice?
Rogues: out of the ordinary, goes against the rules
o Is the rogue an ethical individual (good guy or a bad guy)? Support ideas with evidence. Mentors: experienced and trusted advisers
o What similarities do you notice? o Why do you think they share this characteristic?
Jester: a person whose words and/or actions provoke amusement or humor
o What do you notice about the jester’s relationship with the hero?
Anatagonist: a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; adversary
Tonight’s Homework:
Review the different Character Archetypes. Read through the story ______and select three different characters that match a specific archetype. Provide details to justify your reasons for selecting that particular character for the archetype listed.
Archetypes HERO MENTOR ROGUE JESTER ANTAGONIST
Who from the story?
Why?
Analyze Archetypes: Label each section of the Venn Diagram below with a different archetype. Note the details of each archetype, and place similar details in the middle (where there’s an overlap): ______One archetype Another archetype
Characterʼs Name:
Characterʼs Archetype
hero lovable rogue mentor jester sidekick anti-hero
A Parallel Character Compare and contrast your character to an existing character.
Your Character An Existing Character
Describe this characterʼs main change. Exposition Dénouement
List/illustrate actions, thoughts, and dialog that shows this change. Exposition Dénouement
Contribution To Theme List details explaining how this character contributes to the theme.
Joseph Campbell's Archetypes in Star Wars IV: A New Hope, by Terry Pruyne
The following is based on Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. An archetype is the model from what something is based on. Below is the modified version of Terry Pruyne’s work in which he matched archetypes with the characters from Star Wars IV: A New Hope.
The Hero The basis of a hero is self-sacrifice. He endures separation and hardship for those he tries to protect, and he pays the price for his heroism. The hero must venture to unknown lands, but return to his old world, even though it has changed. A hero grows through the wisdom he gains, and the obstacles he faces. Heroes can be willing or reluctant.
The hero is Luke Skywalker. He knows little about his father. He endures separation and after his relatives are killed – a great price to pay. Luke leaves his planet and ventures to space. He gains wisdom through Ben Obi- Wan Kenobi and through the battles he fights. We see Luke become more confident. This culminates in the end when Luke trusts the force and blows up the Death Star.
The Mentor The mentor trains the hero. The mentor is usually a wise older person. The mentor equips the hero with the tools he needs to be successfully whether it be wisdom, physical training or weapons. The hero must pass a test before advancing on past the mentor.
Obi-Wan Kenobi trains Luke, teaches him about the force, and trains him with a light saber. Even after his death, Obi-Wan Kenobi guides Luke. We see in the following movies, he advances beyond Ben and is trained by Yoda.
The Jester The jester is a clown or the comic in the group. He’s there to make us laugh and ease the dramatic tension. Usually, the jester uses his brain to defeat strong and powerful opponents.
Our source of laughs is CP3O. His paranoia and antics keep the little laughs coming, but he does use his “brain” to trick the storm troopers occasionally.
The Shadow (aka Antagonist) Many times the shadow is the antagonist, but not always. The shadow is a dark, negative character that we don’t like and want to terminate. Many times the shadow is the antagonist, but not always. In the end, the villain and the hero must fight and one or the other is rendered useless.
Darth Vader, of course, represents the shadow. He even drifts about in his cape and mask like a shadow. Though Luke wins the battle over Darth Vader, the latter does not die and comes back through the power of the sequel.
The Rogue
The lovable rogue tends to recklessly defy norms and social conventions but who still evokes empathy from the reader. Typically male, the rogue is often trying to ‘beat the system’ and better himself.
Han Solo, the lovable rogue, is a reckless smuggler with a sarcastic wit. He considers himself to be interested in personal materialistic gain; however, as the story progresses, he develops compassion and becomes an ‘accidental hero’.