Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1987 A Critical Examination of the Mythological and Symbolic Elements of Two Modern Science Fiction Series: "Star Trek" and "Doctor Who". Gwendolyn Marie Olivier Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Olivier, Gwendolyn Marie, "A Critical Examination of the Mythological and Symbolic Elements of Two Modern Science Fiction Series: "Star Trek" and "Doctor Who"." (1987). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 4373. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/4373 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. 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A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE MYTHOLOGICAL AND SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS OF TWO MODERN SCIENCE FICTION SERIES: STAR TREK AND DOCTOR WHO A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy m The Department of Speech Communication, Theater, and Communication Disorders by Gwendolyn Marie Olivier M.A., University of New Orleans, 1976 B.A., University of New Orleans, 1970 May, 1987 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would especially like to thank Dr. John H. Pennybacker for his invaluable assistance. 1 would also like to thank Dr. Sonald G. Garay, Dr. Fabian Gudas, Dr. J. Donald Ragsdale, Dr. Bill J. Harbin and Dr. John Baker. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................... ii ABSTRACT.............................................. vii CHAPTER Is THEORY...................................... 1 Jung's Theories *...................................... 4 The Collective Unconscious.........................4 Archetypes......................................... 5 The Use of Symbols................................. 7 The Process of Individuation...................... 8 Modern Mythology...................................... 9 The Need for Mythology............................. 9 The Quest for Meaning............................. 12 Science Fiction as a New Mythology............... 15 The Functions of Mythology ..........................17 Campbell's First Function of Mythology........... 17 Campbell's Second Function of Mythology.......... 19 Campbell's Third Function of Mythology........... 20 Campbell's Fourth Function of Mythology.......... 22 CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY............................... 29 The Available Sources........ 30 Star Trek......................................... 30 Doctor Who.......................... 35 The First Doctor............................... 36 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Second Doctor.............................. 37 The Third Doctor............................... 39 The Fourth Doctor.............................. 40 The Fifth Doctor...............................41 The Sixth Doctor.................... .......... 41 Other Media.... *............................... 42 The Focus for Doctor Who.......................43 CHAPTER III: SCIENCE FICTION FANDOM.................. 49 Traditional Science Fiction Fandom.................. 49 Star Trek Revolutionizes Science Fiction Fandom 56 Doctor Who............................................60 CHAPTER IV: STAR TREK................................. 67 The Premise...........................................67 Analysis of the General Concept......................73 The Appeal of Optimism............................ 73 The Unconscious Attraction........................75 The Significance of the Characters............... 78 Captain James T. Kirk..........................78 Spock .................................... 83 Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy......................91 The Relationships.................................... 93 Jung's Personality Types..........................93 Jung's Four "Basic Psychological Functions"......94 The Transcendent F u n c t i o n .......................100 Threeness.........................................108 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Quaternity and Wholeness.........................109 Symbolism............................................112 Stages of Development............................... 117 Growth............................................... 119 McCoy.............................................120 Spock.............................................120 Kirk..............................................124 Campbell's Four Functions of Mythology............. 128 The Religious Function...............•>...........129 The Cosmological Function .......................131 The Social Function.............................. 132 The Centering of the Individual................. 134 CHAPTER V: DOCTOR WHO................................ 150 The Premise.............................. -..........150 Analysis of the General Concept.................... 158 Earth's Future................................... 159 The Optimism of Regeneration.................... 160 The Trickster....................................162 The Shadow....................................... 168 Anima.............................................171 The Wise Old Man................................ 172 The Symbolism of the Tardis..................... 173 The Symbols of Rasilon.......................... 178 The Adult Attraction............................ 183 Campbell's Four Functions of Mythology............. 189 The Religious Function........................... 189 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The