1. ARCHETYPES (in Bless Me, Ultima… and everywhere!)

2. Archetypes What is an archetype?
Images, characters, symbols, and situations that exist in multiple cultures, suggesting certain universals of human experience.
Examples?
Choose a story (religious, fairy tale, fable, novel, etc.) and pick out 3 examples of archetypes.

3. Archetypal Characters Archetypal Images Archetypal Situations
3 types of archetypes:
Archetypal Characters
Archetypal Images
Archetypal Situations

4. I. Archetypal Characters
1. The Hero: A figure who is larger than life. His/her search for identity often leads to a real or metaphorical death. After destruction, however, new life can be born!
Other words to describe the hero:
Scapegoat: Innocent character on whom a situation is blamed
Loner or Outcast: Character separated from society; often the Hero goes through an Outcast phase
Underdog

5. I. Archetypal Characters
2. The Villain (a.k.a. The Bad Guy):
personification of evil; works against the protagonist
Other common variations of the villain:
The mad scientist
The bully

6. I. Archetypal Characters
The Earth Mother/Goddess: Nurturing, life-giving; almost always feminine
The Spirit: the muse, inspiration. Mysterious, often unidentified
The Sage
The wise woman/witch
The stern but loving authority figure
The oracle (prophet, fortune-teller etc.)

7. Think-Pair-Share
What characters do you think are archetypes in BMU?

8. Let’s look closer at the character archetypes
Ultima
Tenorio
Narciso
Antonio
With your group, choose a character and determine which archetype he/she represents. Support with evidence!

9. II. Archetypal Images (closely related to symbols/symbolism)
Colors
Red: blood, anger, passion, violence
Gold: greatness, value, wealth
Green: fertility, luxury, growth
Blue: peace, serenity
White: purity, goodness, God-like holiness

10. II. Archetypal Images Numbers 3 7 13 666
Gardens: Natural abundance, easy and beautiful life, new birth, hope.

11. II. Archetypal Images Celestial Bodies
The sun: giver/destroyer of life
The moon: marks passage of time, and controls course of human events
Yin and Yang: Any scheme suggesting that opposites compliment one another; balance

12. II. Archetypal Images The Ancient Elements: Fire: Cleansing, torture
Water: Source of life and
sustenance, cleansing,
baptism
Air: activity, creativity, breath, light, freedom (liberty), movement
Earth: passive, receptive, solid, stability/harmony

13. Think-Pair-Share
What images do you think are archetypes in BMU?

14. III. Archetypal Situations
Quest…and its variations
Revenge
Descent into the Underworld
Renewal of Life
Initiation
The Fall

15. III. Archetypal Situations
5. Redemptive Sacrifice
6. Completion of Difficult Tasks
7. End of the World
8. A Great Flood

16. Think-Pair-Share
What situations do you think are archetypes in BMU?

17. Lastly…
Think about what you know now about archetypes and how you have identified them in BMU.
What does this tell us about the culture Anaya is portraying in the novel?