ipl-logo

The Island Archetype

1817 Words8 Pages

The Island archetype throughout literature I was listening to my friend talking about a TV show called Prison Break. I listened to her unenthusiastic voice talk about how sour frowns cover men’s faces as if they were waiting for death. I’ve never been to a jail before, so I was amazed by how lonely a person can feel when they are being separated from the rest of society. A person becomes so quiet and secretive that they begin to look like a little kid hiding from their mom because they did something bad. I started to realize that being isolated from the rest of the world can change your personality. As I continue to listen, my mind starts wandering to islands. It was the most strangest and outrageous thought. …show more content…

This will lead us to our final conclusion in deciding if the island archetype has stayed the same over big periods of time. In the article Island and transformation: An archetype pattern in Western literature, it states, "The typical island story involves a character in many, if not all, of the following: removal to a remote island; awakening to, and taking stock of, strange surroundings; initial setbacks followed by increasing adaptation; spiritual, emotional, or psychological growth due specifically to island experiences; a climactic event which challenges growing feelings of wholeness; and escape and return to the home society in a much-altered state” (Federenko 1). This quotation explains what common stories that involve the island archetype have in common and what patterns they share. It indicates that the island archetype is a strange place that one hasn’t been to. This connects back to the idea that the island archetype increases emotional thoughts, yet the island archetype can cause mental changes too. The island archetype causes a character to become adaptive with its surroundings because of the connection to nature that can happen. In the story of the the Odyssey, it says that, "Yet, it is true, each day I long for home, long for the sight of home" (Homer Book 5 lines 85-86). Like I talked about Chuck and his emotional connection with Wilson, Odysseus has the same emotional connection with his homeland. Odysseus wishes to be be of the island and be back with his family. Eventually, after facing the reality of being alone, it come down to returning home. This concludes that the interpretation of the island archetype and how is connect emotionally has stayed the same throughout the

Show More
Related
1003 Words | 5 Pages

For instance what did the boys on the island have to look to

Read More
375 Words | 2 Pages

After Kalypso expresses surprise that Odysseus still wishes for nostos after spending years with her, he answers that “it is true, each day I long for home, long for the sight of home.” (5.228-229). This, paired with his daytime misery on the island expressed throughout Book Five, highlights Odysseus’s reluctance to give in to the temptations of kalupto any longer. In addition to leaving behind the luxury and privacy of life on Ogygia, he leaves behind years of physical safety. Kalypso reminds him of this, telling him, “If you could see it all, before you go- all the adversity you face at sea- you would stay here, and guard this house, and be immortal.”

Read More
641 Words | 3 Pages

As time goes by though, problems arise and things go downhill. When the book was first written in the 1950s there was much controversy about the meaning of the book and why a group of young boys were chosen to be the victims and stranded on the island. One of the biggest questions people asked about reading this book is whether or not humans are instinctively good or bad. I believe that humans

Read More
770 Words | 4 Pages

The group when they arrived on the island were still under society’s grip, but when they had been there for a longer period of time they begin to act differently and their overall mood changed completely. An example of this is “Maybe there is a beast… Maybe it’s only us”. This quote shows the mood change from being hopeful and calm to constantly in fear. This change is very important to the development of the plot.

Read More
469 Words | 2 Pages

It is the country of origin that distinguishes the individual in such a deep and personal way from being accepted in the world. The island is symbolic, just as the boy is an island, isolated from societal acceptances that he wants so desperately, yet the monster of discrimination keeps him at a distance and forbids acceptance. Looking at a globe Cuba appears as an alligator or reptile just as Godzilla is a reptile. The young boy easily makes the collation between the images of a reptile that will consume or destroy all with which it comes in contact and the symbolic alligator in the ocean that destroys the hopes and dreams of an individual. While the young boy has left the island behind, the association renders him isolated just as if he is on an island.

Read More
909 Words | 4 Pages

An archetype is present in every society and culture. Familiar characters, symbols, and situations are used in film to convey basic human experiences that will resonate with the viewer. Archetypes send an understandable message to viewers as to the details of a character or scene. Whether the viewers realize it or not, they will have interpreted what is being conveyed without even thinking about the insertion of archetypes. In his film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien incorporates archetypes into his setting and characters to convey basic human experiences.

Read More
803 Words | 4 Pages

This piece of evidence shows that Odysseus is loyal to his crewmates because he could have left his crewmates on the Island of the Lotus-Eaters, but he decided to help them. Also, this shows Odysseus’ patience because, after all, his crewmates did help him for 10 years at war. Additionally, Odysseus and 50 other men had to carry 450 men that didn’t want to be carried and taken away from the island. That must have been infuriating and tiresome. Furthermore, Odysseus is determined to get home because after all the obstacles he faced the #1 thing on his agenda was to arrive home to Ithaca even if it means that he has to come home bony, old, and dreary.

Read More
441 Words | 2 Pages

In the first instances of drastic changes to Odysseus mental state they are severely influenced by physicality of home. One example occurs as Odysseus and his crew are given a magical ship that would take them directly to Ithaca. The fact that Odysseus does not tell his men what is in the bag reveals that he holds the contents of the bag very highly, so much so that he even has this underlying paranoia against his esteemed crew. This secret would untimely lead to the downfall of this attempt home, which causes a rift in Odysseus’s mental state. As the bag of winds ruptures open and the crew is forced away from Ithaca, Odysseus contemplates suicide.

Read More
598 Words | 3 Pages

In addition to this, his unwavering loyalty to his family is demonstrated in his willingness to endure the hardships that arise with escaping from Calypso, maintaining his willpower along the way. Odysseus has a sense of obligation to fulfill his duties and return to his family, to which he carries out by standing his ground against the goddess. Ultimately, demonstrating Odysseus’ loyalty and determination to return home, as well as his intelligence in knowing that staying on the island will not bring him true

Read More
721 Words | 3 Pages

In The Odyssey, the twenty years Odysseus was away from his family, Ithaca, and people took a greater toll on him than anyone else. Even though others had struggled, he had the worst time during the twenty years he was away. Looking at the effects the time had on Odysseus and his father Laertes were very different. Laertes decides to live in poor conditions along with some of his servants.

Read More
834 Words | 4 Pages

When most people describe islands they are usually focused on the beautiful beaches. Much like with adulthood kids only see the “beaches”. In reality there is a lot more that goes on behind the pretty beaches. The rest of the island is scary and dark. Once the boy have to venture past the beaches they realize how scary the island (adulthood) really is.

Read More
1057 Words | 5 Pages

The island is used as a sort of playing ground to reveal the true underlying qualities of each character, and as mentioned above, the qualities of humanity. When the boys first gather on the island, they are quick to order themselves in a society, more of a tribe in their case, that reflects the social structure they were exposed to at home. This process involves electing a leader, holding meetings or assemblies to vote on matters, and working together for the greater good of everyone on the island. The assemblies become a part of keeping order within their society. To illustrate, when Ralph finds out that Jack neglected the fire he calls an assembly to prioritize.

Read More
471 Words | 2 Pages

In "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart, the protagonist, Cadence Sinclair, is an outcast among her wealthy family due to a mysterious accident she can't remember. This outcast archetype is a key element of the novel, as it creates a sense of isolation and desperation that drives Cadence to seek the truth about her past. Through this journey, Cadence grapples with the light and dark aspects of her family's legacy, which are symbolized by the island setting and the archetypes of light and dark. The island itself serves as an important symbol of survival in the novel, representing both the hope of renewal and the threat of isolation.

Read More
228 Words | 1 Pages

No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. " This elaborate metaphor is comparing

Read More
833 Words | 4 Pages

Georgia Cook 11/24/15 8C FRIES Companion or Competition? Humans are connected with one another through simple gravity-like forces that are ubiquitous and powerful, but in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the characters isolate themselves. While the english poet John Donne once said that “No man is an island”, his contemporary John Milton believed that “Solitude sometimes is best society”. So, which is true? In both books the characters act as if they are“islands”, but this does not create the “best society”.

Read More

More about The Island Archetype

Related Topics

Open Document