The main character's journey aligns with the archetypal hero's journey in my book because they are the same character. Momma in the book resembles mother archetype character. Because of Mommas kind heartedness she has become the mother figure to a few relatives and also helped others in need no matter the skin colour. For example in the book, Momma when talking to a white dentist she says, "'When you come to borrow my money you didn't have to beg. You asked me, and I lent it."' (267) She gave no regard for colour and just wanted to help everyone get through the hard time.
Compare and Contrast Essay The structure of the archetypal story has been used since the beginning of civilizations. Archetypes are stories that use characters that are repeated throughout many cultures (Rice). The oldest example of an archetype is The Epic of Gilgamesh.
The Mammy image originates after slavery in the south of North America. The mammy archetype is described as “black in colour as well as race and fat with enormous breasts […] her head is perpetually covered with her trademark handkerchief to hide the kinky hair that marks her as ugly. […] she is strong, for she certainty has enough girth, but this strength is used in the service to her white master and as a way of keeping her male counterparts in check; she is kind and loyal, for she is a mother, she is sexless…”. As Sydnee Winston writes in her paper, “The Mammy Archetype origins and implications”, mammies were portrayed as maternal women that had no identity outside being a good servant. They were stereotyped as women with no family, so they could concentrate on taking care of white people, always neglecting their own needs.
The playwright utilizes household rules, perseverance, and her plant to show us how strong Mama’s beliefs are. Mama’s stinginess in respect to household rules was evident when she slapped Beneatha for denouncing God. Mama demonstrates strength in her beliefs by not allowing Beneatha to impugn God in her household. Despite everything she’s been through, Mama maintains her beliefs, showing perseverance. This is evident throughout her adult life; as her dream of providing a nice life for her family never panned out.
When watching movies or reading books, you may notice a pattern or similarity in the stories. This is called an archetype. The hero’s journey is one example. Authors have different ways of expressing their thoughts in their hero’s journey. The Hobbit is about the journey of Bilbo Baggins and 13 dwarves who journey to get their treasure back.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changed the lives of thousands of Japanese Americans, including Mama and her family. As they are uprooted from their home and forced into internment camps, Mama’s character undergoes a profound transformation that shapes her identity and her role in the community. Mama from Farewell to Manzanar is a strong and courageous woman who fought for her family’s survival during World War II. She evolves from a passive victim of discrimination to a powerful and compassionate leader who navigates her family through the challenges of internment. Her journey underscores the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community in times of adversity.
To be able to talk about heroes, gender, and Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey, there needs to be a separation between the journey to become a hero and the plot of the story. Although an entire story can be solely based on “The Hero’s Journey,” it’s not limited to the journey. How events play out and character development among other things are apart from what Campbell describes. The journey he describes stays the same regardless of the gender of the protagonist. Gender can only affect the plot itself depending on type of world that is built.
She had to be escorted to and from school to avoid people harassing her. This didn’t just affect her, it affected her whole family. Her father lost his well paying job, and her mother Lucille couldn’t go to the grocery store in peace. As her family suffered, many other people were empathetic for them. Sending them food, and other goods to keep their spirits up.
Everyone can relate to an archetype character in a movie, book, or television show. An archetype meaning to me is when a character can resemblance a certain topic. Example of common archetypes would the following a hero, caregiver, damsel in distressed, lover, villain, or tragic hero. In the play, The Crucible, we learned that some of the characters had common archetypes. This was a tragic play which means it has a tragic hero.
Every hero archetype has to experience the journey. James Campbell, a scholar who studied mythology across the world defines archetypes as people such as a mother figure, a father figure, a hero, a maiden,or a trickster. A hero is a person who has curiosity, humility, and is courageous. In addition, a hero goes out of their way to reach their goal, even if that means putting their life on the line for others or for a set accomplishment. Furthermore, the hero archetype must experience the three stages of the Hero’s Journey which includes The Departure, The Initiation, and The Return.
She expressed, how she felt about her skin, and provided great reason for how she viewed herself for being colored. She spoke of her ancestors and how they paid the price for her civilization; so therefore, she doesn’t have to feel less of a person because of her skin color. She even mentions a time where she forgets that she was a person o colored until she thrown against the background of white; meaning she sees no color until she is constantly reminded. The author shows core values by being happy in the skin she is in.
The hero archetypes that the two stories would share is the ‘Prodigy’ -- the hero theme being the ‘Underdog’ -- and lastly for the plot type being the ‘Quest’. To start, the hero archetypes in the movie -- and the original story would be both the ‘Misfit’ and the ‘Prodigy’. In the movie “Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief”, the main character Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon -- had things such as ADHD and dyslexia, and in camp Half-Blood Annabeth and many other of the people in the camp had their doubts about Percy, especially of the idea about Percy defeating Hades. (Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) In the story “Danaus, Perseus, and The Gorgon” -- when Perseus’ mother Danae is taken ‘hostage’ by the evil king of the island that they were sent to, Perseus is sent on a quest in order to kill Medusa.
During her childhood, she had little contact with whites.
She was an isolated soul that was made to believe she should be kept hiding from the outside world. Being discriminated against her looks not only brought her will to live down but caused her to see the world a place that she did not belong in. This caused her to have depression. A person should not be treated for how they look or how they are. Doing things such as discriminating or isolating a person could very well lead them to believe that they have no part or say in the world they live in.
Imagine your world is divided by the color of your blood. Red and Silver. Imagine your best friend is taken away to an arena of death because their name was pulled from a bowl of others names that just narrowly escaped death. Wouldn’t you want change? In King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard, the world is divided by blood type.
Another example being portrayed by Demeter; even when there happens to no hope for her daughter Persephone, she never gives up on Persephone, or on the role of neutering her daughter through the tough times. The Mother Archetype shows through Greek Mythology which includes The Iliad, Edith Hamilton, and The Odyssey. In literature, an archetype can usually interpret as a normal, your everyday typical character. An archetype, also frequently identified as universal symbol.