Story Circles: Archetypes

ar·che·type: (1) a very typical example of a certain person or thing; (2) an original that has been imitated; (3) a recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology.

This week we'll look at a variety of archetypes (patterns), including your own. How might you classify yourself and how you relate to your story-world?

We will also continue to look at the archetypes of stories and the story-circles they follow, this week shifting to a more modern version of the Hero's Journey popularized by director/producer Dan Harmon - simply known as The Story Circle.

Use hypothes.is to highlight & answer the questions posed beneath each video:

Every Story is the Same

hypothes.is: What does Harmon mean when he says

"If the story marches to this beat, it will resonate."

Story Archetypes:

Overcoming the Monster
Here the hero must destroy the monster to restore balance to the world. In the real world this could be overcoming an addiction, working through an abusive relationship, beating an illness or any thing else that requires something to be defeated.

Rags to Riches
Here a modest and downtrodden character achieves a happy ending when their natural talents are displayed to the world at large. In the real world this applies to anyone with an undeniably incredible talent who wants to break through and be successful.

The Quest
A mission from point A to point B. A story about transformation through travel and homecoming.

Voyage and Return
Here the hero is suddenly thrust into a strange and alien world and must make their his/her way back to normal life. Here the hero and his/her sidekicks travel in search of treasure and must overcome powerful odds.

Comedy
Maybe “Haha” funny but also intellectual and insightful. The plot of a comedy involves some kind of confusion that must be resolved.

Tragedy
Here we find the consequences of human overreaching and egotism. Here we see the dark side of humanity and the futile nature of human experience.

Rebirth
A story of renewal. Here we have a threatening shadow near victory until a sequence of fortuitous events lead to redemption and rebirth, and the restoration of a happier world.

I'd like us to continue thinking of these story-circles as learning-circles - or learning pathways. Understanding the patterns and structures of stories serves as context for patterns and structures of learning. You need to recognize the patterns so you may then remix them.

This Week's Tasks:

Read & watch all of the above. Answer the questions in hypothes.is.
Read this article to self-identify your own audience-archetype. Post your answer to the Bulletin !
Complete this quiz to self-identify your psychological archetype. Post your results to the Bulletin !
Complete your first Challenge from the Challenges-list. You should have picked last week, now it's time to make it! Pick your challenge and your media; make it; post it to your blog and tag with #inte5340. Share the link to your Challenge in the class Bulletin for us all to see and assess.

“Find your voice, shout it from the rooftops, and keep doing it until the people that are looking for you find you.”
-- Dan Harmon