THE UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING OF ARCHETYPAL PATTERNS IN THE WRITINGS OF ALICE ...

123 Pages·2014·1.3 MB·English

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THE UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING OF ARCHETYPAL
PATTERNS IN THE WRITINGS
OF ALICE WALKER
DISSERTATION
Presented to the Graduate Council of the
University of North Texas in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BY
Linda S. Linn, B.A., M.Ed.
Denton, Texas
May, 1994
"*f\
TO. "6°\W
THE UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING OF ARCHETYPAL
PATTERNS IN THE WRITINGS
OF ALICE WALKER
DISSERTATION
Presented to the Graduate Council of the
University of North Texas in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BY
Linda S. Linn, B.A., M.Ed.
Denton, Texas
May, 1994
ML
Linn, Linda S., The Undergraduate Teaching of
Archetypal Patterns in the Writings of Alice Walker. Doctor
of Philosophy (College Teaching), May, 1994, 116 pp.,
bibliography, 34 titles.
Significant passages in Alice Walker's writings give
evidence of archetypal patterns from Carl Jung and feminine
archetypal patterns from Annis Pratt. Since a knowledge of
archetypal patterns can influence the total understanding of
aspects of Walker's writings, a study of these patterns in
the undergraduate classroom benefits the student and opens
up another system of analyzing writings, particularly
writings by African-American women.
The information in this study is organized thematically
with chapters including the background of archetypes,
archetypal patterns from Jung in Walker's writings, feminine
archetypal patterns from Pratt in Walker's writings, methods
for teaching archetypes in the undergraduate classroom, a
syllabus and outline for an undergraduate course on
archetypes in Walker's writings, and conclusions,
implications, and recommendations. A summary of archetypes
with references to works by Walker where each archetype can
be found and of the ostensive, intrinsic, and extrinsic
approaches that can be used in teaching the archetypes in
the undergraduate classroom is included in the appendix.
Copyright by
Linda Salmon Linn
1994
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to thank Delta Kappa Gamma Alpha (Texas) State
for scholarships which helped me complete my doctoral
studies.
I would also like to acknowledge the support and
patience of my family, especially my late husband, Jerry,
my sons, Mark and Chris, and my parents, Wade and Mozelle
Salmon. Their love and encouragement have sustained me in
my pursuit of this goal.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
Purposes of the Study
Research Questions
Background and Significance of the Study
Methodology
II. THE BACKGROUND OF ARCHETYPES
Connecting Archetypes and the
Feminist Writer
Defining Archetypes and Archetypal Patterns
Altering the Archetypes for Women's Fiction
III. ARCHETYPAL PATTERNS FROM JUNG IN WALKER'S
WRITINGS 15
Understanding Jung's Process of
Individuation
Struggling with the Animus and the Anima
Facing the Shadow
Attempting the Quest, or the Rite of Passage
Achieving a Unified Self
IV. FEMININE ARCHETYPAL PATTERNS FROM
PRATT IN WALKER'S WRITINGS 42
Experiencing the Beauty and Pleasure
of the Green World
Submitting to Rape Trauma, Marriage,
and Enclosure
Being Rescued by the Green World Lover
Confronting Authority
Experiencing Rebirth
V. METHODS FOR TEACHING ARCHETYPES IN THE
UNDERGRADUATE CLASSROOM 70
Using the Ostensive Approach
Using the Intrinsic Approach
Using the Extrinsic Approach
VI. SYLLABUS AND OUTLINE FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE COURSE
ON ARCHETYPES IN WALKER'S WRITINGS 77
Macro Objectives
Micro Objectives
Rationale
Syllabus
Weekly Evaluation
Methods of Publication
VII. CONCLUSIONS/ IMPLICATIONS,
AND RECOMMENDATIONS 87
APPENDIX 90
REFERENCE LIST 114
vi
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This study presents an analysis of Alice Walker's
writing with an emphasis on the connection of the writings
with archetypal patterns, particularly feminine archetypes,
as outlined by psychological writers and critics of the
twentieth century such as Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and
Annis Pratt. This study also presents methods of teaching
these concepts in the undergraduate classroom. Because
nothing has been written about this aspect of Walker's
writings, providing organized information about the
psychological aspects of her writings, identifying conscious
and unconscious strains in her writings, and presenting
methods for using these concepts all establish valuable
research for the teaching of modern writings in the
undergraduate classroom.
Purposes of the Study
The purposes of this study are (1) to identify
significant passages and themes in the works of Alice Walker
that give evidence of archetypal patterns and feminine
archetypal patterns; (2) to describe the general
characteristics of archetypal patterns and feminine
archetypal patterns as they apply to the writings of Alice
1
Walker; (3) to analyze the effects of these archetypes on
the overall structure and themes of Walker's writings; and
(4) to present methods for including these purposes in the
undergraduate classroom.
Research Questions
To achieve the purposes of this study, the following
questions were formulated:
1. What is the background of archetypes?
2. What are the definitions for archetypes and
archetypal patterns?
3. What are the usual designations of archetypes?
4. What are the characteristics of archetypes?
5. What writings by Walker have examples of
archetypes?
6. How do archetypes influence the total
understanding of Walker's writings?
7. How are archetypes typical of twentieth-century
writings?
8. What impact, if any, does the philosophy behind
archetypal patterns and feminine archetypal
patterns have on Walker's writings?
9. How can these patterns be presented in the
undergraduate teaching situation?
10. How will undergraduates benefit from learning
about archetypal patterns, especially the feminine
patterns, in the writings of Alice Walker?
Background and Significance of the Study
For years the study of the novel and the short story
centered on plot, character, and theme. In the mid-
nineteenth century, writers of realistic fiction began to
examine the internal and psychological underpinnings of
humanity. In the early twentieth century, psychologists and
psychoanalysts such as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud began to
explore the concept that many human actions are based on
patterns existing in the collective unconscious. Carl Jung,
particularly in Man and His Symbols, explored patterns that
influence humanity and are especially evident in literature.
Erich Neumann, a Jungian theorist, used mythological
connections such as the stories of Cupid and Psyche to
explain and broaden literary characters. Literature of the
twentieth century has been a fertile field of exploration
for the archetypes of the unconscious.
In 1981, literary critic and feminist thinker Annis
Pratt carried the masculine archetypes of Jung into a new
direction by identifying and defining feminine archetypes
found in women's literature in her Archetypal Patterns in
Women's Fiction.
Much study has pursued the archetypal patterns and