C. G. Jungand the Theory of theCollective Unconscious

FreudFreud JungJung

Personal Personal unconsciousunconscious

Collective Collective unconsciousunconscious

All about All about adaptationadaptation

All about All about progressprogress

*Jung does not agree with Freud’s *Jung does not agree with Freud’s theory of the psychosexual stages of theory of the psychosexual stages of development. development.

The collective unconscious can be identified through similarities in:

Othe archetypal images and patterns found in world myths and in fairy tales

Odéjà vu experiencesOlove at first sight experiencesO“near death” experiences

Archetypes: symbols that all humans recognize and understand; “original models”Ofulfill/represent a human spiritual need

Ocan overlap (Hero can be Scapegoat, Wizard can be Mentor, etc.)

Archetypes

OCannot be altered by our conscious experiences.

OArchetypal image– the specific form an archetype takes

based upon a specific culture’s requirements.OExamples: Humans always recognize

the Hero (archetype), but archetypal images of the Hero would be Beowulf, or Odysseus, or Frodo Baggins, depending upon the culture.

The Mother ArchetypeOGood Mother:

biological imperative for a nurturing figure

OTerrible Mother: societal imperative for maturation

Mana

OSpiritual powerOoften represented by

phallic symbols.OFreudian analysis: an

Oedipal issueOJungian analysis: an issue of

spiritual enlightenment or supremacy.

-

The PersonaOAkin to Freud’s concept of the Ego.OStrongly affected by societal

expectations.OGender, for example, often affects the

persona. Jung (like Freud and others) believed that humans were really bisexual in nature, since as fetuses we begin with undifferentiated sex organs, and since as infants, we do not recognize gender differences; rather, we learn them.

The ShadowO It houses aspects of ourselves that we dislike

or wish to disown, and which can possibly turn to evil.

O In order to become a sane, healthy individual, Jung believed a person must face his or her Shadow and accept its existence. To ignore the Shadow is to accept a half-life at best…at worst, it can create terrible situations (a la Hitler).

O The Shadow is amoral and is not necessarily the Villain in a story.

Additional ArchetypesO The Father O The Senex (Wise Old Man)O The WizardO The Mentor/TeacherO The Hero, the Maiden, the VillainO The Child (Magical, Orphan)O Various animals

Setting ArchetypesO The Forest (yonic): the unconscious mind; a

place of hidden fears / dangers / desires that must be faced and accepted/overcome

O Water (yonic): transformation; birth or rebirth– Crossing The River: rebirth– Riding down The River: journey, maturation– The Ocean: the unconscious mind (like The Forest)

O The Garden (yonic): growth; fertility; security; fecundity; paradise – Garden of Eden

O The Path: the right or true way through life; the path of righteousness – Leaving the Path, for Puritan and other religions =

Sin