Archetypal Quest Paper                                                                                English 1B, Moton

Assignment: Complete one of the following questions in a full, academic formal essay.

Topic 1: Select a film we have NOT watched in class.  How does the archetypical quest play itself out in a major motion picture, and what message does the film send by using the quest as its basis?  For this paper, you must first discuss and define several elements to the quest (both plot points and character types) to prove the quest plays a dominant role in this film.  Second, you must discuss how the film uses these standard archetypes to help deliver its overarching message or main theme to the audience.  Note: You MUST clear the film with me before you write about it.

Topic 2: The Big Lebowski is known to play with the notion of the archetypal quest.  How do the Cohen Brothers poke fun at the quest to tell their story, and what is the end result?  Again, for this paper you’ll first need to define elements of the quest and then study how they show up (or don’t show up) in this film.  Some things you may consider are: the title, the Dude’s low social status, the dream sequences, the notion of the hero and his companions, the presence of “The Stranger.”  Note: You should only consider this paper topic if you have a clear understanding of archetypes and a familiarity with The Big Lebowski.

Tips:

• Remember, you should refer to the director/auteur of the film as the main creator, unless you specifically have need to refer to the screenwriter or producer.
• Always use the character’s names, not the actors’.  (You can get detailed information at imdb.com).
• Don’t spend any time judging the filming technique or the performances, simply critique the literary content of the piece.
• All rules of writing about literature apply to writing about film (present tense, don’t summarize, use quotes and passages to support your argument, etc).
• Consider one of the following books to help support your archetypal knowledge:
  • Joseph Campbell: The Hero with a 1000 Faces
  • Northrop Frye: The Anatomy of Criticism
  • Carol S. Pearson: Awakening the Heroes Within
  • Christopher Vogler: The Writer’s Journey

Requirements.  To get your full 150 points, this paper must:

• Be typed, double spaced, and written in a professional tone and free of mechanical errors.

• Adhere to all formatting requirements suggested in the “how to write about literature” handout (given in class on posted online). 

• Must have a clearly identified thesis sentence in the introduction, and it must argue a point convincingly using both direct quotes from the film and direct critical responses to those quotes.
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• Due the day of the final exam.
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• Length: 4-5 pages, typed, double spaced, 12 point times new roman font, 1 inch margins.