"*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 "*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