Late Middle AgesWith The Late Middle Ages came the halt of prosperity and growth for Europe. The Great Famine and the Black Death occurred during this time period. Because of the misfortunes this era also became know to be part of the Dark Ages. However with the Late Middle Ages also came rebirth in the form of new powerful ways of thinking and inspiration. Life during the Late Middle Ages was both of great misery and happiness. Chivalry, the way of discipline and respect towards women, was developed during the Late Middle Ages, which still stands in modern day. This age made a great impact on the Far East where the Song and Tong Dynasty grew and began to advance in technology and in their economies. Inventions of paper money, new medicines, and numbers were created during the Late Middle Ages. Significant events that took place developed the Late Middle Ages into an age of power and progress.
Source: |
Were the Dark Ages Really So Dark?Many people may believe that the Dark Ages were pretty gloomy, however in the video, "The Dark Ages, How Dark Were They Really", John Green proves that the Dark Ages weren't necessarily all that dark and was actually an empowering age. The Dark Ages made a huge impact on the Far East, the Abbasids, and the Tong and Song Dynasty prospered. In the Song Dynasty during the Dark Age began a chain reaction allowing for the dynasty to prosper, the Song Dynasty began to produce plenty of iron that allowed for newer plows to be built, allowing for an increase in the production of crops. This chain reaction led for the growth in agriculture. The economy of the Song Dynasty became so prosperous that it ran out of coins for money to lend out, leading into the invention of paper money. According to Green the Tang Dynasty was a diverse empire, and the Dark Ages became the golden age for Chinese poetry and art. The Abbasid's ruled over 80 million people, in the Battle of the Tallus River the Abbasids were able to dominate the west of the Tallus River while the Chinese were able to obtain the east side. Due to Green's findings of the East Side: the wealth for the Song Dynasty, riches in words and art for the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid's conquer of land, we discover that the Dark Ages were really not so dark.
Info. Source: "The Dark Ages: How Dark Were They Really?" Crash Course Videos. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg. |
|
Depth Psychology: The Basis for Archetypal AnalysisDuring the second six-weeks our AP English class will be approaching the depths of psychology by viewing movies and stories, this approach is called "Archetypal Analysis". Archetypal Analysis is the search for symbols or motifs that are passed on from culture to culture.
To understand the concept of Archetypal Analysis and of it's coming we must first understand the theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung regarding the collective unconscious. Image Source: |
To the right is an image that analyzes and displays the archetypes that lie within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Archetypes of the Quest in The AvatarBy: Vanessa
Jake Sully is a paraplegic whose twin brother passed away. He is given the CALL to assist at the Avatar Program given by the HERALD Dr. Grace Augustine. The Avatar Program is a base in Pandora that the Na'vi that analyzes life in Pandora. Jake heads over to the PLACE OF COMMUNITY which is the moon of Pandora, this moon is habitable but contains toxic, poisonous gases that are harmful to humans. Upon entering the Program he is told by Colonel Miles Quaritch that if he completes his task of retrieving information about Hometree(valuable to the Na'vi) he will give him the funds for surgery so he will be able to walk again. The colonel is the TRICKSTER trying to get information in his conquest for the valuable minerals found in Hometree.
The location of Hometree is nearby a clan called the Omaticaya. When Jake is with Grace in her lab she teaches him of the ways of the Omaticaya and acts as the MENTOR. When Jake is found to be ready, the scientists set him up with an avatar, giving him he ability to blend in with the Omaticaya and learn of their culture and life styles. The avatar body serves as the MAGIC WEAPON for he is able to enter the toxic atmosphere of Pandora without harm. Dr Grace calls Jake to accompany herself and another scientists as they analyze many samples of Pandora, while on route they are encountered by a Thanator that attacks the group. The others are able to escape back to base while Jake is found unconscious by Neytiri. Neytiri is his LOYAL COMPANION, she assists him when creatures begin to attack him and plays a vital role in his quest. The SUPERNATURAL AID, Eywa, sends blessings towards Jake, Neytiri feels it is a good omen and sends him to her Omaticaya clan. Upon arriving at the Omaticaya clan Neytiri's mother, Mo'at, analyzes Jake. Mo'at is the clan's spiritual leader and is the PLATONIC IDEAL. She senses that Jake has a genuine heart and feels he will greatly contribute to the clan and that they could learn from him, she decides to send Neytiri with him to learn of the ways of the Omaticaya. Neytiri reveals to Jake of the FRIENDLY BEASTS that would be lifelong partners with him such as the Direhorse and the Mountain Banshee. Once Jake has overcome the custom challenges, he goes into INITIATION where he is now part of the Omaticaya clan. Soon the Colonel begins to sent people to the Hometree to take it's resources. The Omaticaya rush to defend their home-land. Jake admits to the clan members that he knew all along of the Colonel's plans but in time grew close to the Omaticaya people, understanding their emotions and ways of life. However, they OUTCAST him and he is left alone. The Colonel's plan is to be a RULING PARASITE and take over the Omaticaya people, his schemes of invading and destroying the people that inhabit Hometree is an INVERSION. Colonel Quaritch is the DEVIL FIGURE with an evil plan to annihilate everything in his path. Jake Sully knows he must come up with a plan to help the Omaticaya people, and the only way he can do that is by retrieving the BOON, the great Toruk Mato. This flying creature is inspirational to the Omaticaya and is sacred, only those with honors and great skill have been able to become one with a Toruk Mato. Jake is able to obtain one, and arrives to the Hometree where the Omaticaya's are praying. Their faith and trust in Jake is restored, and he is able to come up with a plan. It is the NATURAL VS. ARTIFICIAL, machine against Na'vi. Jake knows what their going up against is soulless MACHINES used to kill anything in sight and realizes the clan will need more reinforcement. Jake completes a TRIAL by summoning all of the clans of Pandora and devising them into one huge army, multiplying day by day. His success has led to the Colonel to realize he needs to make a move fast before they overpower the humans. The Colonel sends an army of machines to obtain Hometree once and for all, after many struggles Jake is able to defeat the Colonel. However, a predicament occurs and Jake's human body is trapped in the poisonous atmosphere of Pandora, Neytiri grabs his body and sends him with Mo'at so he can leave his former body into the avatar body and live. This process is of the LIFE-DEATH-REBIRTH. Jake awakens to find that he is forever one of the Omaticaya people. The Na'vi are now in control of Pandora once again and send the human destroyers back to Earth. Jake, however, REFUSES THE RETURN, and remains with his Omaticaya people. |
Other Examples of the Quest Motif
From the RHHS Class of 2014
-Samantha did an amazing job analyzing Anastasia,, her map is very accurate and displays all the archetypes correctly and in depth.
-Christina greatly observed the archetypes laid within the Spongebob Squarepants Movie and paid attention to the trials and thresholds that Spongebob goes through on his quest.
-Christina greatly observed the archetypes laid within the Spongebob Squarepants Movie and paid attention to the trials and thresholds that Spongebob goes through on his quest.