C. G. JungC. G. Jung

and the Theory of theand the Theory of the

Collective UnconsciousCollective Unconscious

Freud vs. JungFreud vs. Jung

FreudFreud JungJungPersonal Personal unconsciousunconscious

Collective Collective unconsciousunconscious

AdaptationAdaptation ProgressProgress

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

The collective unconscious can be The collective unconscious can be identified through similarities in:identified through similarities in:

•the archetypal images and the archetypal images and patterns found in world myths patterns found in world myths and in fairy talesand in fairy tales

•déjà vu experiencesdéjà vu experiences

• love at first sight experienceslove at first sight experiences

•““near death” experiencesnear death” experiences

ArchetypesArchetypes: symbols that all : symbols that all humans recognize and humans recognize and understand; “original models”understand; “original models”

•fulfill/represent a human spiritual fulfill/represent a human spiritual needneed

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

ArchetypesArchetypes

• Cannot be altered by our conscious Cannot be altered by our conscious experiences. experiences. – whilewhile archetypal archetypal imagesimages---the forms the ---the forms the

archetypes take---can seem distinctive, the archetypes take---can seem distinctive, the urge for archetypes is such a human urge for archetypes is such a human imperative, that the same archetypes imperative, that the same archetypes appear in all cultures. appear in all cultures.

•Example, humans always recognize the Example, humans always recognize the Hero, but archetypal images of the Hero Hero, but archetypal images of the Hero would be Beowulf, or Odysseus, or Frodo would be Beowulf, or Odysseus, or Frodo Baggins, depending upon the culture. Baggins, depending upon the culture.

The Mother ArchetypeThe Mother Archetype

•Good Mother: biological Good Mother: biological imperative for a imperative for a nurturing figurenurturing figure

• Terrible Mother: Terrible Mother: societal societal imperative for imperative for maturationmaturation

ManaMana•Spiritual powerSpiritual power

– often represented by phallic often represented by phallic symbols.symbols.•Freudian analysis: an Oedipal issueFreudian analysis: an Oedipal issue•Jungian analysis: an issue of Jungian analysis: an issue of

spiritual enlightenment or spiritual enlightenment or supremacy.supremacy.

- - in most primitive cultures, in most primitive cultures, phallic symbols represent phallic symbols represent strength and fertility, strength and fertility, not not sex. sex.

The PersonaThe Persona• Akin to Freud’s concept of the Ego.Akin to Freud’s concept of the Ego.• Strongly affected by societal expectations.Strongly affected by societal expectations.• Gender, for example, often affects the Gender, for example, often affects the

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

The ShadowThe Shadow• It houses aspects of ourselves that we It houses aspects of ourselves that we

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

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

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

Additional ArchetypesAdditional Archetypes

• The Father The Father

• The Senex (Wise Old Man)The Senex (Wise Old Man)

• The WizardThe Wizard

• The Mentor/TeacherThe Mentor/Teacher

• The Hero, the Maiden, the VillainThe Hero, the Maiden, the Villain

• The Child (Magical, Orphan)The Child (Magical, Orphan)

• Various animalsVarious animals

Setting ArchetypesSetting Archetypes• The Forest (The Forest (yonicyonic): the unconscious mind; a place of hidden ): the unconscious mind; a place of hidden

fears / dangers / desires that must be faced and fears / dangers / desires that must be faced and accepted/overcomeaccepted/overcome

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

• The Garden (The Garden (yonicyonic): growth; fertility; security; fecundity; ): growth; fertility; security; fecundity; paradiseparadise – Garden of EdenGarden of Eden

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