High school and Archetypes

I went to Northern High School today and had the pleasure of observing my already awesome husband be even more awesome in front of high school freshmen and sophomores. Many of us remember being in high school, or not depending on what you did in your free time. So seldom do we get the opportunity to be adults and see/interact with high schoolers. This is unless you are not already a teacher and if so, I'm sorry. High school kids are weird and crazy and awkward and annoying and sweet and stinky and well, everything that defines "in between". Poor guys just don't have a place in the world yet. They are so not cute anymore like little kids, but they are way too immature to be any semblance of an adult. So, I solemnly salute any and all people who make it their life duty to be around these kids all day everyday while trying to edify them the little bit that is possible.

The lesson in World Literature today was about archetypes in literature and film. Mr. Roberts introduced these archetypes:

The Warrior

The Fool

The Innocent

The Orphan

The Destroyer

The Creator

The Sage

The Lover

The Caregiver

The Magician

The Seeker

It's pretty interesting to think about how these stock characters are enmeshed in everything that we read/watch/know and how they might influence our personas.

Then, the kids got to take a little personality quiz (circa Glamour and Cosmo quizzes "What kind of kisser are you?" or "How do you know when he really likes you?") to see which archetype they are. Of course, being the active classroom participant that I am, I had to take the quiz. It consists of about 75 questions in which you respond with a 1-5 (1-never and 5-always, yeah, one of those). At the end, all of the numbers of added up and one's archetype can be determined. So, can you guess what my archetype is?

I was The Fool.

I'll let you figure out what that means. Even more interesting than ones archetype, though (which could really be a toss up depending on how many 3-sometimes you put if you're as wishy washy as I am) is the numerical ranking of these archetypes. Since humans don't really fit into nice pretty little packages and exist more on a spectrum, or rather many intersecting spectrums, it is interesting to think about the range of these archetypes and what it may or may not say about you. Mine is as follows:

The Fool

The Seeker (a very close second)

The Destroyer

The Sage (I know, I am pretty wise)

The Orphan/The Lover (tied)

The Warrior

The Magician

The Creator

The Innocent

The Caregiver

Want to take the quiz? You know you want to. You'll have to brave the hallways of Northern High School and relive a few memories to get that opportunity. But I promise you, it is well worth it to see good teaching and to remind yourself that, yes, youth is wasted on the young.