Jacob Nichols

Miss Cook

ENGL II-05

5th November 2017

Archetypal Criticism of Spider-man by Sam Raimi

A heros journey is never quite the easiest path especially in Peter Parkers case in the

movie Spider-man. As Uncle Ben once said With great power, comes great responsibility. This

quote has never been more right in the story of Peter Parkers rise from nerdy orphan to your

friendly neighborhood Spider-man. Peter begins to grow as a person through his love for Mary

Jane, feelings of inadequacy, and the profound loss of Uncle Ben in the beginning part of the

film. The film follows Peter Parker finding inner-strength and the confidence to fight for those

that cant fight for themselves, and in turn helps him find his lifelong purpose. The movie

Spider-man has various types of archetypes scattered throughout the film such as Peters hero's

journey, or the mask used to hide his identity or the love he finds in the relationship with Mary

Jane.

Spider-mans mask was one of the first example of archetype that I found while

criticizing the film. His mask had a dual purpose in the film; first was to give him confidence, the

second and most important reason was to protect those that he loves from his enemies.

According to TheWritersJourney.com says the definition of this archetype was the point in time

when, the hero commits to leaving the Ordinary World and entering a new region or condition

with unfamiliar rules and values. The mask allows Peter, unlike most heroes, to cross over from

normal human being to superhero because of the mask. Without the mask Peters family may

have been put in danger by every evil villain he has defeated. Also, he needed the mask to give
off a polar opposite persona to what he normally would act like in his day-to-day life. The mask

was a representative of his powers because it correlated with the powers he received when he

was bitten by a radioactive spider. Without the anonymity of the suit he would be unable to live a

super heros life as well as the common life of Peter Parker so he uses the mask to have the best

of both worlds.

Secondly, the next form of archetype I found while criticizing the film was the call to his

journey. TheWritersJourney.com defines Peters call to adventure as, Something that shakes up

the situation, either from external pressures or from something rising up from deep within, so the

hero must face the beginnings of change. Peter Parkers call to his journey was unlike most

superheroes because it began with an event that could have been stopped. This journey truly all

began for Peter when he loses Uncle Ben to the man he did not attempt to stop from stealing

from the store and later went to gun down Uncle Ben. This event later on fueled Peter with rage

and a feeling of wanting to get revenge that sparked his heros journey. A little later on in the

film in when Peter gains his powers to fight crime and then goes after the man that killed Ben.

He then went on to say, What about Ben Parker? Did you give him a chance? to the man who

killed Uncle Ben. Without this event in Peters life he may have never answered the call to find

his true purpose in life and may have never became the friendly neighborhood Spider-man.

Thirdly, the next main form of archetype I found while analyzing the film would be the

abduction of Mary Jane by Norman Osborn, known as Green Goblin, the main antagonist of the

film. TheWritersJourney.com also defines Spider-man being tested and fighting Green Goblin

his main enemy as, The point in time when the hero is tested and sorts out allegiances in the

Special World. Spider-man is tested with the challenge of overcoming his main enemy in Green

Goblin and also trying to not ruin his friendship with Harry Osborn and possibly losing the love
of his live if he cant stop Norman. An example of this would be when the Green Goblin says,If

you had not been so selfish, your little girlfriend's death would have been quick and painless, but

now that you've really pissed me off, I'm gonna finish her nice and slow. At this point in the

film Peter had his first real fight with the main antagonist who is in turn the father of his best

friend Harry Osborn who was one of his only real friends throughout his early years of high

school. The Green Goblin uses Mary Jane, Peters girlfriend, against him to attempt to defeat

him.

The next example was the moment in which Spider-man finally defeated the Green

Goblin and he was left battered from battle and finally gets back to love of his life Mary Jane.

Lastly, TheWritersJourney.com described the Reward Peter Parker got after his battle with the

Norman Osborn as, The hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death. There may

be celebration, but there is also danger of losing the treasure again. Peter after his final fight

gets the reward in Mary Jane because he finally stopped the Green Goblin and gets to be with

Mary. The relationship that they had developed throughout the entire movie finally came to a

high and they could truly seeing themselves being together for the rest of their lives. An example

of this is right after the fight when Mary Jane come up to Peter and says, You're amazing, thank

you as she goes into hug him as he is limping after the battle with the Green Goblin. This is the

point in time in the movie when the hero Spider-man finally gets the dream girl like many other

heroic journey films do to close out the movie. In doing this though he causes his best friend

Harry to go after him to get revenge over the loss of his father and him taking Mary Jane the love

of Harrys life in the early part of the film.

To conclude, the movie Spider-man has many examples of common types of archetypal

themes scattered throughout the whole movie as I have discussed in great detail. The most
 important techniques used in the film such as the heros journey for Peter Parker as he is bitten

by a radioactive spider and becomes spider-man. Or the mask he uses to hide his true identity to

protect those that he loves. Possibly the most important archetypes used in the film may be the

attempts to fall in love with Mary Jane to you. All of these types of techniques all helped Sam

Raimi develop a more rounded and fun superhero film for people to enjoy for years and years to

come. Without Sam directing this film with these certain archetypes I do not believe that the film

would be as successful or attention grabber and the Spider-man franchise would not have grown

to what it has become today and Peter Parker may have never been able to be your friendly

neighborhood spiderman.

Work Cited

Campbell , Joseph. INTRODUCTION. Hero's Journey,

www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.htm.

Columbia Dictionary of Modern Literary & Cultural Criticism; 1995, p197-198, 2p

Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature; Letter A, pN.PAG, 0p

Raimi, Sam, director. Spider-Man. Marvel Enterprises/ Columbia Pictures, 2002.

Rubric rating submitted on: 11/30/2017, 9:10:41 AM by danielle.cook@redstreaks.org

4 3 2 1 0

W.1.a: Hook (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively ) Introduction demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
demonstrated) paragraph but a couple but multiple Introduction
Introduction captures the errors exist) errors exist) paragraph
paragraph reader's Introduction Introduction captures the
captures the attention. paragraph paragraph reader's
reader's captures the captures the attention.
attention. reader's reader's
attention. attention.

W.1. a: Intro (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt) A

Summary creatively ) A brief demonstrate, demonstrate, brief summary
Your score: 4 demonstrated) summary of but a couple but multiple of the text(s)
A brief the text(s) errors exist) A errors exist) A analyzed is
summary of analyzed is brief summary brief summary given to
the text(s) given to of the text(s) of the text(s) anticipate the
analyzed is anticipate the analyzed is analyzed is reader's
given to reader's given to given to knowledge
anticipate the knowledge anticipate the anticipate the level--no more
reader's level--no more reader's reader's than a couple
knowledge than a couple knowledge knowledge sentences.
level--no more sentences. level--no more level--no more
than a couple than a couple than a couple
sentences. sentences. sentences.

W. 1.a: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt)

Introduce creatively ) Intro demonstrate, demonstrate, Intro
Claims demonstrated) paragraph but a couple but multiple paragraph
Your score: 4 Intro clearly errors exist) errors clearly
paragraph introduces the Intro exist)Intro introduces the
clearly claims of the paragraph paragraph claims of the
introduces the body clearly clearly body
claims of the paragraphs. introduces the introduces the paragraphs.
body claims of the claims of the
paragraphs. body body
paragraphs. paragraphs.

W.1.a: Thesis (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted, (Attempted, (no attempt

Your score: 4 creatively ) The last but a couple but multiple made) The last
demonstrated) sentence is a errors exist) errors exist) sentence is a
 The last thesis The last The last thesis
sentence is a statement that sentence is a sentence is a statement that
thesis is clear, thesis thesis is clear,
statement that sophisticated, statement that statement that sophisticated,
is clear, and insightful. is clear, is clear, and insightful.
sophisticated, sophisticated, sophisticated,
and insightful. and insightful. and insightful.

W. 1. a: Topic (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted, (Attempted, (No attempt

Sentences creatively ) Each body but a couple but multiple made) Each
Your score: 4 demonstrated) paragraph errors exist) errors exist) body
Each body begins with a Each body Each body paragraph
paragraph clear, paragraph paragraph begins with a
begins with a sophisticated, begins with a begins with a clear,
clear, and insightful clear, clear, sophisticated,
sophisticated, topic sentence. sophisticated, sophisticated, and insightful
and insightful and insightful and insightful topic sentence.
topic sentence. topic sentence. topic sentence.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Organization & creatively ) Claims, demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Claims,
Sequencing demonstrated) counterclaims, but a couple but multiple counterclaims,
Your score: 4 Claims, reasons, and errors exist) errors reasons, and
counterclaims, evidence are Claims, exist)Claims, evidence are
reasons, and effectively counterclaims, counterclaims, effectively
evidence are structured and reasons, and reasons, and structured and
effectively organized in a evidence are evidence are organized in a
structured and logical effectively effectively logical
organized in a sequence. structured and structured and sequence.
logical organized in a organized in a
sequence. logical logical
sequence. sequence.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Significance of creatively ) The demonstrate, demonstrate, made) The
Claims demonstrated) significance of but a couple but multiple significance of
Your score: 4 The the claims is errors exist) errors exist) the claims is
significance of clearly The The clearly
the claims is established for significance of significance of established for
clearly the audience the claims is the claims is the audience
established for throughout the clearly clearly throughout the
the audience body. established for established for body.
throughout the the audience the audience
body. throughout the throughout the
body. body.
W. 1. c: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt
Transitions creatively ) Thoughtful demonstrate, demonstrate, made)Thoughtf
Your score: 4 demonstrated) progression of but a couple but multiple ul progression
Thoughtful ideas and errors exist) errors exist) of ideas and
progression of details with Thoughtful Thoughtful details with
ideas and sound progression of progression of sound
details with transitions to ideas and ideas and transitions to
sound show details with details with show
transitions to connection sound sound connection
show between points transitions to transitions to between points
connection and show show and
between points paragraphs. connection connection paragraphs.
and between points between points
paragraphs. and and
paragraphs. paragraphs.

W. 1. b: Focus (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively ) Maintains a demonstrate, demonstrate, made)Maintain
demonstrated) consistent but a couple but multiple s a consistent
Maintains a focus errors exist) errors exist) focus
consistent throughout. Maintains a Maintains a throughout.
focus Thesis is consistent consistent Thesis is
throughout. effectively focus focus effectively
Thesis is woven throughout. throughout. woven
effectively throughout Thesis is Thesis is throughout
woven every body effectively effectively every body
throughout paragraph, woven woven paragraph,
every body with ideas throughout throughout with ideas
paragraph, always related every body every body always related
with ideas back to thesis paragraph, paragraph, back to thesis
always related in order to with ideas with ideas in order to
back to thesis prove the always related always related prove the
in order to central claim. back to thesis back to thesis central claim.
prove the in order to in order to
central claim. prove the prove the
central claim. central claim.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Examples & creatively ) Contains demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
Details demonstrated) effective, but a couple but multiple Contains
Your score: 4 Contains specific, errors exist) errors exist) effective,
effective, relevant Contains Contains specific,
specific, examples and effective, effective, relevant
relevant details to back specific, specific, examples and
examples and up major relevant relevant details to back
 details to back claims in each examples and examples and up major
up major body details to back details to back claims in each
claims in each paragraph. up major up major body
body claims in each claims in each paragraph.
paragraph. body body
paragraph. paragraph.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Reflection of creatively ) Clear demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Clear
Evidence demonstrated) reflection on but a couple but multiple reflection on
Your score: 4 Clear reflection the evidence is errors exist) errors exist) the evidence is
on the referenced Clear reflection Clear reflection referenced
evidence is from the text on the on the from the text
referenced and thoroughly evidence is evidence is and thoroughly
from the text and clearly referenced referenced and clearly
and thoroughly explained to from the text from the text explained to
and clearly the audience. and thoroughly and thoroughly the audience.
explained to and clearly and clearly
the audience. explained to explained to
the audience. the audience.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Consideration creatively ) demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
of Prompt demonstrated) Demonstrates but a couple but multiple Demonstrates
Your score: 4 Demonstrates thoughtful errors exist) errors exist) thoughtful
thoughtful consideration Demonstrates Demonstrates consideration
consideration of the task & thoughtful thoughtful of the task &
of the task & thoroughly consideration consideration thoroughly
thoroughly answers the of the task & of the task & answers the
answers the prompt or thoroughly thoroughly prompt or
prompt or assignment answers the answers the assignment
assignment requirements. prompt or prompt or requirements.
requirements. assignment assignment
requirements. requirements.

W. 1. f: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Rephrase creatively ) Conclusion demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
Thesis demonstrated) restates thesis but a couple but multiple Conclusion
Your score: 4 Conclusion and supports errors exist) errors exist) restates thesis
restates thesis the claims in Conclusion Conclusion and supports
and supports the essay. restates thesis restates thesis the claims in
the claims in and supports and supports the essay.
the essay. the claims in the claims in
the essay. the essay.
W. 1. f: So (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt
What creatively ) Conclusion demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
Your score: 4 demonstrated) offers closure but a couple but multiple Conclusion
Conclusion and leaves the errors exist) errors exist) offers closure
offers closure reader thinking Conclusion Conclusion and leaves the
and leaves the by answering offers closure offers closure reader thinking
reader thinking the So What? and leaves the and leaves the by answering
by answering question. The reader thinking reader thinking the So What?
the So What? significance by answering by answering question. The
question. The the major claim the So What? the So What? significance
significance is clear to the question. The question. The the major claim
the major claim reader. significance significance is clear to the
is clear to the the major claim the major claim reader.
reader. is clear to the is clear to the
reader. reader.

L. 2: Sentence (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Complexity/Var creatively ) Sentence demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
iety demonstrated) variety is but a couple but multiple Sentence
Your score: 4 Sentence effective and errors exist) errors exist) variety is
variety is sophisticated. Sentence Sentence effective and
effective and variety is variety is sophisticated.
sophisticated. effective and effective and
sophisticated. sophisticated.

W. 1. e: Style (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

& Tone creatively ) A formal style demonstrate, demonstrate, made) A
Your score: 4 demonstrated) and objective but a couple but multiple formal style
A formal style tone is errors exist) A errors exist) A and objective
and objective established formal style formal style tone is
tone is and and objective and objective established
established maintained. tone is tone is and
and established established maintained.
maintained. and and
maintained. maintained.

W. 1. d: Word (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Choice creatively ) Word demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Word
Your score: 4 demonstrated) choice/vocabul but a couple but multiple choice/vocabul
Word ary is errors exist) errors exist) ary is
choice/vocabul sophisticated Word Word sophisticated
ary is and effective. choice/vocabul choice/vocabul and effective.
sophisticated ary is ary is
and effective. sophisticated sophisticated
and effective. and effective.
W. 4: Clarity (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt
Your score: 4 creatively ) Writing is demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Writing
demonstrated) clear, concise, but a couple but multiple is clear,
Writing is and strong. errors exist) errors exist) concise, and
clear, concise, Writing is Writing is strong.
and strong. clear, concise, clear, concise,
and strong. and strong.

L. 2: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Capitalization creatively ) Sentences demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
& Punctuation demonstrated) demonstrate but a couple but multiple Sentences
Your score: 4 Sentences correct errors exist) errors exist) demonstrate
demonstrate punctuation Sentences Sentences correct
correct and demonstrate demonstrate punctuation
punctuation capitalization. correct correct and
and punctuation punctuation capitalization.
capitalization. and and
capitalization. capitalization.

L. 2: Spelling & (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

RO/Frag creatively ) There are no demonstrate, demonstrate, made) There
Your score: 4 demonstrated) spelling errors, but a couple but multiple are no spelling
There are no run-ons, and/or errors exist) errors exist) errors, run-
spelling errors, fragments. There are no There are no ons, and/or
run-ons, and/or spelling errors, spelling errors, fragments.
fragments. run-ons, and/or run-ons, and/or
fragments. fragments.

L. 1: Usage (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively ) Correct and demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Correct
demonstrated) consistent verb but a couple but multiple and consistent
Correct and tense is errors exist) errors exist) verb tense is
consistent verb present; words Correct and Correct and present; words
tense is are used consistent verb consistent verb are used
present; words correctly. tense is tense is correctly.
are used present; words present; words
correctly. are used are used
correctly. correctly.

W. 8: Relevant (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Information creatively ) The quotes demonstrate, demonstrate, made) The
Your score: 4 demonstrated) used in each but a couple but multiple quotes used in
 The quotes body errors exist) errors exist) each body
used in each paragraph are The quotes The paragraph are
body relevant and used in each information relevant and
paragraph are effectively body from research effectively
relevant and support the paragraph are used in each support the
effectively thesis and the relevant and body thesis and the
support the claims. effectively paragraph are claims.
thesis and the support the relevant and
claims. thesis and the effectively
claims. support the
thesis and the
claims.

W. 8: (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Integrating creatively ) Information demonstrate, demonstrate, made)
Information demonstrated) from the text is but a couple but multiple Information
Your score: 4 Information integrated into errors exist) errors exist) from the tex is
from the text is the essay Information Information integrated into
integrated into selectively to from the texh from the tex is the essay
the essay maintain the is integrated integrated into selectively to
selectively to flow of ideas, into the essay the essay maintain the
maintain the avoiding selectively to selectively to flow of ideas,
flow of ideas, plagiarism, and maintain the maintain the avoiding
avoiding overreliance flow of ideas, flow of ideas, plagiarism, and
plagiarism, and on the text. avoiding avoiding overreliance
overreliance plagiarism, and plagiarism, and on the text.
on the text. overreliance overreliance
on the text. on the text.

W. 8: Citations (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively ) Each demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Each
demonstrated) quote/paraphra but a couple but multiple quote/paraphra
Each se is errors exist) errors exist) se is
quote/paraphra appropriately Each Each appropriately
se is cited using in- quote/paraphra quote/paraphra cited using in-
appropriately text citations. se is se is text citations.
cited using in- appropriately appropriately
text citations. cited using in- cited using in-
text citations. text citations.

L. 3: MLA (Fully and (Demonstrated (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Format creatively ) Paper is demonstrate, demonstrate, made) Paper is
Your score: 4 demonstrated) formatted but a couple but multiple formatted
Paper is according to errors exist) errors exist) according to
formatted MLA Paper is Paper is MLA
 according to guidelines, formatted formatted guidelines,
MLA including: according to according to including:
guidelines, heading with MLA MLA heading with
including: name, teacher, guidelines, guidelines, name, teacher,
heading with class & period, including: including: class & period,
name, teacher, and date, heading with heading with and date,
class & period, centered title, name, teacher, name, teacher, centered title,
and date, and correctly class & period, class & period, and correctly
centered title, formatted and date, and date, formatted
and correctly paragraphs. centered title, centered title, paragraphs.
formatted and correctly and correctly
paragraphs. formatted formatted
paragraphs. paragraphs.

Comments:
Total: 100/100 A

This is an excellent analysis, Jacob! You did a great job including information about your
archetype into your essay. It's very well organized. Lastly, you do a very good job including
enough details to support your analysis without delving into summary. Good job, Jacob!