The+Wise+Old+Man

The Wise Old Man
Practically every person has someone in their life that they look up to. Luke admired Obi- Wan Kenobi, Harry admired Dumbledore, and Americans admired Senator Ted Kennedy. All of these people looked up to wise old men. Man different people in many different cultures for example literature, pop-culture and mythology all look up to their elders. They know their elders as someone who deserves respect for their wisdom. The Old Man or Elder archetype has been used in many different forms of literature, mythology, and pop-culture to give the hero or main character a hypothetical push in the right direction. The archetype has been seen in the forms of a grandfather, neighbor, a friend or another person in the hero’s life. By using his or her wisdom and vast insight of a particular topic the old man/elder is able to help the hero realize something or come to his or her senses. The archetype is the guiding light for the unsure and naive hero. To categorize an old man/elder archetype key components to look for are old age, wisdom, helpfulness, and they tend to not go on the hero’s journey. The old man/elder tends to not go on the adventure because they are too old, physically incapable, have no need to, or are dead. The archetype is important because the old man/elder is the one who convinces the hero to go on the adventure, battle the villain and come out victorious. Without the old man/elder the hero might not even go on the journey to defeat the villain in the first place. This archetype is needed to make the story flow.

Thesis: Wise old man are not only heros but they are everyday people. Because we do live in a society that looks up their elders, we have a greater respect for wise old men. Wise old men share their knowledge and wisdom with the world, that is why they are one of the most important characters in many different cultures.

**Mentor ** Mentor is the reason why wise and trustful advisors are called mentors. Mentor was an old friend of Odysseus, who was trusted with Odysseus’ house hold when he left to fight in the Trojan War. Athena assumed the shape of Mentor many times and became Telemachus, Odysseus’ son’s, tutor and she gave his wise counseling and advice. Mentor fits the characteristics of the old man/elder archetype because he was wise, old, and when Athena assumed the shape of him he gives good advice. Although he doesn’t fit the archetype because he himself doesn’t give good advise it is Athena in the shape of Mentor that gives good advice. =Obi-Wan Kanobi =



=Grandma India = 

In the book //Warriors Don’t ​Cry //  Grandma India gives Melba strength as she faces the struggles of integrating a white high school. Grandma India shares her wisdom with Melba telling her that she will attend the school for the better of all of the black people, that she will make a difference. Grandma India as well gives Melba the courage to stand up to white people. One example was when Melba came home early covered in eggs, Grandma India said that she should have told the boys thank you because eggs are a great moisturizer for hair. Grandma India was a wise old women who did end up dying, and she gave good advice so she follows the wise old women archetype. =Bias of Priene =   Bias of Priene lived around the time of 600 B.C. He was a member of the Seven Sages of Greece and is the wisest of them all. There are many stories proving his knowledge. Such as when the fishermen had found a Brazen Tripod that had the words “For the Wisest” on it. All the citizens of Priene agreed they would give it to Bias. Bias was also a very good hearted man who once helped two women who had been kidnapped get back to there home land. Bias shared his knowledge and wiseness withy everyone and not just one specific hero which is different then some of the other characters that fit this archetype. Bias was a highly respected Greek philosopher and a very wise man.  

DUMBLEDORE

=Ted Kennedy =

At a young age Senator Ted Kennedy became a wise old man. Both of his brothers were assassinated so he had to grow up fast and become the wise old man he was before he died. Even as Kennedy lied on his deathbed he still was very involved in the senate. Besides being a mentor to the citizens of America, he was also a mentor for his children, nieces, nephews, grand-children, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, great grand-children, great grand-nieces, and great grand-nephews. Kennedy was wise, old, and a mentor to many people, he followed the wise old man stereotype. <span style="background-color: #404040; color: #c53030; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 160%; text-align: center;">Mr. Miyagi Mr. Miyagi in “The Karate Kid” is an example of an old wise man. He teaches the young apprentice, Daniel, that the real ways to karate depend on the one’s mind and heart and not their hands. Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel many valuable lessons during the duration of their training sessions. He became Daniels’ mentor and close companion like many other characters that fit this archetype. Mr. Miyagi also fits the wise old man archetype because he not only made his hero, Daniel, a better fighter but also a more knowledgeable person. “ Only the ‘Old One’ could teach him the secrets of the masters.” Mr. Miyagi is a classic example of a great mentor, wise man, and an amazing teacher.



=<span style="background-color: #404040; color: #699abf; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;">Wilson = <span style="background-color: #404040; color: #e746b2; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 160%; text-align: center;">Iroquois The Iroquois are Native Americans and Live in northeastern United States and Canada. The Iroquois people believe that the Earth was formed because of a village in the sky where one woman was exiled by the wise men in the village. This woman fell down into the water and then was saved by a fish hawk. The fish hawk needed help for he could not hold the women forever. So other animals started diving down to the depths of the sea. They brought back mud, which they spread out on a turtles back. The animals continued making the earth and its’ continents. The wise men in this story are not your typical idea of a character that would fit this archetype. In any other circumstances banishing a women would not be a wise choice but here if they had not banished her there would be no Earth.

=<span style="background-color: #404040; color: #b07c54; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">Jacques Saunière = In the novel //The Da Vinci Code// by Dan Brown, the character Jacques Saunière plays the old man/elder. Jacques fits this archetype due to the fact that he is a grandfather to one of the main characters Sophie Neveu Saint- Clair, he is extremely knowledgeable with art and art history, and he guides Robert Langdon, the main character, and Sophie to the greatest treasure of all, with a series of difficult clues. Although in the beginning of the book we discover that Jacques has been murdered, we also discover that he has set up a type of real life treasure hunt for Sophie and Robert.



<span style="background-color: #404040; color: #d14c1a; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: center;">CITATIONS -"Bias of Priene." //Mlahanas//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2009.<http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Bios/BiasOfPriene.html>.

-"Bias or Systematic Error (Validity)." //Bias Definition//. CTSPedia, 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009.<http://www.ctspedia.org/do/view/CTSpedia/BiasDefinition>.

-Bunker, Lisa Waite, ed. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore: Data." //The Harry Potter Lexicon//. N.p., 6 Oct. 2007. Web. 17 Sept. 2009. [].

-"Iroquios." //Native American Myths: Creation By Women//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2009.<http://www.crystalinks.com/namcreationwomen.html>.

-Lazypadawan."Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Crazy Old Wizard." Editorial. //Saga Journal//.Ed.Ami-padme.N.p.,12Dec.2006.Web.15Sept.2009.<http://www.sagajournal.com/lpthecrazyoldwizard.html>.

-Marks, Meridth B., and Rose Goldstein. "The Mentoring Triad: Mentee, Mentor, and Environment."Editorial. //The Journal of Rheumatology//. Ed. Duncan A. Gordon. The Journal of RheumatologyPublishing Co. Limited, 2005. Web. 15 Sept. 2009. <http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/abstracts05/216.html>.

-"Mentoring in a Workplace." //with good reason//. N.p., 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.withgoodreasonradio.org/2009/05/mentoring-in-the-workplace/>.

-Parada, Carlos. "Mentor 4." //Greek Mythology Link//. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2009. <http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Mentor4.html>.

-"Recognition." //Pulse//. N.p., 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.amchp.org/ABOUTAMCHP/ NEWSLETTERS/PULSE/FEBRUARY2009/Pages/Recognition.aspx>.

-"Rennes-Le -Chateau." //The Da Vinci Code//. N.p., 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.rennes-le-chateau.org/rlctoday/eng-da_vinci.asp>.

-Rowling, J K. "Fry, Stephen, interviewer: J.K. Rowling at the Royal Albert Hall, 26 June 2003." Interview by Stephen Fry. //Accio Quote!//. Accio Quote! , 2006. Web. 15 Sept. 2009. <http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2003/0626-alberthall-fry.htm>.

- Schwartz, David. "Top 16 worst Oscar moments." //heckler spray//. Word Press, 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009.< http://www.hecklerspray.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/karate_kid.jpg>.

-Stewart, Michael. "People, Places &amp; Things: Bias of Priene", Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant. http://messagenetcommresearch.com/myths/ppt/Bias_of_Priene_1.html

-Taylor, Duncan. "Press Material: 'Home Improvement' - Show Discription." //Home// //Improvement Archive//. N.p., 27 Aug. 2007. Web. 15 Sept. 2009. []

-"Ted Kennedy Biography." //Bio. True Story://. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.biography.com/articles/Ted-Kennedy-9362890?part=0>.

-"The Karate Kid." //The Internet Movie Database//. N.p., 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2009. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538/>.

-"Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High."//Barnes & Noble//. N.p., 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://search.barnesandnoble.com/ Warriors-Dont-Cry/Melba-Pattillo-Beals/e/9780671866396>.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 180%; text-align: left;">Google Research Page