A Study Of The Archetypes In The Movie: "Hugo (2011)" Based On The Theories Of Carl Jung
Image Source
(Hello everyone, my name is Tas, and I study English Language And Literature. The following article is my Bachelor's Thesis. I'd greatly appreciate your feedback on this research paper.)
A Study Of The Archetypes In The Movie: "Hugo (2011)" Based On The Theories Of Carl Jung
Thesis Statement:
The movie “Hugo” directed by Martin Scorsese contains a rich and complex variety of archetypical symbols. The present research is an attempt to uncover and analyze these symbols and their role in the story based on the theories of Carl Jung.
Key Words: Hugo, Symbol, Archetype, Carl Jung
Research Questions:
- What are the archetypical Symbols used in “Hugo”
2.What is the meaning of these Archetypes?
3.How and Why did the author use these archetypes to narrate the story?
Outline:
I. Overview Of The Story
A. The Biography Of Brian Selznick And Martin Scorsese
B. The Plot Summary Of Hugo
C. The Psychological Elements In Hugo
II. Overview Of The Theory
A. The Theory Of Archetypes
B. The Life And Works Of Carl Jung
III. Analysis Of The Archetypes In Hugo
A. The Orphan Archetype
B. The Father Archetype
C. The Magician Archetype
D. The Explorer Archetype
E. The Sage Archetype
F. The Lover Archetype
G. The Hero Archetype
IV. Conclusion
Overview Of The Story
The Biography Of Brian Selznick And Martin Scorsese
Left Image SourceRight Image Source
Hugo is a movie adoption of the book 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007)' written by Brian Selznick, an American illustrator and author born on July 14, 1966. In a documented interview, Joseph Kampff provided some details about the life and work of Brian Selznick. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. He is best known for his visually stunning books, containing numerous images and illustrations that capture the eyes of the readers and allow the audience to enter the powerful imagination of this brilliant author. He is also the writer of Wonderstruck (2011), The Marvels (2015), and Kaleidoscope (2021). But his most iconic work is The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which was adapted as a film, Hugo, by director Martin Scorsese and released in November 2011.
In his book Martin Scorsese: A Biography, Vincent LoBrutto has provided one of the best biographies about Martin Scorsese along with details of his works. As we learn, Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor born on November 17, 1942. Scorsese received a Master of Arts degree from New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development in 1968. He started his career as a filmmaker with his debut movie Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967), which was accepted into the Chicago Film Festival. To date, Scorsese has directed twenty-six feature-length narrative films, and seventeen feature-length documentary films, and has co-directed one anthology film. Scorsese’s films are often influenced by his Italian-American background and upbringing in New York City. Some of his films include Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed, and The Irishman. He has received numerous awards, including an Academy Award, four BAFTA Awards, three Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Directors Guild of America Awards. His successful career as a filmmaker makes him one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era.
The Plot Summary Of Hugo
Movie poster for "Hugo" (2011)
The film tells the story of Hugo Cabret, a young boy who lives with his father in Paris in the 1930s. He had lost her mother in childhood and has no one except his father and uncle. After his father dies in a fire, Hugo is adopted by his uncle and taken to the Gare Montparnasse railway station to work alongside his uncle, maintaining the station's clocks. His uncle is an irresponsible drunk who has no sympathy for Hugo, but he suddenly disappears. After losing his uncle, Hugo is completely left alone as an orphan with no relatives. But in order to not end up in the orphanage, Hugo continues doing the job of his uncle, maintaining the station’s clock, hoping that as long as the clock is fixed no one will find out about the disappearance of his uncle and the fact that he is living alone by himself as an orphan.
Hugo continues his life with the few possessions he has, including his late father's notebook and a mysterious automaton, a clockwork robot that his father found at the museum where he used to work. Hugo and his father tried to fix the automaton and make it work, but they could not finish it as Hugo’s father passed away.
Hugo spends his days maintaining the station's clocks and stealing food to survive. He is also obsessed with fixing the automaton, which he believes holds a message from his father. Hugo's quest to repair the automaton leads him to cross paths with a variety of characters, including a toymaker named Georges Méliès, a kind bookworm named Isabelle, and a strict station inspector named Gustave Dasté.
As Hugo and Isabelle work together to solve the mystery of the automaton, they also discover a shared love of film. After fixing the automaton, it starts drawing a picture that belongs to a movie, and at the end, the automaton writes a name under the picture: Georges Méliès. It turns out that Georges Méliès was once a famous filmmaker who created some of the earliest special effects in cinema history, but then he abandoned the world of cinema and destroyed all his movies, due to the Great War.
Hugo and Isabelle's friendship with Méliès helps them to understand the power of movies to transport us to other worlds and to make us believe in magic. In the end, Hugo's quest to repair the automaton is not just about fixing a machine; it's about finding a family and a place to belong.
The Psychological Elements In Hugo
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
Hugo is a movie with great psychological details. Each character is carefully portrayed to represent some specific aspect of the human psyche. These aspects contribute to the general experience of the characters and the way they perceive the world. As we watch the movie, we realize that some of the characters are familiar, as if we already know them. These characters are called archetypes, explained by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. He argued that there are recurring characters in the stories throughout the world with specific physical and psychological details that are known to all humans. The Father, The Hero, and The Lover are just some of these archetypical characters.
The present paper is an attempt to uncover and analyze the archetypical figures in the movie Hugo, based on the theories of Carl Jung.
Overview Of The Theory
The Theory Of Archetypes
Image Source
Carl Jung proposed the existence of archetypes. But what exactly are these archetypes, and how did Jung define them?
In Jung's framework, archetypes are universal patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior. He believed we inherit these archetypes from the collective unconscious, a form of the unconscious common to mankind as a whole and originating in the inherited structure of the brain. This concept is explored extensively in his seminal work, "Psychology of the Unconscious" (1912), where he explains how the collective unconscious shapes our dreams, myths, and cultural narratives.
Jung further elaborates on this concept in "Symbols of Transformation" (1912), exploring the rich symbolism associated with archetypes. He draws connections between archetypal figures like the Wise Old Man, the Great Mother, and the Trickster with recurring themes in mythology, folklore, and religious traditions. These figures, Jung argues, represent fundamental human experiences and motivations that transcend individual cultures.
Archetypes are not just passive images. They are, as Jung explains in Aion (1951), dynamic forces that push and pull our psyche. The Shadow, our repressed urges and darker aspects, seek expression while the Anima/Animus, the archetypal image of the opposite sex within us, guides our relationships and understanding of gender.
Jung's work offers a powerful lens through which to understand the hidden depths of the human mind, the universal themes that bind us, and the journey toward becoming our most authentic selves. Jung believed that by understanding these unconscious forces we can achieve greater self-awareness, navigate our inner conflicts, and live more authentic, fulfilling lives.
The Life And Works Of Carl Jung
Image Source
Based on a biography written by Frank McLynn, we learn that Carl Gustav Jung was born in Kesswil, Switzerland, on July 26, 1875. As a young man, Jung studied medicine at the University of Basel, eventually specializing in psychiatry. He was drawn to the work of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and became a close collaborator. However, Jung soon began to diverge from Freud, developing his own unique perspective on the human psyche. In 1912, Jung published his seminal work, "Psychology of the Unconscious", which laid the foundation for his school of thought, analytical psychology. This book explored the concept of the collective unconscious and its influence on individual psychology.
Jung was a brilliant author, publishing more than 20 books and numerous articles. Carl Jung's prolific writing spanned psychology, mythology, and spirituality, from early works like "Psychology of the Unconscious" and "Symbols of Transformation" introducing archetypes and the collective unconscious, to later explorations of personality types ("Psychological Types"), individuation ("Aion: Psychology and Time"), and synchronicity ("Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle"). He also penned personal reflections like "Memories, Dreams, Reflections" and delved into diverse topics like Eastern philosophy and the nature of time. In essence, Jung's books offer a captivating voyage through the depths of the human psyche, revealing the hidden patterns and connections that shape our lives and connect us to the universe.
Jung's influence extended beyond the realm of psychology. His ideas on archetypes and the collective unconscious resonated in various fields, including literature, art, anthropology, and religion. He actively engaged in interfaith dialogue and explored the connections between psychology and spirituality.
Carl Jung's life and work offer a fascinating exploration of the human psyche. He is considered one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century, and his ideas continue to inspire and challenge scholars and individuals alike.
Analysis Of The Archetypes In Hugo
The Orphan Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
The Orphan Archetype is a universal symbol found in mythology, literature, and even our own personal lives. It represents the experience of loss, abandonment, and the search for belonging. Orphan characters often carry a deep sense of loneliness and isolation, which can fuel their determination to find their place in the world.
After Hugo loses his father, he finds himself lost in the world with nowhere to go and no one to rely on. But he doesn't want to accept his loneliness as he fights against ending up in the orphanage. He is determined to find his place in the world. This is why he becomes obsessed with fixing the automaton, while also trying his best to maintain the station's clock.
But the character of Hugo is different from the typical orphan archetype in that he doesn't have a sense of abandonment because he is mature enough to understand that the death of his parents was a natural incident. Therefore, unlike others who yearn for a sense of connection and family, he doesn't seek love and support from others. In fact, he's very independent and has learned to rely on himself in order to overcome challenges.
One of the main characteristics of the orphan archetype is a quest for identity. Hugo is one of the best representations of this characteristic as he is trying to uncover his identity and purpose. In doing so he tries to remember his father and what he has told him in order to find guidance. This is also one of the reasons why he's obsessed with the automaton because it belonged to his father and it may have a message from his father that can help him find his identity and purpose. This will lead us to the next archetype in the story: the father archetype.
The Father Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
In his works like Symbols of Transformation and Aion, Jung explored the Father Archetype in detail. He argues that the father archetype symbolizes various aspects like the protector and provider, a source of safety and security. The father figure is also known as the giver of knowledge and wisdom, a mentor who imparts valuable lessons and guides us through life's challenges.
Hugo Fields the absence of his father especially when he's faced with the dangers of the world. The role of his father as the protector and provider has now faded away, so he has to protect himself and is forced to steal food to survive.
But beyond his physical struggle to survive, he is struggling psychologically as he tries to find his identity and his purpose. This is where the need for a father figure and his guidance is most visible, But Hugo as an orphan is deprived of this, so he tries to find guidance from what's left of his father by studying his father's notebook and trying to fix the automaton. In order words, he tries to receive guidance from his father through The legacy of his father and the memories he has from him.
The automaton which was a robot that was created to write became the obsession of Hugo because he believed that it's might write a message from his father that would guide him through his life. Therefore, he spent all his time trying to fix it. In doing so he had to steal the parts and tools he needed from a toyshop run by a mysterious magician. This leads us to the next archetype: the magician archetype.
The Magician Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
Carl Jung mentions The Magician archetype in many of his works, as a master who possesses knowledge and skills with which he or she manipulates elements to achieve desired outcomes. The magician blurs the lines between reality and illusion, creating awe and wonder. The magician is full of secrets and mysteries and protects these secrets at all costs.
The character of Georges Méliès is the representation of The Magician Archetype. At first, we learn this by witnessing some simple magic tricks performed by him. Later we learn that he is holding a secret about his past which he doesn't want to be revealed. But Hugo and Isabel become curious to know the secret when they find out that Georges Méliès is the creator of the automaton. So, they embark on a journey to reveal the truth. Finally, they discover that Georges Méliès was a great movie maker who made the most magical films of the time. He isn't just a simple magician showing basic tricks, but he is a Master magician, creating the most extraordinary movies in the world. This was up until The Great War occurred, which destroyed his works and his life. Therefore, he decided to abandon the movie-making business and never create any new films and keep his past a secret, and forget it.
The Explorer Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
In his book 'Psychological Types', Carl Jung provides the best definition of The Explorer Archetype, as the eternal seeker of new horizons, the one who is always dissatisfied with the present and driven by a restless urge to discover the unknown. Explorers are curious about the world and they want to learn as much as they can about it. they want to question and investigate everything. They are driven by a desire for new experiences and adventures.
In the movie Hugo, the character Izabel is The Explorer Archetype. She is a young girl living with her godfather Georges Méliès. As she cannot go on adventures and explorations, she has gained a great passion for books. She sees each book as a new experience that takes her to a full adventure. When she crosses paths with Hugo, she helps him fix the automaton. The robot starts drawing a picture of a movie scene along with the name of Izabel's godfather, Georges Méliès. She makes up her mind to embark on a journey of discovery of the secret with Hugo. They go to the library and with the help of a sage, they find out about the secret of Georges Méliès.
Izabel characteristic as a person who is determined to go on an adventure at all costs in order to find the truth makes her the ideal symbol of an explorer.
The Sage Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
The Sage Archetype is defined by Carl Jung as the source of counsel and knowledge. The sage is the character that guides the hero in his journey, by providing knowledge and wisdom. Jung referred to the Sage archetype as the "senex," which is Latin for "old man." However, the Sage is not solely defined by age. It is a quality of mind and spirit that can manifest in individuals of any age who embody its characteristics. This is the case in Hugo, as the representation of the sage archetype is a young and aspiring professor called Rene Tabard.
Rene Tabard was obsessed with Georges Méliès, to the extent that he dedicated his life to studying Georges Méliès and his movies. He even tried to collect what was left of him and featured him in his book. He believed that Georges Méliès had died in The Great War, up until he confronted Hugo and Izabel on their journey to find the secret of Georges Méliès. This is where Rene Tabard appears as a sage and provides knowledge to the main character and helps him discover the truth he is looking for.
The Lover Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
The Lover archetype, in Carl Jungian psychology, embodies the fundamental human drive for connection and passion. It represents a deep desire for intimacy. Characters embodying this archetype prioritize emotional experiences and prefer compaction over conflict.
In the Movie Hugo, the character of Mama Jeanne can be considered The Lover Archetype. She is a passionate woman standing by the side of her husband throughout their life. When Georges Méliès was a successful filmmaker, she was the star of his movies, and now that he is retired, she has taken the role of a housewife. But in no condition does she leave her husband alone. She is compassionate toward her husband and tries to protect him from disturbing events, for example, when Hugo and Izabel find out about the secret and come to Georges Méliès house to talk to him and show him one of his movies, Mama Jeanne refuses to let them do so, as it brings back painful memories.
When Confronted with the character of Mama Jeanne, we immediately feel the sense of love and compassion radiating from her.
The Hero Archetype
Screenshot of The Movie "Hugo" (2011)
The Hero Archetype, as explored by Carl Jung, represents a universal pattern of struggle, transformation, and triumph found in countless myths and stories across cultures. It symbolizes the journey of overcoming challenges, both internal and external, on the path towards growth and wholeness.
When we analyze the traits of a hero, we realize that they are most visible in the character of Hugo. He is the one who is trying to overcome both external and internal challenges, external being his life as an orphan, and internal being his struggle to belong and to find his purpose. He is absolutely determined to do anything to succeed.
But a hero is not a hero if he only cares about himself. In fact, the greatest heroes are the ones who prioritize others over themselves. When Huge finds out the secret of Georges Méliès and realizes that Méliès is in great emotional pain as he thinks his work has been forgotten, Hugo makes up his mind to help him and prove to him that he is still remembered. So he decides to give the automaton to Méliès, although it was a gift from his father, actually one of the few things remaining from his father. But Hugo realizes that Méliès needs it more. He even put himself in great danger to save the automaton when it fell on the railway. This is the ultimate sign of a hero.
Hugo eventually found what he was looking for. All his hard work eventually paid off as Georges Méliès adopted him. Hugo finally found a place to belong.
Conclusion
The movie “Hugo” directed by Martin Scorsese based on the book 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007)' written by Brian Selznick is a masterpiece and one of the greatest fantasy films of the modern time. It contains a rich variety of characters that have been created with great detail. Some of these characters are archetypes, the recurring characters in the stories and myths throughout the world as discussed by the Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung. The present paper was an attempt to uncover and analyze these archetypes based on the theories of Carl Jung.
For further reading about the archetypes, please refer to the following books:
•Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) by Carl Jung
•Symbols of Transformation (1970) by Carl Jung
Works Cited:
Kampff, Joseph. Brian Selznick. United States, Cavendish Square Publishing, 2014.
LoBrutto, Vincent. Martin Scorsese: A Biography. United States, ABC-CLIO, 2007.
Jung, Carl Gustav, and Hinkle, Beatrice M.. Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido, a Contribution to the History of the Evolution of Thought. United States, Moffat, Yard, 1916.
Jung, C. G.. Symbols of Transformation: An Analysis of the Prelude to a Case of Schizophrenia. United Kingdom, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1970.
Jung, Carl Gustav. Aion: Researches Into the Phenomenology of the Self. United States, Princeton University Press, 1951.
McLynn, Frank. Carl Gustav Jung: A Biography. United States, St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2014.
Jung, Carl G.. Memories, Dreams, Reflections. United Kingdom, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2011.
Screenshots Attribution: This article includes images from the film "Hugo" (2011), directed by Martin Scorsese. The images are used for analyzing the film for educational and critical purposes. I believe this constitutes fair use under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. However, if the copyright holder disagrees, I will remove the clips upon request.