The psychological explanation of terrorism

Introduction Terrorism can be defined as an act of violence, terror, or aggression whose objective is to achieve coercion and fear in non-violent individuals. However, there is no generally accepted definition of terrorism because of its broad and extensive application in different circumstances and behaviors.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The psychological explanation of terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, according to the constitutional meaning given in the Terrorism Act of 2000 in the United Kingdom, terrorism entails those actions carried out by non-state individuals with the aim of influencing the government’s policies and decisions besides intimidating the general public (Randy 2004, p. 9). These terrorist actions include violence against individuals, damage to property, engaging in activities that endanger or threaten the security of other people, and the use of firearms to threa ten the State or its citizens. On the other hand, terrorism can be sub-divided into several categories, which include terrorist activities carried out by regimes and governments; non-state terrorism, national terrorism, and international terrorism (Moghadam 2006, p. 18). Moreover, terrorism as a whole can be categorized into corrigible and incorrigible terrorist acts. Under corrigible terrorism, there is always a way of reaching a compromise between the two conflicting parties, thus ending violence and aggression. However, under incorrigible terrorism, the terrorist group employs maximalist approaches in attacking their target and the only solution to stopping their activities is to use force in containing violence and aggression (Schmid Jongman 2005, p. 33). Therefore, terrorism is a broad phenomenon that is driven by ideological (Political and religious), social, and economic factors. Furthermore, there are different types of violent and aggressive behaviors associated with terro rism. Thus, it is not possible to indeed underpin the underlying motivations and determinants of terrorist activities. Furthermore, there is no generally accepted theoretical and conceptual explanation of the motivations and determinants of terrorist activities. Consequently, many nations in the world are forced to employ a large amount of national resources in trying to eradicate or prevent terrorism but with little success (Randy 2004, p. 12). However, many psychologists argue that terrorism has a psychological basis as envisioned in the psychoanalytic and the non-psychoanalytic theories of terrorism. On the other hand, the opponents of the psychological claims identify several pitfalls of the psychology of terrorism. This paper examines the advantages and limitations of the psychology of terrorism with the aim of showing that psychology can actually explain why a normal person perpetrates terrorist activities against others.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences ? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The advantages of the psychology of terrorism Being a social science that studies human behavior, psychology has a lot to offer in terms of examining the motivations and causes of terrorist activities. Early studies in the field of psychology of terrorism identify narcissism as a possible approach towards explaining the origin of terrorism. Here, the proponents of the psychoanalytic theories of terrorism argue that there is the need to develop strong attachments and relationships with infants during the early stages of their life-span development. This ensures that the infants undertake all the normal stages of development besides sharing the feeling of parental love (Crenshaw 2001, p. 21). This is the basis of the narcissism theory, which holds that an infant who is deprived of parental or societal love develops an altered self-image, hostility, and an abnormal self-identity that culminates into n arcissistic injuries. These injuries create feelings of anger, violence, and aggression in the affected individuals who tend to spend most of their time trying to eliminate what they perceive to be the cause of their inner pain and injuries. Despite that the narcissistic theory offers a possible cause of violence and hostility characteristic of many terrorists, it fails in capturing the possible motivation of all types of violence associated with terrorism. Therefore, current psychoanalytic studies use different approaches to explain the causes of terrorism. Besides, most psychoanalytic studies indicate that terrorists opt to engage in terrorist activities because of different reasons. Also, normal persons become terrorists in different ways and with different motivations. Therefore, most psychologists argue that in the quest to underpin the possible causes of terrorist activities, there is the need to discriminate between the motivations for joining, being retained, and disserting terrorist factions (Schmid Jongman 2005, p. 61). As a result, current psychoanalytic studies propose the identity theory as one of the psychoanalytic theories of terrorism. These theories were put forward by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) who in agreement with other neo-Freudian psychologists argue that the human mind and its associated mental processes are unconscious. Therefore, the psychological process of life-span development follows a distinct and highly organized procedure involving several stages that depend on one’s childhood desires (Crenshaw 2001, p. 405). In case any one of these stages is omitted, or an individual’s childhood fantasies are unresolved, the affected person becomes psychologically distressed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The psychological explanation of terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the identity theory, individuals who are bound to perpetrate terr orist activities are usually young and energetic persons suffering from low self-esteem, which subsequently alters their way of thinking in that they are willing to do anything which makes them honored. Therefore, the search for self-identity can make a normal person vulnerable to becoming a potential terrorist. Furthermore, psychoanalytic studies show that there is no one personality that can be used to identify potential terrorists. However, most terrorists share common biographies characterized by cases of humiliation, childhood abuses, and social injustices. These histories may be the possible causes of violence and aggression perpetrated by most terrorists against their victims. Additionally, the paranoia theory holds that individuals with paranoid personality challenges develop feelings of distrust and suspicion towards other individuals and they are bound to develop ill motives towards these people (Schmid Jongman 2005, p. 61). Therefore, according to most psychologists, the se individuals also have specific personality attributes such as excitement-seekers; action-oriented personalities; violent and aggressive personalities; and social failures. These characteristics are associated with the increased probability of these individuals organizing themselves in terrorist groups to achieve their malevolent motives. Furthermore, the paranoia theory agrees with other observational studies conducted by psychologists on terrorists suffering from narcissistic personality challenges, which shows that terrorists must have encountered splitting experiences before they decided to engage in terrorist activities (Moghadam 2006, p. 20). Here, splitting experiences entails the pain and narcissistic injuries that individuals are exposed to earlier in life. Therefore, these persons suffer from a damaged image of their personal identities and inner pain. Inside of these individuals, the conflict between what is good and bad is unresolved and thus, one forms wounds that are externalized through blaming others for one’s pain, weaknesses, financial problems, and low self-esteem. Also, terrorists tend to compare their inner weaknesses against the perceived strength and power of their enemies and thus they will spend most of their life-time trying to destroy the inner weaknesses through aggression and violence (Crenshaw 2001, p. 410). Most importantly, the discussions above show that terrorists are normal, intelligent, and critical planners of their activities. This refutes any possibilities of terrorists being mentally ill (Hoffman 1999, p. 337; Hoffman 2006, p. 409). Therefore, there must be a driving force that keeps terrorists together in promoting their course while destroying their perceived enemies.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the possible drives for terrorist activities is their political and religious ideologies. In most terrorist factions, there are religious ideologies providing the moral justification of terrorist activities. Here, psychologists claim that in normal societies, there are rules and sanctions that prevent individuals from acting maliciously (Wilkinson 1997, p. 415). However, under certain circumstances, violence and aggression can be justified in the society relative to its moral objective as observable in the histories of the Islamic religion, Christianity, and Judaism. Moreover, the extremist ideologies keep the terrorists together in groups and any misunderstanding, mistrust, or violation of the factions’ rules can threaten the group’s existence. Limitations of the psychology of terrorism From the discussions above, it is worth noting that the psychology of terrorism studies the behavior of terrorists that can be attributed to their acts of violence and aggressio n. Relative to studies conducted on the behavior of terrorists, it is evident that there are different types of violent and aggressive behaviors. Also, the studies show that not all violent behaviors can lead to terrorist activities. Therefore, psychology fails to draw a clear link between violence and terrorist activities. Furthermore, most the psychoanalytic studies claim that most terrorists use certain ideological beliefs to perpetrate violence against their enemies. However, it is possible for someone to show that not all extremist political and religious ideologies are based on violence. Besides, it is not logical to claim that all extremists are violent. In some cases, some extremist ideologies are in place to drive economic and cultural agendas. Therefore, there is the need to show the ultimate purpose of the extremist ideologies in terrorism, which psychology fails to provide (Abrahams, 2008, pp. 86-89). Besides, psychology attempts to show how normal persons end up becomin g terrorists but fails in terms of providing a clear explanation of how terrorist factions identify and recruit their members. Historical studies of terrorism show that most terrorist factions are largely found in regions where the greatest number of people are deprived of national resources or in areas where the people are dissatisfied with the activities of the national or international governments. Here, the psychological theories may fail to show how a whole population turns violent and decides to engage in terrorist activities (Wilkinson 2006, p. 23). Relative to the psychoanalytic and non-psychoanalytic theories of terrorism, most psychologists point a finger at the childhood histories, life experiences, and biographies of terrorists as the possible determinants of an individual’s behavioral changes as one develops. Thus, psychology claims that any possible injustices along the developmental line of an individual can make one to revenge against the perceived sources of the injustices. Here, psychology does not indicate that a person can do harm oneself in the process of seeking justice. Therefore, it is not possible to explain the motivations behind suicide bombing through psychology (Randy 2004, p. 35). Generally, the psychological studies of terrorism are wanting in terms of providing one possible definition of terrorism. Studies show that in their quest to provide a clear meaning of terrorism, most psychologists have come up with more than 100 definitions (Randy 2004, p. 47). This makes it impossible for anyone individual to collect a single coherent body of knowledge concerning terrorism. Besides, the current psychoanalytic studies in terrorism are not based on any data and thus, they cannot be reproduced. Lastly, most psychoanalysts do not provide any practical implications or applicability of their studies because most terrorists cannot be contacted in case other researchers wish to verify the claims made (Silke, 2001, p. 14). However, it is worth noting that most psychoanalytic studies are practical and that there is a high possibility of operationalizing them in future studies. Besides, the advantages of using psychology in explaining the motivations and determinants behind terrorist activities outweigh its limitations. It then follows that psychology is a possible starting point in the quest to underpin the possible causes of terrorist activities. Conclusions The paper examines the possibility of using psychology in the quest to explain the possible causes and motivations of terrorist activities by considering the advantages and limitations of the psychology of terrorism. From the discussions above, terrorism is defined as the act of violence perpetrated against other innocent and non-violent individuals. Furthermore, it is notable that psychology offers several avenues upon which the motivations and determinants of terrorism can be examined. For instance, through the psychoanalytic and non-psychoanalytic theories, it is possible to show the link between the process of life-span development and the probability that an individual will become a potential terrorist. The theories that attempt to explain the origins of terrorism include the identity theory, the narcissism theory, the paranoia theory, and the humiliation-revenge theory. However, basing scientific studies on theories has proven inapplicable in some circumstances where violent behaviors translate to terrorist activities. Furthermore, many psychologists have failed in agreeing upon one universally accepted definition of terrorism that can guide the collection of a body of knowledge, which explains the possible causes and motivations of terrorism. In addition, most psychoanalytic studies are not based on statistical data and thus, it is not possible to reproduce them to determine their applicability and practical implications. In spite of these limitations, psychology is a possible line of investigation for researchers wishing to explor e the possible determinants and causes of terrorist activities. Reference List Abrahms, M 2008, ‘What terrorists really want: terrorist motives and counterterrorism strategy’ International Security, vol.32, no. 4, pp. 86–89. Crenshaw, M 2001, ‘The psychology of terrorism: An agenda for the 21st century’,  Political Psychology, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 405-420. Hoffman, B 1999, ‘The mind of the terrorist: Perspectives from social psychology’,  Psychiatric Annals, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 337-340. Hoffman, B 2006, Inside Terrorism (2nd ed.), Columbia University Press, New York. Moghadam, A 2006, The roots of terrorism, Infobase Publishing Ltd., New York. Randy, B 2004, Psychology of terrorism, University of Florida, Tampa, Florida. Schmid, PA Jongman, AJ 2005, Political terrorism, Routledge, New York. Silke, A 2001, ‘The devil you know: Continuing problems with research on terrorism’,  Terrorism and Political Violence, vol. 13, n o. 4, pp. 1-14. Wilkinson, P 1997, ‘The Media and Terrorism: a Reassessment’, Terrorism and Political  Violence, Vol.9, no.2, pp.51–64. Wilkinson, P 2006, Terrorism vs. democracy: the liberal State response (2nd ed.), Routledge, New York. This essay on The psychological explanation of terrorism was written and submitted by user Billy A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Green Sea Turtles essays

Green Sea Turtles essays One of the most fascinating creatures of the sea is the green sea turtle. Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, get their name from the color of their body fat, which is green from the algae they eat. The Hawaiian name is Honu. It is believed that green sea turtles are reptiles whose ancestors evolved on land and returned to sea about 150 million years ago. Their species is so ancient that they watched the dinosaurs become extinct. There were once millions of sea turtles world wide, But because of several reasons such as hunting, fishing, marine debris and coastal development, today there are fewer than 200,000 mature females remaining. The green sea turtle is listed as a threatened species and people need to get involved to make sure this beautiful species does not also become extinct. The green sea turtle is one of the largest of sea turtles. Adults can weigh an average of 400 pounds and are often found living near coral reefs and rocky shorelines. Adult sea turtles are herbivores and their diet consists mainly of algae and sea grasses. Juvenile turtles are carnivorous eating things like jellyfish, snails, sponges and seaweed. The life span of a sea turtle is unknown but Hawaiian sea turtles grow very slowly and may take ten to fifteen years to reach sexual maturity. The average age of sexual maturity is around twenty-five years. Although green sea turtles spend most of their lives in the ocean, adult females must return to land to lay their eggs every two to three years. It is believed that green sea turtles return to the same beach in which they were also born. Males accompany the females during this migration, which occurs in the late spring and mate with them off the shores of the nesting beaches. The most popular nesting beaches in Hawaii are on the French Frigate Shoals where it is estimated that 90% of the Hawaiian sea turtles mate and lay their eggs. This amazing journey can be over 600 miles. It is unknown how sea turt...

Why Use Bitcoins Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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Investigating circuit city comany Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Investigating circuit city comany - Article Example The company was one of the largest consumer-electronics retailers and was also one of the pioneers in the industry, having been founded by Samuel S. Wurtzel as a television store in 1949 (Hartung, 2010) Circuit City achieved tremendous growth from its inception through to the early 1990s. This growth was highlighted by the company’s stock increasing at an annual average rate of 50.5 percent in the decade after going public in 1983, beating all industry peers and placing it at the top of the Fortune 500 service companies' rankings for having the highest return to investors. (Gilligan, 2008) Emerging competitors like Best Buy and Wal-Mart, did not stand a chance of dethroning Circuit City as the dominant force in the consumer-electronics retail market during this period. However, before long, the scenario changed. The grasp that Circuit City held on the market steadily loosened following a string of decisions made in the 1990s. This began when the company tested new ventures tha t distracted its executives from the core business. Circuit City intended to keep up its rapid growth rate by exploring a variety of businesses. It created CarMax in 1993 and followed that by entering the home-security business, which it eventually sold. Later on it was to test the installation and repair of home air-conditioning and heating systems, which it discontinued. The chain even considered opening large furniture stores but scrubbed that plan. (Gilligan, 2008) After all this, the company still invested more than $200 million into creating and selling Divx, a digital video disc rental system. This was to be a massive failure as the system’s viability was questioned by Hollywood studios and other retailers, forcing the company to pull the plug on the project. Circuit City had a lot going on as its executives tried to figure what business to explore, all along straying further from its core business - consumer-electronic retailing. Why over-invest in unknown businesses with low growth rates, rather than invest in known markets with high growth rates? (Hartung, 2010) These experiments allowed Best Buy to gain considerable advantage over Circuit City. Circuit City was complacent in addressing the obvious growing threat from its most formidable competitor, Best Buy - a fatal mistake in the fiercely competitive and fast-evolving retail-electronics industry. Best Buy was a Minneapolis-based retailer that was half the size of Circuit City by sales and number of stores in the early 1990s. Circuit City did not take Best Buy seriously enough since they were not making as much revenue as they did, so why question a successful model they thought. Best Buy on the other hand did not want to emulate Circuit City; it was rather a question of how to be better and different from Circuit City. The intensity of Best Buy’s growth was so significant that by the late 1990s it had a commanding lead over Circuit City in sales per store and unseating Circuit City a s the top consumer-electronics retailer by revenue. From then on, Circuit City was always playing catch up. Due to the expansion of the business into new markets, Circuit City set up many of its new stores in areas with low market growth. These inferior locations opposed to high growth areas where its competitors set up shop, was later a real cause of concern since the new stores had lower returns. Circuit City di

Empirical Evidence Make Progress In Knowledge Philosophy Essay

Empirical Evidence Make Progress In Knowledge Philosophy Essay The dictionary definition of empirical evidence is evidence relating to or based on experiment and observation (rather than theory) or on practical experience (without reference to scientific principles). This type of evidence is necessary for a theory, in different areas of knowledge, to be confirmed. Empirical methods are generally used to base a theory or derive a conclusion in sciences (such as the natural sciences or the human sciences) after collecting all the necessary data. The meaning of the word empirical derives from the ancient Greek word for experience (ÃŽÂ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±), which means knowledge based on direct perception of things or events through our senses. Therefore, empirical data is information that is derived from the trials and errors of experience. In this way, the empirical method is similar to the experimental method. The empirical method is generally characterized by the collection of a large amount of data, with or without much idea of what to expect. The empirical method is necessary in entering completely unexplored fields, and becomes less empirical as the acquired knowledge of the field increases. Throughout centuries researchers use empirical research and evidence to test reality i.e. to test the state of things as they actually exist, basing their findings on direct or indirect observation. This kind of research is mainly applied to empirical sciences, mainly the natural sciences and the human (social) sciences. In these areas knowledge should be based on observable phenomena capable of being experimented for their validity by other researchers working under the same conditions. In natural sciences empirical evidence is crucial and scientists can count on this to continue experimenting and make progress discovering new sights. The core skill of a scientist is to make observations, i.e. receive knowledge of the outside world through the senses. The scientist sees, hears, or in some other way notices whats going on in the world and becomes curious about whats happening. This also includes reading and studying what others have done in the past since scientific knowledge is cumulative. In physics, for example, when Newton came up with his Theory of Motion, he based his hypothesis on the work of Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo as well as his own, newer observations. Another example is Darwin who formed his Theory of Evolution based on the works of other naturalists but mainly on observations during his voyage to chart the coastline of South America, a voyage that lasted almost 5 years, during which Darwin spent most of the time on land investigating geology and making natural history collections  [2]  . In chemistry, the most important issues of atomic theory have been proved experimentally and nobody doubts about the existence of i.e. atoms. Nowadays, everybody knows and nobody can deny that all elements are made of atoms and all atoms have a nucleus. Moreover, science and technology helped to discover and study the tiny world of atoms. For example, nucleus, the massive centre of the atom was discovered in 1911, but it took scientists another 21 years of experimenting to identify its parts (protons, neutrons, electrons). In addition, for many years scientists thought that there was nothing smaller than the proton or the neutron in the nucleus of the atom. In 1968, they discovered that there are new particles inside the proton and the neutron (the quarks) that are even smaller. As we can see, chemical theory is confirmed by detailed agreement with experimental results, although, it takes scientists many years of experimenting and observation. Biology is the science that studies life mainly from an experimental perspective. Observations and experiments are used vastly to help scientists gather information and make conclusions on several aspects. For example, in biology, disease resides in cells (and, perhaps ultimately, in genes), but we know this because cellular dysfunction can be demonstrated experimentally. In addition, disease can best be controlled by attending to cellular function and dysfunction and by intervening to manipulate the cell using techniques that have empirically demonstrated effectiveness. In human sciences the situation is different. Sciences such as Psychology have just recently managed to convince people that they are credible. This has been mainly achieved because through observations and experimenting it has produced quantifiable, repeatable results based on empirical evidence. In other sciences such as Economics, Economists have conducted controlled experiments constructed to observe participants reactions to specific situations. However, in many cases behaviour is governed more by emotion than by reason. In all human sciences, the experiments are performed on human beings, using relatively small sample sizes and artificial environments which make the results difficult to generalise. Nevertheless, no one can deny the usefulness of observations on human behaviour during differentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. In other areas of knowledge, such as Mathematics, the methods used to verify knowledge are independent of experience. Of course they involve an objective, careful and systematic study of an area of knowledge, but facts depend on reasoning alone as in the equation 1+1=2 for example. Mathematics is considered to be the science of rigorous truth and an island of certainty in an ocean of doubt. In such areas of knowledge, empirical evidence cannot be used to make progress. However, one of its main branches, geometry, actually started as a natural, empirical science. Hilbert made important contributions to both axiomatic geometry and to general relativity. Of course, a geometrical theory in physical interpretation can never be validated with mathematical certainty, no matter how extensive the experimental tests to which it is subjected. Like any other theory of empirical science, it can acquire only a more or less high degree of confirmation. Indeed, the demand for mathematical certainty in empirical matters is misguided and unreasonable, since mathematical certainty of knowledge can be only attained at the price of analyticity and thus of complete lack of factual content  [3]  . This is also summarised in Einsteins words: As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality. The same stands for areas such as history, art, and religion. Religion, for example, is purely a matter of faith. People who choose to believe in God do not have evidence to support it and people who choose not to believe in God do not have evidence that there is no God. There is also no more evidence for any one God than for any other. It is just as sensible to worship the Gods of the ancient Greeks or Egyptians as it is to worship modern deities. Everybody must decide for himself or herself which religion (if any) to follow. And, when people decide to follow one religion, they believe that God exists even if their belief cannot empirically verified or falsified. Their belief is mainly based either on intuition or on some more or less intense personal religious experience. Some others have faith and their belief is based on the feeling that there must be something. As we see, whether or not God exists is something that cannot be proved (scientifically) by experimentation or observ ation, therefore, the existence of God is something that different people have different intuition about. As regards arts, From the above, I believe that empirical evidence used in the form of observation, experience, or experiment should be used in natural and human sciences, in order to provide accurate and unbiased information. This information will consist a reliable guide for future generations, which will be based on this information to make the necessary progress through further investigation. From the examples given, it is obvious that researchers should never stop examining, questioning and experimenting in order for new findings to come to light. Previous knowledge and experimental results form a solid base for new discoveries that make progress and evolve sciences. Above all, however, every scientist should question and analyse any findings in the most objective way and not allow prejudice influence his thoughts and his results. No hypothesis or theory can be called scientific or accepted if it lacks empirical evidence in favour. Therefore, empirical evidence can be use both to accept or counter any scientific hypothesis or theory. http://www.experiment-resources.com/empirical-evidence.html Read more: http://www.experiment-resources.com/empirical-evidence.html#ixzz0gIvSLOZN There is no evidence to support the doctrines of a particular religion. After all, certainty cannot be found in any area of knowledge. Even if we prove something by experiment or observation, it may turn out to be false after some years or more. The complete work of Charles Darwin on line (http://darwin-online.org.uk/) http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=sideitemID=F10.3pageseq=1

Archetypes in Harry Potter Essay -- Literary Analysis

Since the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series has become enormously popular, evidenced in part by its translation into more than seventy languages (Plunkett). As its popularity has increased, it has been held in correspondingly higher esteem until Harry Potter finally joined the likes of Peter Pan and Robin Hood, and Rowling’s series was unofficially labeled Children’s Literature. Due to this station, it is being treated more seriously and examined more analytically. This attention has illuminated allusions and patterns that impose additional layers of meaning onto the story. Harry Potter’s quest, detailed through seven books and thousands of pages, includes archetypal characters, situations, and structure of a classic epic. The main character of a classic epic is the epic hero. This hero is usually male, and he performs courageous, even superhuman feats which â€Å"determine the fate of a nation† (Stephens). He â€Å"must undertake a long and perilous journey, often involving a descent into the underworld,† during which his â€Å"endurance, courage, and cunning† are tested (Characteristics of an Epic Hero). A trip to the Underworld is usually accompanied, at some point, by â€Å"epic games† and one or more â€Å"vision[s] of the future† (Stephens). Though the hero’s friends might be great warriors, â€Å"he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt† (Characteristics of the Epic Hero). In the course of his development, the hero passes through three stages, each consisting of several steps: first, the hero departs the known world; then embarks upon the quest, is transformed, and achieves maturity; and finally, the hero must return to the known (The H ero's Journey). The storyline ultimately ... ...lunkett, Suzanne. "J.K. Rowling announces new book; Harry Potter fans react." 23 June 2011. The Washington Post. 6 June 2012 . Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2007. —. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2003. —. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997. Stephens, Jimmy. "Archetypes: Student Notes and Exercises." August 2007. 9 June 2012 . "The Hero's Journey." Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. 8 June 2012 . Archetypes in Harry Potter Essay -- Literary Analysis Since the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series has become enormously popular, evidenced in part by its translation into more than seventy languages (Plunkett). As its popularity has increased, it has been held in correspondingly higher esteem until Harry Potter finally joined the likes of Peter Pan and Robin Hood, and Rowling’s series was unofficially labeled Children’s Literature. Due to this station, it is being treated more seriously and examined more analytically. This attention has illuminated allusions and patterns that impose additional layers of meaning onto the story. Harry Potter’s quest, detailed through seven books and thousands of pages, includes archetypal characters, situations, and structure of a classic epic. The main character of a classic epic is the epic hero. This hero is usually male, and he performs courageous, even superhuman feats which â€Å"determine the fate of a nation† (Stephens). He â€Å"must undertake a long and perilous journey, often involving a descent into the underworld,† during which his â€Å"endurance, courage, and cunning† are tested (Characteristics of an Epic Hero). A trip to the Underworld is usually accompanied, at some point, by â€Å"epic games† and one or more â€Å"vision[s] of the future† (Stephens). Though the hero’s friends might be great warriors, â€Å"he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt† (Characteristics of the Epic Hero). In the course of his development, the hero passes through three stages, each consisting of several steps: first, the hero departs the known world; then embarks upon the quest, is transformed, and achieves maturity; and finally, the hero must return to the known (The H ero's Journey). The storyline ultimately ... ...lunkett, Suzanne. "J.K. Rowling announces new book; Harry Potter fans react." 23 June 2011. The Washington Post. 6 June 2012 . Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2007. —. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2003. —. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997. Stephens, Jimmy. "Archetypes: Student Notes and Exercises." August 2007. 9 June 2012 . "The Hero's Journey." Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. 8 June 2012 .