ENG-4UE Grade 12 English

In the novel Three Day Road , many archetypes are explored. These archetypes include characters, themes, and symbols. Xavier, the main protagonist, interacts with many different characters and symbols that all have archetypes. Throughout his journey, Xavier goes along the path of the archetypal hero. Although Xavier may have some differences with the archetypal hero, it is possible to use logical assumptions in order to connect these differences into similarities.             Xavier begins his journey with a dark childhood. His mother abandoned him and he is forced to go to a residential school where he is treated poorly, but also where he first interacts with major characters in the novel. He meets Elijah, who is another native child forced to go to the residential school. Elijah learns the tongue of the white people who run the residential schools and uses it to avoid consequences by tricking them with their own language. Elija...

Character Archetype Explanation of Archetype Influence on Xavier Text Proof Xavier Hero Xavier is the hero in this book not through his victories against Germans, but through his actions and moral points of view. He is kind to everyone but also delivers justice when required. He always stands for what he believes in even when he doesn’t say anything. The shadow that Elijah has cast over Xavier suppresses Xavier from speaking much, and so Xavier’s beliefs are supported through his actions. “Elijah reaches for a broom in the corner, hands it to me, points to the nest. I refuse to take the broom, glare back.” (Boyden 217) The lieutenant orders Xavier to destroy a bird’s nest which has given Xavier some sort of happiness through innocence. Xavier refuses to do so, risking his own life in order to save a few birds. This is the first time in the book where Xavier defies a direct order in order to follow his ...