I recall the first time I heard the theory of archetypal structure in story telling. It was my first day at the Vancouver Film School, Writing for Film and Television program. A psychologist spoke to us about the work of Joseph Campbell and I was enlivened! I felt chills of resonance. A moment later he said “all story from all time is a Hero’s journey”. I said, to myself, “that can’t be right.” it was that simple. From then on I really wanted to know what another resonant story would look like. A more internally driven story, a feminine story (not to be confused with female). I took courses on mythology, feminism and psychology including a Jungian Odyssey in Switzerland looking for another pattern.  There were pieces of it in the work of Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Jean Houston, Maureen Murdock, Rianne Eisler and Marianne Woodman, but I couldn’t find a clear description of a universal feminine journey for story structure. I realized I had to figure it out for myself.

The first archetypal pattern I pieced together was the journey I was on. It was about hearing that inner voice and awakening to the gift of being you. I searched everywhere for a work for this journey and only found one. Jungians call it the Virgin archetype. It is the meaning still alive when we describe a virgin forest - to be of value just for being yourself (as opposed to all the ways you can be used). The pattern of the Virgin’s journey to know herself and be herself was developed by closely observing quests to be authentic in the world. I looked at movies, television, advertisements, music lyrics and stories of personal growth, including my own. I found a pattern and described it in 13 beats in my first book, The Virgin’s Promise.

This title has lead to some interesting conversations.Many (mostly women) have backed away from the term “virgin” because patriarchal has re-defined it as an assurance that no man has gone before you. It create a value in lack of sexual experience, which is ironic because we often come to know ourselves through our sexuality. The word promise also carries two meanings. It can refer to a promise to behave in a certain way. An external force is shaping your behaviour in the world. It can also mean a person’s innate potential. I often wonder why the English language doesn’t have more words for a person on a journey towards self-fulfillment. Let me know if you know of some.

Since the outlining of a pattern for the feminine inward journey towards individuation, which is a lovely companion to the external journey to survive in the world that the hero archetype depicts, I have turned my mind to 4 more journeys. I believe life offers the opportunity to form a relationship with yourself (Virgin and Hero), with another (Mother and Lover, and Warrior King) and the cosmos (Crone and Mentor). The patterns to these are percolating in my mind.

The purpose of my blog is to introduce my framework for archetypal structures as I develop them. Here we can explore and refine them together. There is a focus on giving feminine archetypes more insight and accessibility, especially for screenwriting and modern applications.  As I learn about the feminine, I am also deepening my understanding of the masculine because they are the two halves of the whole, in a yin and yang kind of way. It is in this spirit that I offer these insights into the masculine archetypes as well.

Maybe this work will create more meaningful, insightful and enjoyable roles for women.  That would be great.  I also hope it will create stories about men who explore who they are separate from what everyone else expects from them, also known as their feminine side.  In my first book, I’ve used examples of male and female Virgins to support this.

So go ahead and explore the ideas, tell me what movies you liked and where you’ve recognized another Virgin movie.  I’m happy to answer questions on story structure or archetypes.  My dream is to support everyone in knowing how archetypal energy unfolds and feels. May you be inspired to write your best stories.

blogs on The Virgin’s Promise can also be found at kehudson.wordpress.com

follow me on twitter @kimehudson

on facebook at Virgin’s Promise page

All the best,

Kim

PAST ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

David Lynch MFA Writing with Matthew Kalil Class Guest Speaker: February, 2021

London Screenwriters’ Festival Speakers Series: February, 2021

Raindance Pitch Tests: January, 2021,

Global Film Industry Cafe Guest Speaker: Side Event for London Screenwriter’s Festival, September 2020

Raindance London Lockdown Sessions: Quarantine and the Inner Journey, May 2020

David Lynch MFA Writing Class, Guest Speaker with Matthew Kalil, March 2020

Story Institute Vancouver, Fireside Chat, February 2020

CBC Ideas, September 3, 2019

Raindance London Weekend Workshop: Writing Stories of Personal Growth, May 2018, and Oct 2018

Raindance London Seminar: How to Write a Christmas Movie, Dec 2017

Raindance London Weekend Workshop: Writing From a Feminine Perspective, Dec 2017

Raindance Film Festival: Women in Film Panelist, Queer Film Panelist, Oct 2017

Romance Writer’s of Australia Annual Gathering: Keynote Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, Aug 2015

Meeting publisher of the Italian Edition of The Virgin’s Promise, Rome, Spring 2015

Yukon College, Women’s Studies 101 Guest Speaker, Feb 2015

Raindance London Weekend Workshop: To Be, or Not to Be: The Virgin Script, Nov 2014

Raindance London Seminar: Deconstructing Frozen Script, Nov 2014

Meet the publisher of the Japanese Edition of The Virgin’s Promise, Tokyo Aug, 2014

Yukon College, Women’s Studies 101 guest speaking: Feb, 2014

Yukon Available Light Film Festival: Workshop Facilitator, Feb 2012

Vancouver Women in Film Guest Speaker 2011

Vancouver Film School Guest Speaker 2011

Los Angeles Scriptorama: Seminar on The Virgin’s Promise: Sept 2011

BC Student Film Festival, Keynote Speaker, Workshop Facilitator: Stories of Awakening to Who You Are, 2011

Los Angeles Scriptorama: Seminar on The Virgin’s Promise, 2010