CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

Mental health is frequently discussed lately, both on social media, in

educational institutions, communities, and organizations, and even in public spaces.

According to the World Health Organization (2022), mental health is a state of

mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their

abilities, learn well, work well, and contribute to their community. Meanwhile,

American Psychiatric Association (2013) said that mentally healthy individuals also

have the ability to accept themselves as they are, including their strengths and

weaknesses, and are able to face challenges and problems that arise in everyday life.

This makes mental health something that every individual wants to achieve.

However, the problem is, the large number of cases of mental disorders that

have occurred in the world and in Indonesia in recent years has affected millions of

people throughout the world. According to data from the World Health

Organization (2019), there are 264 million people experiencing depression, 45

million people suffering from bipolar disorder, 50 million people experiencing

dementia, and 20 million people experiencing schizophrenia. Meanwhile, data from

Research and Development Agency (2016) shows that every year there are around

1,800 suicide cases in Indonesia, with 47.7% of suicide victims aged 10-39 years.

It does not stop there, during COVID-19 especially in 2020, cases of mental

disorders reached their peak. Added to the fear of contracting the virus in a

pandemic are the significant changes to our daily lives as our movements are

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restricted in support of efforts to contain and slow down the spread of the virus.

WHO says that the COVID-19 pandemic triggers a 25% increase in the prevalence

of anxiety and depression worldwide.

These cases succeeded in attracting the attention of many groups, especially

young people, who quickly received information. Gradually, people are starting to

realize how important mental health is for each individual. Public awareness about

mental health is increasing day by day. Many people are starting to dare to speak

out, share their experiences, and seek support for the mental problems they face.

One unique way for someone to speak about mental health is to make mental health

a theme in literary works.

Literary works are a form for individuals to express their experiences. This

is in line with Wellek & Warren in the book Theory of Literature (1949), which

states that literary works are the result of the author's creative process, which

involves imagination, emotion, and thought in creating a lively and meaningful

fictional world. Wellek and Warren also explained that literary works are not only

expressions of the author's emotions or ideas but also reflect the author's

psychological condition at the time the work was created. One of the literary works

that raises the theme of mental health is the novel The Midnight Library (2020) by

Matt Haig.

Amidst the peak of mental health cases that occurred during the COVID-19

pandemic, The Midnight Library emerged as a popular mental health novel. This is

evident in the numerous awards the novel has received, including being a bestseller

by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, winning the

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Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction, and being shortlisted for Fiction Book of the

Year at the 2021 British Book Awards (Goodreads, 2020). The novel has also been

adapted into a ten-part radio series and broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December

2020 (BBC, n.d). Furthermore, what is interesting about this novel is the author,

Matt Haig. Just like the novel, the author also suffered from anxiety and had

attempted suicide. According to Moore (2018), at the age of 24, while battling

severe depression, Haig walked to the edge of a cliff in Ibiza with the intention of

ending his life, but stopped just short of his death.

The Midnight Library was published in 2020 and tells the story of Nora, the

main character, who experienced many failures and regrets in her life that made her

choose to commit suicide. When she committed suicide, Nora was in a library

between life and death to explore various alternative life options. The novel

explores the nature of regret and despair and offers a hopeful view of the

possibilities in life.

The psychological approach is a suitable way to analyze literary works with

the theme of mental health. In this story, the main focus lies on Nora's psychological

journey that begins after her suicide attempt, where she experiences self-

transformation through an inner journey, trying various life possibilities. The

psychological journey contained in this story reflects the individuation process.

Individuation is a psychological process that attempts to unite, combine, and

organize various aspects of a person's personality to achieve self-actualization. Jung

(2014) said that individuation provides a unique approach to human social problems

in an effort to achieve true personality maturity. This individuation process is

influenced by the existence of archetypes or innate behavioral patterns inherited

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from human ancestors. The uniqueness of individuals inherited from their ancestors

is a universal symbol that appears in human myths, dreams, and imagination (Jung,

1921).

To map this complex process of individuation into a narrative, this study

uses Carol S. Pearson’s framework. Pearson's theory is heavily inspired by

mythologist Joseph Campbell’s concept of the “Monomyth” or Hero's Journey.

Campbell, in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), identified universal

narrative patterns in myths around the world. Pearson then adapted Campbell’s

mythological framework and translated it into an internal psychological journey.

According to Pearson (1991), individuation is the ultimate goal of the hero’s

journey, which she describes as a journey to “find the treasure of your true self, and

then about returning home to give your gift to help transform the kingdom and, in

the process, your own life.”

Nora's transformative psychological journey can be summarized into three

main phases: the death of her old, regret-filled ego, a purification process in which

she sheds her illusions, and rebirth as a whole individual. This process of Death,

Purification, and Rebirth is the essence of the hero's journey. Therefore, Carol S.

Pearson's theory of twelve archetypes, which specifically maps these stages, is the

most appropriate analytical tool for dissecting Nora's transformation process.

In this study, the researcher tries to identify Nora Seed's psychological

journey, which is metaphorized as the hero's journey through twelve archetypes

based on Carol Pearson’s theory. Thus, based on the background above, this study

is entitled “Death, Purification, and Rebirth in Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library:

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Pearsonian Archetypal Study”.

1.2. Problems of the Study

Based on the research background described above, the researcher can formulate

the following research problem: How does the twelve Archetype hero's journey

contribute to Nora’s individuation process?

1.3. Purposes of the Study

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the twelve archetypes of the hero's

journey contribute to Nora’s process of individuation

1.4. Hypothesis

This study hypothesizes that the twelve archetypes of the hero’s journey are

fundamental in the individuation process of Nora, the main character of Matt Haig’s

The Midnight Library.

1.5. Previous Studies

Several previous studies were conducted using a similar object but with

different topics and theories. The first study is titled Library is A Source for

Transformation: A Study of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library was published in

2025 by Bishnu Prashad Pokhare and Balkrishna Sharma. This study examines the

library as a crucial point in Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library for reshaping life

through transformation. The researcher concludes that the novel shows that the

main character, Nora Seed considers the library as a life-affirming space, a space

that shows the change from the madness of death to life and hope. The library and

its librarians are so vibrant that they defuse the common suicidal tendencies and

strengthen the support for a refreshing life. The transformation of Nora Seed's life

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from self-deprecation to optimism and self-discovery is only possible through the

liminal space of the library.

The second previous study entitled Symbolism of Life and Death Desire in

Matt Haig's The Midnight Library, was published in 2024 by Sinda Vatina. This

study aims to find out what symbol of life and death desire represents id, ego, and

superego in Matt Haig's The Midnight Library and to find out how the symbol of

life and death desire builds character development, plot, and mood in Matt Haig’s

The Midnight Library. The researcher used Freudian theory. The result of this study

shows the id is dominant over the ego and superego. Nora’s id symbols indicate a

profound exploration of primal desires, instincts, and the unconscious mind,

particularly evident in the main character’s arc. These id symbols serve to unveil

the author's innermost wishes and untamed impulses, suspending societal norms

and reality's constraints. Besides that, ego symbols reflect the author's attempts to

negotiate reality, while superego symbols embody societal ideals and moral

judgments that conflict with the author's id-driven desires.

The third previous study is from a journal entitled Analysis of The Main

Character Personality in The Midnight Library Novel by Matt Haig conducted by

Sihotang, Devilina; Mubarak, and Zia Hisni was published in 2024. This study aims

to determine the personality of the protagonist in the novel entitled The Midnight

Library by Matt Haig. They used Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis theory in the

study to analyze Nora’s personality. From the analysis, it can be concluded that the

protagonist of the novel, Nora Seed, is mostly controlled by her superego, which

she builds her superego personality through her experiences and journey to finding

the right life for herself.

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 The fourth previous study is Emotional Void and Childhood Trauma: A

Freudian Psychoanalysis Criticism On Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library

conducted by Prastiady, Amalia, Pandin, and Glorino, was published in 2024. This

study was analyzed by applying Freudian Psychoanalysis theory and aims to reveal

that there is a strong relationship between behavior and emotion, and childhood

trauma can affect emotion in adulthood through the portrayal of the main character

in Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. The results show that emotion in adulthood

is affected by childhood trauma.

The fifth previous study is from a Master's Thesis by Hana Mikaeili, titled A

Jungian Reading of The Midnight Library: Individuation Theory and Literary

Criticism, which was published in 2023. This essay is a Jungian reading of the novel

The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, using Jung’s individuation theory. The author

discusses the psychological journey of Nora, the main character, in her self-

discovery. In addition, Jungian concepts of active imagination, complex, shadow,

maternal archetype, and animus are applied in the various stages of her

individuation. In the end, her mental state improves as she finally accepts her true

self, and her perspective on life changes drastically.

The sixth previous study is titled The Depression of Nora Seed as Reflected

in Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, was published in 2022 by Ulfah Drifiliani

Kusumaningrum. She used the intrinsic and extrinsic elements approach to explain

the feelings of guilt through Nora’s characterization, as well as her relationship with

the setting and plot. She analyzes Nora's depression in terms of psychoanalysis

using the theory of depressive symptoms from Aaron Temkin Beck and Brad A.

Alford. The results of this study show data about what depression Nora Seed

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experiences, such as sad moods, negative feelings towards herself, suicidal

thoughts, and hallucinations. Further data was found on how Nora dealt with her

depression by listening to music, accepting someone's argument, forgiving her

parents, as well as deleting negative posts on her social media.

To provide a more concise and systematic overview of the position of this

research among previous studies, the following is a summary of the six studies in

tabular form:

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 Table 1: Previous Study

Formal Object
Material Methodology
No Title (Theoretical Findings
Object
Framework)
1 Library is A Source for The Homi K Bhabha’s Qualitative The library and its librarians are so
Transformation: A Study of Midnight borderland theory method. vibrant that they defuse the common
Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library is related to the suicidal tendencies and strengthen the
Library liminal space support for a refreshing life. The
transformation of Nora Seed's life from
self-deprecation to optimism and self-
discovery is only possible through the
liminal space of the library.

2 Symbolism of Life and Death The Freudian Theory Qualitative The result of this study show the id is
Desire in Matt Haig’s The Midnight (Id, Ego, and Method. dominant among the ego and superego.
Midnight Library Library Superego) to find These id symbols, serve to unveil
out what the author's innermost wishes and untamed
symbol of life and impulses, suspending societal norms
death desire and reality's constraints. These symbols
represent id, ego, not only shapes character development
and superego. Also but also drives plot progression and
to find out how do establishes the narrative's mood,
the symbol of life enhancing readers' emotional
and death desire engagement and deepening their
build character connection to the exploration of human
development, plot, nature within the story.
and mood.

3 Analysis of The Main The Freudian (id, ego, Qualitative It results from the findings of 4 data of
Character Personality in The Midnight the id aspect, 3 data of the ego aspect,

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 Midnight Library Novel by Library and superego) Method and 5 data of the superego. It can be
Matt Haig concluded from the analysis result that
the main character of the novel, Nora
Seed, was controlled the most by her
superego, it shown by Nora's reflection
on ideal standard of society's morals
and rules.

4 Emotional Void and The Intrinsic elements Qualitative The results show that emotion in
Childhood Trauma: A Midnight approach and Method adulthood is affected by childhood
Freudian Psychoanalysis Library Defense trauma.
Criticism On Matt Haig’s The Mechanism from
Midnight Library Freudian
Psychoanalysis
theory

5 A Jungian Reading of The The Jung’s Qualitative Jungian concepts of active imagination,
Midnight Library: Inviduation Midnight Individuation Method complex, shadow, maternal archetype,
Theory and Literary Criticism Library and animus are applied in the various
stages of her individuation. In the end,
her mental state improves as she finally
accepts her true self, and her
perspective on life changes drastically.

6 The Depression of Nora Seed The The Intrinsic and Qualitative Nora Seed experiences such as sad
as Reflected in Matt Haig’s Midnight extrinsic elements Method moods, negative feelings towards
The Midnight Library Library approach and the herself, suicidal thoughts, and
Depressive hallucinations. Nora also dealt with her
symptoms theory depression by listening to music,

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from Aaron accepting someone's argument,
Temkin Beck & forgiving her parents, as well as
Brad A. Alford. deleting negative posts on her social
media.

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 Based on the previous studies above, it is clear that The Midnight Library has

been analyzed from various psychological perspectives, primarily using Freudian

psychoanalytic theory to discuss the Id, Ego, Superego, and childhood trauma.

Furthermore, some studies specifically address depression using Aaron Temkin

Beck's theory. Among these studies, Hana Mikaeili’s (2023) study is the closest, as

both studies discuss Nora Seed’s individuation process.

However, this study has fundamental differences. Mikaeili’s (2023) study

discusses general Jungian individual concepts, while this study uses Carol S.

Pearson’s more specific and structured framework, namely the twelve archetypes

of the hero’s journey. Using this model, this study aims to provide a more detailed

and systematic analysis of Nora’s stages of transformation, mapping how each

archetype specifically contributes to her individual process.

1.6. Theoretical Framework

Literary psychology is a type of study used to read literary works, their

authors, and readers using different concepts and theoretical frameworks that exist

in psychology. Literary psychology explores the inner lives of characters, their

struggles, desires, and fears, providing insight into the human psyche. According to

Hollan (1968), literary psychology also investigates how readers engage with and

interpret literary works, taking into account their emotional responses, cognitive

processes, and personal experiences. Therefore, in this study, the researcher used

Pearson’s theory, twelve archetypes of the hero’s journey, to find out the process of

individuation of the main character.

1.6.1. Individuation

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 A character's psychological journey can be understood through the concept

of individuation, a term popularized by Carl Gustav Jung. In his theory, Jung (2014)

described individuation as the process by which a person becomes their true and

whole self by integrating the conscious and unconscious parts of their mind. The

conscious mind is centered around the Ego, which serves as the center of

consciousness and gives us a sense of identity in everyday life. Jung (1967) defined

this directly, stated that by ego, I understand a complex of ideas that constitutes the

center of my field of consciousness and appears to possess a high degree of

continuity and identity. This means that the ego functions as the center of

consciousness that interacts with the outside world and gives us a sense of identity

in everyday life.

Beneath consciousness lies a vast subconscious realm, called the Soul,

which contains not only personal experiences but also a deeper, shared layer called

the collective unconscious. This is where archetypes, universal patterns that appear

in myths and dreams, reside. Jung (2014) also stated that archetypes directly

influence the individuation process, which develops the human soul; these

archetypes are like regulatory bodies that help humans strive for self-actualization.

The goal of individuation is the realization of the Self, which represents a complete

and integrated personality. Jung (1968) emphasized that this path is not about

perfection, stated, “When one follows the path of individuation, when one lives

one's own life, one must accept mistakes: life would be incomplete without them.”

From this explanation, it can be concluded that individuation is a

psychological process that attempts to unify, combine, and organize various aspects

of a person's personality to achieve self-actualization, or Jung called it, the Self,

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where this process is influenced by the existence of archetypes.

1.6.2. Pearson’s The Hero's Journey (Awakening The Heroes Within)

Jungian concept of individuation was further developed by Carol Pearson in

her book Awakening the Heroes Within (1991). Pearson relates Jung’s idea of

archetypes to the hero’s journey, which helps us discover our true selves, as Pearson

says, “For the hero’s journey is first about taking a journey to find the treasure of

your true self, and then about returning home to give your gift to help transform the

kingdom—and, in the process, your own life” (Pearson, 1991, p.I).

The concept of the hero’s journey used by Pearson originated from being

inspired by the theory of The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell in the book The

Hero with a Thousand Faces (Campbell, 1949). As Pearson said in her book, “while

I was in graduate school, Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces

served as a 'call to the quest' to undertake this work.” (1991, p.369).

Campbell, an American writer, lecturer, and mythologist, identified that the

hero's journey has the same pattern, which he called "Monomyth". The journey

pattern is divided into 3 stages of the journey: Departure, Initiation, and Return,

with 17 phases ranging from Call to Adventure, Meeting With the Goddess to

Freedom to Live (Campbell, 1949).

Inspired by this theory, Pearson applied the concept of the hero's journey to

individual psychology, which she wrote in her book Awakening the Hero Within

(Pearson, 1991). If Campbell's theory is mythological and symbolic, then Pearson

uses the concept of the hero's journey as a metaphor for the psychological journey

of humans towards a whole self or individuation. For Pearson, in classical myth,

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the health of the kingdom reflects the health of the King or Queen. When the Ruler

is injured, the kingdom becomes a desert, and to heal the kingdom, a hero must go

on a quest, find a sacred object, and return to heal or replace the Ruler (Pearson,

1991, [Link]).

The meaning of “kingdom” that Pearson means is the life of the individual

himself, both mentally and physically. The hero is an archetype within us who

travels to transform, while the ruler is a symbol of a mature, integrated self, and is

able to take control of life consciously and responsibly. Pearson also emphasizes

that the true hero's journey occurs within humans.

Carol Pearson's theory of the Hero's Journey is divided into three main

stages that describe the dynamics of human psychological development there are

Preparation, Journey, and Return. This third stage explains the process of human

consciousness growing from the ego formation phase, soul discovery, to true self

integration.

[Link] Preparation Stage

The Preparation Stage is about developing a healthy and functional Ego.

Before we embark on an inner journey, we must first have a strong enough sense of

self/persona to survive in the world. We are required to learn basic survival skills,

form an initial identity, and build a moral foundation. Pearson further explains, "In

this stage, we are guided by four archetypes that teach us how to survive in the

world as it is, to develop Ego strength and, beyond that, to be productive citizens

and good people, with high moral character." (Pearson, 1991, p. 4). These four

archetypes are: The Innocent, The Orphan, The Warrior, and The Caregiver.

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[Link].1 The Innocent
Each of us has the innocent within us. This is the part of us that trusts life,

is optimistic, trusts ourselves, and even other people. The innocent wants us to be

socially accepted, to be accepted, loved, and admired by others. As Pearson said, as

every innocent person knows, we must have a personality that fits society. (Pearson,

1991, p.8). That's why this archetype's goal is to remain secure. It fears

abandonment; its role is fidelity and discernment. (Pearson, 1991, p. 53).

However, this archetype also has a shadow: denial, irrationality, and risk-

taking. This is due to the Innocent's high level of optimism and trust. This archetype

is called upon when we feel safe and secure. For example, a child who believes his

parents when they promise to buy him a gift if he behaves well. The child believes,

without any doubt, and continues to behave well because he is optimistic that he

will get a reward and even if he does not get it, his parents will definitely love him.

Furthermore, according to Pearson (1991, p.62), this archetype has three

levels, as follows:

Table 2: The Levels of Innocent

Level One: Unquestioning acceptance of environment, authorities; belief

that the world as it is being experienced is all there is;

dependence.

Level Two: Experience of the “fall”—disillusionment, disappointment—but

retention of faith and goodness in adversity

Level Three: Return to Paradise, this time as a Wise Innocent; trust and

optimism without denial, naïveté, or dependence

[Link].2. The Orphan

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 The Orphan is also a part of us, where the Orphan is called when the

Innocent has failed and disappointed. The Orphan feels hurt, sees himself as a

victim, and is alienated. Therefore, the Orphan's goal is to regain a sense of security.

However, the Orphan responds to the Dragon/problem with powerlessness, or a

wish for rescue. (Pearson, 1991, p. 66). Therefore, one of the orphans’ shadows is

using the victim role to manipulate the environment. (Pearson, 1991, p.75).

For example, the second child who chooses to hide his potential or talent

because he sees his smart older brother and his talented younger brother, the second

child chooses to be naughty in order to attract the attention of his parents. Pearson

also said that the Orphan expects special treatment and exceptions from life because

he feels he has been victimized or is very fragile. (1991, [Link])

Similarly to the Innocent, Pearson also divides the Orphan level into three, as

below:

Table 3: The Levels of The Orphan

Level One: Learning to acknowledge the truth of one’s plight and feel pain,

abandonment, victimization, powerlessness, and loss of faith in

people and institutions in authority.

Level Two: Accepting the need for help; being willing to be rescued and

aided by others.

Level Three: Replacing dependence on authorities with interdependence with

others who help each other and band together against authority;

developing realistic expectations.

[Link].3. The Warrior

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 Pearson (1991, p.85) said that the Innocent within has big dreams; the

Orphan is aware of obstacles to those dreams, but without the Warrior, those dreams

rarely come true except through chance or the kindness of others. This means that

the Warrior within each of us calls us to have the courage, the strength to set goals.

Winning, getting your own way, making a difference through struggle—that's

the goal of the Warrior archetype. They fear weakness, powerlessness, impotence,

and ineptitude. Therefore, this archetype is tasked with fighting for what really

matters. (Pearson, 1991, p. 80). For example, when someone joins a competition,

he will fight to win the competition against everything that he feels will hinder him.

The levels of the warrior are mentioned by Pearson (1991) in her book (p.88),

as below:

Table 4: The Levels of The Warrior

Level One: Fight for self or others to win or prevail (anything goes)

Level Two: Principled fight for self or others; abiding by rules of a fair fight

or competition; altruistic intent

Level Three: Forthright assertiveness; fighting or competition for what really

matters (not simply personal gain); little or no need for violence;

preference for win/win solutions; conflict honestly aired;

increased communication, honesty

[Link].4. The Caregiver

Caregivers aspire to be loved by giving care and attention to others. This is

driven by the archetype's own goal: to help others; to make a difference through

love and sacrifice. Caregivers fear selfishness and ingratitude (Pearson, 1991, p.

96). Caregivers strive to create community by helping people feel accepted, valued,

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and cared for. Caregivers create an atmosphere and environment where people feel

safe and at home (Pearson, 1991, p. 97). This archetype also has a shadow, one of

which is being a martyr who suffers or interferes too much in the lives of others.

For example, an older sibling helps their younger sibling with their homework

out of a sense of caring, but over time, that sense of caring turns into sacrifice when

the older sibling no longer helps but does their younger sibling’s homework

themselves and willingly abandons their own interests.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 5: The Levels of The Caregiver

Level One: Conflict between your own needs and those of others; tendency

to sacrifice your own needs to what others need or want from

you; rescuing

Level Two: Learning to care for yourself so that caring for others is

enriching, not maiming; learning “tough love”; empowering—

not doing for others

Level Three: Generativity: willingness to care and be responsible for people

(and perhaps also for animals and the earth) beyond your own

immediate family and friends; community building

[Link] The Journey Stage

After we try to build and develop our Ego, we often begin to feel

dissatisfaction or emptiness, feeling that there is something more meaningful in this

life. If in the preparation stage we tried to build a sense of security, in this stage we

leave that feeling behind by diving into the soul/subconscious, or what we could

call an inner adventure. Furthermore, Pearson (1991, p. IX) explains that, on the

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journey, we leave the safety of the family or tribe and embark on a quest where we

encounter death, suffering, and love. But most importantly, we are transformed. We

can conclude that this stage is the stage of metamorphosis, where we discover the

treasure within ourselves, as Pearson said, “...taking a journey to find the treasure

of your true self.” (1991, p. I).

At this stage, we are guided by four archetypes that encourage us to question

who we truly are, so that we can shed old, unnecessary identities, discover our true

passions, and create a life that aligns with our soul's calling. As Pearson said, "These

four abilities to strive, to let go, to love, and to create—teach us the basic process

of dying to the old self and giving birth to the new. The process prepares us to return

to the kingdom and change our lives." (1991, p. XI). The four archetypes are: The

Seeker, The Destroyer, The Lover, and The Creator.

[Link].1 The Seeker

The journey stage begins with the seeker archetype, which becomes active

when we feel dissatisfied, trapped, or lonely. The Seeker seeks to find a better future

or a more perfect world, driven by the archetype's own goal: to search for a better

life or a better way. This archetype fears confirmation and becoming entrapped.

Therefore, its response to the Dragon/Problem is to leave it, escape, and take off.

(Pearson, 1991, p. 112). However, this archetype also has a shadow: excessive

ambition, inability to commit, and general addictiveness. (Pearson, 1991, p.123).

We can find examples around us, for example, a famous public figure whose

life we know to be perfect, who has a luxurious home, a happy family, and a job

that everyone dreams of. However, despite this perfection, the public figure still

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feels empty, so they choose to live in a village, live simply, and without media

attention.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 6: The Levels of The Seeker

Level One: Exploring, wandering, experimenting, studying, trying new

things

Level Two: Ambition, climbing the ladder of success, becoming the best you

can be

Level Three: Spiritual searching, transformation

[Link].2 The Destroyer

The goal of the destroyer is growth and metamorphosis. However, to

achieve this goal, destroyers engage in negative, destructive actions, endangering

their own safety and even the safety of others. Destroyers do this to release and

eliminate old, damaged or dysfunctional structures and to pave the way for new

things or ideas. In short, destroyers play a role in bringing about change and

renewal, also known as the transformation process. Destroyers fear annihilation, or

death without rebirth. Therefore, the destroyer's response to the dragon/problem is

“Be destroyed by it, or destroy it” (Pearson, 1991, p. 127). This archetype emerges

when we experience pain, suffering, tragedy, or loss. However, this archetype has

a shadow which self-destructiveness, such as drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, or

even destructive of others, such as murder, rape, and defamation of character.

(Pearson, 1991, p. 139).

From this explanation, we can see a simple example: when someone destroys

his shop building because he feels that it is outdated and no longer attracts

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customers, and some parts of the building are already dilapidated. Then, he decided

to destroy the shop to rebuild it in a newer version, following the latest trends, in

the hope that the shop would be crowded with visitors.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 7: The Levels of The Destroyer

Level One: Confusion, grappling with the meaning of death, loss, and pain

Level Two: Acceptance of mortality, loss, and relative powerlessness

Level Three: Ability to choose to let go of anything that no longer supports

your values, life, and growth, or that of others

[Link].3. The Lover

The Lover is an archetype that prioritizes relationships or emotional bonds.

These relationships can be with lovers, parents, friends, and so on. This is driven

by the archetype's own goals: Bills, oneness, and unity. This archetype fears the

loss of love or connection. The lover believes that without love, the soul will not

engage in life (Pearson, 1991, p.141). Therefore, the Lover's response to the

Dragon/problem is simple: love it. The Lover archetype emerges when we are

captivated, falling in love with a person, an idea, a cause, or a work. However, when

this archetype is dominant, its shadow side becomes apparent, such as jealousy,

envy, obsessive fixation on a love object or relationship, and sexual addiction.

(Pearson, 1991, p.152).

For example, someone who loves his job always arrives on time, lives for his

work, and is even willing to do things that are not part of his job description. He

believes that his job is his happiness. He enjoys being busy at work, but ends up

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feeling envious and jealous when his coworkers are more appreciated by his

superiors.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 8: The Levels of The Lover

Level One: Following your bliss, what you love

Level Two: Bonding with and making commitments to whom and what you

love

Level Three: Radical self-acceptance giving birth to the Self and connecting

the personal with the transpersonal, the individual with the

collective

[Link].4. The Creator

The Creator is an archetype that helps awaken the seeds of self stored within

us. After we experience destruction, find and feel the lover, the Creator encourages

us to express our desires or imaginations by accepting all parts of ourselves and

preparing to create something new. This is based on the goal of this archetype: the

creation of a life, work, or new reality of any kind. This archetype is responsible for

self-creation and self-acceptance. With its fears of inauthenticity, miscreation, and

failure of imagination, this archetype responds to the Dragon/problem by accepting

that it is part of the Self, part of what one has created; it is willing to create another

reality. (Pearson, 1991, p. 160). This archetype is activated by our fantasies,

daydreams, or flashes of inspiration. According to Pearson (1991, p.166), this

archetype has images such as the creation of negative circumstances, obsessive

creation, and workaholism.

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 For example, someone who works in a company may feel monotonous with

the products offered, and he has ideas to make them unique and attract the attention

of buyers. He dares to propose these ideas to his boss and starts producing them.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 9: The Levels of The Creator

Level One: Opening to receive visions, images, hunches, inspiration

Level Two: Allowing yourself to know what you really want to have, do, or

create

Level Three: Experiments with creating what you imagine—allowing

yourself to let your dreams come true

[Link] The Return Stage

According to Pearson, the Self is an expression of wholeness, the endpoint of

the individuation process (1991, p. 28). After meeting the Soul, the hero does not

remain in the inner world, but returns to the "kingdom" or to his true life with a new

understanding or self. At this stage, the full expression/embodiment of the Self is

born, where the Ego and Soul now work together.

At this stage, we are guided by four archetypes that enable us to take full

control of our own lives, through wisdom, which leads to freedom and the beginning

of enjoying our own lives. That is why Pearson (1991), symbolized this stage as

Becoming Free. These four archetypes are the Ruler, the Magician, the Sage, and

the Fool.

[Link].1. The Ruler

According to Pearson, the Ruler archetype helps us understand that

spending time blaming others for our problems diminishes our own dignity (1991,

23
p. 178). This is driven by the archetype's goal, which is to create a harmonious and

prosperous kingdom (life). The archetype's task is to take full responsibility and

find ways to express oneself. That's why the ruler fears chaos and loss of control

(Pearson, 1991, p. 177). This archetype is active when we lack resources. If this

archetype is dominant, its shadow will emerge, such as controlling, rigid, and

manipulative behavior.

For example, a head of a household whose finances are running low at the

end of the month, while many household necessities need to be purchased. Then he

tries to find additional funds by undertaking several profitable projects. Then he

also holds a meeting with his family to explain the financial situation, reminding

them not to be wasteful and to use their money effectively, and providing guidance

on financial plans for the following month. He does this because he takes full

responsibility for his family, so he does what he can to ensure that his "kingdom"

(in this case, his home) remains harmonious and prosperous.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 10: The Levels of The Ruler

Level One: Taking responsibility for the state of your life; seeking healing

of wounds or areas of powerlessness that are reflected in

scarcity in your outer life; concerned primarily with your own

life or your own family

Level Two: Allowing yourself to know what you really want to have, do, or

create

Level Three: Fully utilizing all resources—internal as well as external;

concerned with the good of society or the planet

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[Link].2. The Magician
According to Pearson, in the royal court, magicians often served as advisors

to the ruler. Without the magician, who healed the wounded ruler, the kingdom

could not change (1991, p.191). The magician is the part of us that aims to transform

lesser realities into better ones. While the ruler is the part of us that leads and takes

full responsibility for our kingdom, the ruler can sometimes feel rigid and wounded

by the remnants of our old reality. Therefore, the magician plays a healing role and

helps the ruler find solutions to the challenges we face. This is why magicians

respond to dragons/problems with healing or transformation. Magicians fear evil

sorcery or negative transformation. This archetype is activated when we experience

physical or emotional illness. If the magician is dominant, the shadow will manifest,

such as summoning negativity to oneself or turning positive into negative

occurrences. (Pearson, 1991, p. 205)

For example, we often encounter professions that act as advisors, helping

clients find solutions to their problems. These include psychologists,

financial/business consultants, or household consultants.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 11: The Levels of The Magician

Level One: Experiencing healing or choosing to notice extrasensory or

synchronistic experiences

Level Two: Grounding inspiration by acting on your visions and making

them real; making your dreams come true

Level Three: Consciously using the knowledge that everything is connected

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 to everything else; developing mastery of the art of changing

physical realities by first changing mental, emotional, and

spiritual ones

[Link].3. The Sage

If the Ruler wants to control reality, and the Magician wants to transforms

negative conditions into positive ones. In this case, the Sage does not need to control

or change the world; they simply want to understand it. The Sage goal is truth and

understanding, as Pearson said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you

free" (Pearson, 1991, p. 211). Therefore, when faced with a Dragon/problem, the

Sage responds by study, understanding, or transcending it. This archetype is active

when we feel confusion, doubt, and a deep desire to find the truth. The wise person

fears deception and illusion, so the question that the Sage always asks is, what is

the truth here?, In that way, the Sage is more careful, eliminates confusion, and

clarifies what to do. However, if this archetype is dominant, its shadow will appear,

such as easily cutting things off, being callous, overly critical, and ultimately

judgmental and arrogant (Pearson, 1991, p.215).

For example, when we see viral or bizarre news, we do not immediately

accept it at face value but instead check to see if it's true. But over time, we become

critical of even trivial news, judging the newsmaker, and feeling superior for being

a newsmaker.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

Table 12: The Levels of The Sage

Level One: Search for “the Truth” and for objectivity

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 Level Two: Skepticism, awareness of multiplicity and complexity of truth,

all truth seen as relative; acceptance of subjectivity as part of the

human condition

Level Three: Experience of ultimate truth or truths; wisdom

[Link].4. The Fool

Enjoyment, pleasure, and aliveness that is the goal of the Fool archetype.

The Fool archetype responds to problems by playing with them, this is the

acceptance of the Fool Archetype. The Fool in the hero's journey is not a naive fool,

but the Wise Fool. He has gone through all the stages of the journey and returned

to a childlike state, but this time with wisdom and full acceptance of life as it is.

Wise Kings and Queens would not think of ruling without a Court Fool or a Jester

to express the joy of life and entertain them and the court (Pearson, 1991, p.224).

The Fool fears nonaliveness, which is why this archetype is tasked with believing

in the process, the enjoyment of the journey for its own sake. This archetype is

active when we feel boredom and desire more enjoyment in life. However, if this

archetype is dominant, it displays its shadow traits such as self-indulgence, sloth,

and irresponsibility.

For example, a painter has prepared all the necessary tools and materials,

including a canvas, paint, and so on, and then attempts to paint something. After

hours of effort, the painting is almost finished and looks great, but accidentally

spills paint onto the canvas. Instead of getting angry or upset, the painter responds

with laughter and then willingly creates a new painting.

The levels of this archetype are as follows:

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 Table 13: The Levels of The Fool

Level One: Life is a game to be played for the fun of it (Fool)

Level Two: Cleverness used to trick others, to get out of trouble, to find

ways around obstacles, to tell the truth without impunity

(Trickster)

Level Three: Life is experienced fully in the moment; life is celebrated for its

own sake and lived in the moment, one day at a time (Wise Fool

or Jester)

Pearson states that all twelve archetypes are essential to the heroic journey

and the individuation process (1991, p. VIII). This means that when these twelve

are integrated, the individual has made the full journey from ego to soul, and then

back as the whole self (individuation). Furthermore, Pearson explains that our

perspective on life is based on our dominant archetype, which influences our

attitudes and actions, as she said:

“If the Warrior is dominant, we see challenges to overcome. When the

Caregiver is dominant, we see people in need of our care. When the Sage is
dominant, we see illusion and complexity and strive to find truth. When the
Fool is dominant, we see ways to have a good time.” (Pearson, 1991, p.
VIII).

In her book Awakening the Heroes Within (1991), Pearson does not directly

mention whether all twelve archetypes exist within us, or in some cases, only a few.

However, Pearson explains that if one archetype is inactive, we will skip steps. For

example, if we have no Warrior, we will fail to develop a plan for dealing with the

problem. If we have no Sage, we may neglect to learn the lesson the situation could

teach us (Pearson, 1991, p. ix).

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 From this explanation, we can conclude that the Hero journeys through three

stages (Preparation, Journey, and Return) guided by twelve archetypes with

different roles and functions to achieve wholeness. However, Pearson states that

these twelve archetypes are structured as a teaching device and, in most cases, they

do not occur sequentially. The pattern is not linear, but rather spiral (1991, p.14).

We may encounter the same archetypes many times, each archetype leaving a trace

that serves to grow our ego, soul, and self. The same applies to the levels of each

archetype. Using the spiral principle, an individual does not have to progress from

levels one to three in one archetype to move to the next archetype. These levels

serve as a map of maturity within each archetype.

1.7. Research Methods

This study uses a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. According

to Creswell (2016), a qualitative approach begins with assumptions and an

interpretive framework to understand the meaning given by individuals or groups

to a social or human problem. Bogdan and Biklen (1997) also stated that qualitative

research produces descriptive data in the form of speech, writing, or observed

behavior. Thus, this approach is used to explore problems in depth through text

without the involvement of numbers. This method includes two stages, namely data

collection and data analysis.

1.7.1. Data Collection Method

Data collection is one of the important initial steps in research. Cooper R.

and Schindler P. (2014) in their book entitled Business Research Methods, said that

data collection is a process carried out to collect data or information on a particular

29
topic using appropriate and valid techniques. In this study, there are two data

sources for data collection, namely primary data sources and secondary data

sources. Primary data is the novel The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020). In

this study, observations were made through in-depth reading, or what we know as

a close reading method, of the novel. Data were collected from various fictional

elements in the novel, such as plot, characters, themes, point of view, settings, and

symbols. Meanwhile, secondary data includes supporting literature such as journals,

scientific articles, previous research, and relevant theory books.

1.7.2. Data Analysis Method

According to Moloeng (2010), data analysis is the process of studying,

sorting, collecting, and classifying data to obtain conclusions in research findings.

In this study, the first step taken is to read in depth (close reading). Close reading is

a method of literary analysis that focuses on the specific details of a passage or text

in order to discern some deeper meaning present in it. The analysis begins with to

find out how the twelve Archetypes of the hero's journey contribute to Nora's

individuation process. This will be analyzed by looking at the psychological journey

of the main character through the hero's journey with twelve archetypes through

Pearson's theory, which is divided into 3 stages. The first stage is Preparation, which

consists of the first four archetypes, namely the innocent, the orphan, the warrior,

and the caregiver. The second stage is the journey, which consists of the next four

archetypes, such as the seeker, the destroyer, the lover, and the creator. The last stage

is the return, which consists of the last four archetypes, namely the ruler, the

magician, the sage, and the fool. The twelve archetypes can be seen from various

fictional elements in the novel, such as storyline, point of

30
view, conversation, symbol, character, and theme. By connecting the twelve

archetypes of the hero’s journey with the main character’s psychological journey,

this study aims to dig deeper into how the twelve archetypes contribute to the

individuation process of Nora Seed’s main character in The Midnight Library.

31