University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan Peterson has become quite a popular figure these days. He reaches millions with his YouTube lectures, and is a fierce advocate for free speech and seeking historical and moral truth. I've been working my way through his courses in my free time over the last few weeks--his Maps and Meaning class has taught me a lot already. This week, in his Personality Theory course, he is exploring the work of Carl Jung by demonstrating his archetypal framework through a close reading of the classic Disney film, The Lion King. Very few literary scholars do psychological criticism correctly (as their knowledge tends to stop at superficial, sex-obsessed Freudian lingo), so it's great to see an actual psychologist explore the arts properly. If want to more clearly understand the mythological narrative structure of many of our most beloved stories, this lecture is for you. It will take some brain power to stick with Peterson's rapid-fire critical observations, but it will be well worth it. Enjoy how a real inter-disciplinary education works.
|
AuthorDr. Spivey is a college English professor and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Archives
October 2017
Movie Reviews |