By examining On Rainy River from an archetypal perspective, O'Brien highlights the importance of free will and how it affects everyone's lives through the archetypal symbol of the owl, archetypal symbol of the Rainy River and archetypal character of Elroy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Firstly, the owl is used to emphasize the importance of free will. Owls are symbols often linked to themes of wisdom and war in Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, is said to prefer to win her battles through "intelligent discussions" rather than physical combat ("Greek Gods and Goddesses"). This resonates with O'Brien, as he believes that wars are "almost entirely an intellectual discussion" (O'Brien). This is also evident in the way he wants to withdraw from the war conflict, as "he would shout at them, telling them how much [he] hated their blind, thoughtless, automatic acquiescence in all this." So when O'Brien has to choose between fleeing or fighting, he hesitates, as if he doesn't want to participate in the war, he doesn't want to leave his family behind and be ridiculed by others. “Brien also uses the Rainy River to emphasize the value of free will. The Rainy River can represent three things: rebirth, life and death, which are major themes in the idea of ​​baptism. As previously stated, Tim must choose between running away or fighting. Essentially, this means that he can either be "reborn" and start his life over, or he can stay true to his old life. Ultimately, he makes the decision not to take the plunge, remaining faithful to his old life. It is here that he makes this decision, and it is the river that allows him to understand which choice suits him best. Finally, Elroy Berdahl takes on the archetypal character of the “Savior”. The Savior has the responsibility to help the characters' lives and express sympathy in times of distress. In fact, it's obvious that Elroy fits this role, since as soon as O'Brien meets him, he states, "The man who opened the door that day is the hero of my life." » There are many instances where Elroy helped him. He lets him live at the lodge, he offers to pay him for his work, provides him with "emergency funds" knowing that he has been drafted and wants to escape, but above all, when he takes O'Brien to do a boat trip on the Rainy River, allowing him to decide whether to flee or fight. Elroy allows O'Brien to contemplate without judgment or pressure, demonstrating the importance of free will, as he is left to decide whether to take the path to freedom, leaving behind the memories of his family in the process, or fight in war, putting himself at risk of exile.Keep in mind: this is just a sample.Get a personalized article now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayTo conclude, On the Rainy River uses the archetypal symbol of the owl, the symbol of the Rainy River, and the archetypal character of Elroy to emphasize to readers the importance of free will and choice and how they can affect one's life and decisions. everyone in history..