Chasing archetypes

[fuzzyoctopus]

So last night while watching the Dukes of Hazzard ("The Ghost of General Lee", excellent episode,)  I realized that the Dukes' relationship with Roscoe is very.... well, Tom and Jerry, for lack of a better term.  I thought to myself that there has to be some sort of archetype that includes the endless chase.

This particular episode brought it to me because the characters themselves were discussing it.  (Coupla' thugs steal the General Lee, drive it into the pond, everyone things Bo and Luke are dead. Hilarity ensues.)

But all the examples of the "endless chase" that I can think of are... well Warner Brothers' cartoons.  Roadrunner, Bugs and Elmer, etc. I can't really think of any literary references to this kind of thing. Other than perhaps A Series of Unfortunate Events.  (And refering to that as literary in the wrong circles might get me shot.)

I think the very nature of books doesn't lend itself to this particular archetype, so we'd have to go back to myths and folk tales. (Looks hopefully at stacer and Brenna).

I have more to say on this, but I'll be late for my job interview.  More wild ideas from Megan coming later this week, if anyone wants to write their next paper on how Daisy Duke embodies the Virgin/Whore dichotomy.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Yeah, for that type of character, you have to look at something more serial. HOwever, how about these pairings:
Batman/Joker
Superman/Lex Luthor
Voldemort/Harry

There's a little more drama in it, since there's not the slapstick element and Joker, once caught, escapes again, and Lex manages to avoid being caught through the legal system.

[Fellfrosch]

I don't know if those apply as directly, because they switch roles so much. The "endless chase" as shown in Dukes of Hazzard and Tom & Jerry seems to keep one person chasing and one person chased in every episode.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I suppose that depends on how strict you want to interpret the chase. However, Joker rarely, if ever chases Batman. I personally feel saying that the chaser and the chased must always play the exact role is too restrictive for actual application to anything other than Looney Toons and Dukes of Hazard (besides, there are cartoons wherein Jerry and Tom switch places, and bugs and elmer change roles, so I don't think it applies).

I thought on this on my way to lunch. I think this theme is sort of a specialized grail quest, wherein the quest becomes more important than the target itself (though there must be a single target still -- chasing "happiness" for example, is too nebulous to be useful)).

Also, more pairs

Dick Dastardly/Yankee Doodle Pigeon
Dudley Do Right and whatever that bad guys name
and, if you want to be literarily impressive, Javert/Jean Valjean

[Fellfrosch]

Dudley Do-Right chased Snidely Whiplash, one of the coolest villain names ever.

Another problem with the comics you mentioned is that the chasers sometimes do other stuff; the chasers Fuzzy mentioned do nothing but chase their target, every single time. Of course, that's probably getting into the "too restrictive to be useful" category you mentioned earlier.

Another good TV show is "The Fugitive," but that's kind of obvious. I'll try to think of something more clever.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

well, I don't think you're being accurate. There are Tom and Jerry eps where they work together, too. Plus Roscoe ... well... I haven't seen THAT many, but I can't think of an episode where Roscoe was supposed to be doing anything other than chasing the Dukes.

[fuzzyoctopus]

There have been episodes where they Dukes and the police worked together, yes, but not a whole lot that I've seen so far.  You know, they'll band together against a larger enemy.  Tom and Jerry's the best equivalent because after you've watched enough cartoons you realize it's not necessarily *personal*, everyone is just doing their job. (Like those cartoons with the coyote and the sheepdog.  "Morning Sam." "Morning Joe.")  It fascinates me.

I'm looking for more actual physical "chasing" though.  Like the myths about one figure or another who ends up chasing the other forever across the sky as a constellation.

That kind of chasing.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote

[Fellfrosch]

An actual, physical chase? I think the Fugitive would still count. The nature of the "endless" chase seems to require something episodic--a simple chase movie like Smokey and the Bandit has too much of a defined ending, and doesn't fit with your concept of eternal punishment.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

actually, all my examples have the physical chasing. With the possible exception of Superman/Lex

The myths involving this sort of chase end with some sort of tragedy, like Apollo chasing laurel, that sort of thing.

It sounds like you're just looking for iterations of people chasing after other people, which is not endless in nearly all stories. That sort of thing happens only in serial presentations, like a TV Show or a comic. And if you want to be that strict, it appears to be more of a plot device than a theme.

[Tekiel]

Captain Bialar Crais & John Crichton,
Scorpius & John,
Some weird, random aliens & Moya crew.

[fuzzyoctopus]

It sounds like you're just looking for iterations of people chasing after other people, which is not endless in nearly all stories. That sort of thing happens only in serial presentations, like a TV Show or a comic. And if you want to be that strict, it appears to be more of a plot device than a theme.

Well, that was kind of my point.  It's a weird set up, really, but for me at least it's such a no-brainer kind of set up that it seems impossible to me that it was introduced soley by television!   Are there other archetypes that were introduced by TV, that just aren't found in literature?  If so, what are they?

I just kind of wanted other people's opinions. I try to have these discussions with my husband and I usually just get a strange look and an "I don't know, hon."

[42]

Frodo and the Ringwraith
Moby Dick and Captain Ahab

[fuzzyoctopus]

Oooh, Moby Dick, yes.

[GorgonlaVacaTremendo]

Well, are you talking about endless chasing as one person chasing another, or is one person chasing an idea good enough?

George and Lennie chasing their home (Of Mice and Men) would be an example of somebody or some people chasing an idea to no end.

And the reason you don't find as many never-ending chases in literature is that the author needs to conclude the book well, he or she can't just keep the chase going, unless it is a neverending series of books (Which are usually J/YA series).  You get these relationships on TV because the television needs you to come back over and over and over again to watch another episode, whereas the author needs you to enjoy the book so that you will get an entirely seperate one (same thing with directors of movies)--and to enjoy a book, most people want a good ending, one with no cliffhangers unless, again, there is a sequel.

And, to fall in suite, here are some examples of those never-ending chases:

Waldo and I (where is the bugger?)