Fairy tales are the purest and simplest expression of collective unconscious psychic processes…. They represent the archetypes in their simplest, barest, and most concise form [because] they are less overlaid with conscious material than myths and legends. In this pure form, the archetypal images afford us the best clues to the understanding of the processes going on in the collective psyche.
— Marie-Louise von Franz, 1970
The Ugly Duckling embodies the archetypal journey of transformation and individuation — the process of discovering one’s true self. During our time together, we will explore this fairy tale in the form of a conversation. We will focus on the various archetypes of the hero’s journey from Innocent to Magician.