A central argument is a dominant and controlling argument.
The short story "Ashputtle" was written by the Grimm brothers. It is very similar to the fairy tale known as Cinderella. The word "archetypal" means something that is very typical of a certain kind of person or thing. In this story, the way the king held a three-day feast and invited all the rich girls to attend the feast is archetypal of the monarchy throughout the ages. He was looking for a wife for his son from the same social class as he was.
Odysseus had to rescue his men from the lotus-eaters because his men had lost all will of continuing on their journey home. When he sent some men to explore the island, they met the lotus-eaters, which introduced them to the lotus plant. The lotus plant made them forget all about their journey and their families. Odysseus had to drag them onboard, ignoring their wailing cries to be left alone, in order to continue on their journey.
