Archetypes in Film and Literature by Kelly Nichols

Archetypes Recurring patterns of situations, characters, or symbols existing universally and instinctively in the collective unconscious of man—Carl Jung Jung believed that in the unconscious minds, all men share common instincts and views. He offered proof of these common instincts by the similarities found in myths, religions, stories and dreams.

Character Archetypes The Hero: the protagonist. His life can be clearly divided into a series of well-marked adventures which strongly suggest a ritualistic pattern. Circumstances of his conception are unusual and at birth, some attempt is made to kill him. Frequently reared by foster parents. After a victory, the hero is made king and marries the princess. Usually suffers a mysterious death. Can be marked as the character that changes in the face of conflict, and we are able to see maturity.

Common Heros

The Young Man/Woman from the Provinces The hero is spirited away as a young man and raised by strangers. He/She later returns to his/her home where he/she is a stranger who can see new problems and new solutions

The young man/woman from the provinces

The Initiate This is young hero or heroine who, prior to his/her quest, must endure some training and ceremony. This person is usually innocent and often wears white.

The Mentor This individual serves as a teacher or counselor for the initiate. Sometimes he serves as a role model or as mother or father figure. The mentor teaches by example the skills necessary to survive the quest.

The Mentor

Hunting Group of Companions Loyal companions willing to face any number of perils in order to be together

Friendly Beast An animal who befriends the hero and serves him/her loyally. The purpose of the friendly beast is to show that nature is on the side of the hero.

Devil Figure Evil incarnate, this character offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge to the protagonist in exchange for possession of his soul.

Evil Figure with Ultimately Good Heart A redeemable devil figure saved by the nobility or love of the hero

The Scapegoat A character used to carry the blame of the sins of society. Usually seen as weak until his death. Then he/she usually becomes a powerful force (martyr)

The Outcast A figure who is banished from a social group for some crime (real or imagined) against his fellow man. The outcast is usually destined to become a wanderer from place to place.

The Earthmother The fertility symbol in most stories. Symbolic of fruition and abundance. This character traditionally offers spiritual and emotional nourishment to those with whom she comes in contact.

The temptress Characterized by sensuous beauty, this woman is one to whom the protagonist is physically attracted and who ultimately may bring about his downfall.

The platonic ideal This woman is a source of inspiration and a spiritual ideal . The protagonist or author has an intellectual rather than physical attraction to this character.

Amazon Warrior Female character who displays a fearless sense of honor. Usually handles weapons well and is knowledgeable in areas of defense. Many times wrongly perceived as hating men.

Damsel in Distress The vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the hero. She often is used as a trap to ensnare the unsuspecting hero.

The Star-Crossed Lovers These two characters are engaged in a love affair that is fated to end tragically for one or both due to disapproval of society, friends, or family or to some tragic situation

Creatures of Nightmare A monster usually summoned from the deepest, darkest part of the human psyche to threaten the lives of the hero/heroine. Often it is a perversion or desecration of the human body. For example, werewolves, vampires, dragons, huge snakes.

Archetypes that define the overall plot of the story Situation Archetypes Archetypes that define the overall plot of the story

The Quest Describes the search for someone or something which, when found and brought back, will restore fertility to a wasted land. (The desolation of the land is often mirrored by a leader’s illness and disability.) Life is restored to the way it should be or has been. This is the ultimate goal of the main character

The task This is not the same as the quest, but merely a step to complete it. This is one of the challenges (often a superhuman deed) which the main character must face in order to complete his quest. Ex. Harry Potter soothing the 3-headed dog; Indiana Jones’ 3 steps to the holy grail

The initiation This usually takes the form of an initiation into adult life. The adolescent comes into his/her maturity with a new awareness, and he faces his problems with a new sense of hope. This awakening usually takes place near the end of the story.

The Journey The hero journeys in search of some truth or information necessary to restore fertility to the kingdom. Usually the main character descends into a real or psychological hell and is forced to discover the blackest truths, quite often concerning his own faults. Ex. Percy Jackson descending in to Hades. Once the hero is at this low point, he must accept personal responsibility to return to the world of the living.

Journey (cont’d) A second use of this pattern is the depiction of a limited number of travelers on a sea voyage, a bus ride, or another trip where they are isolated and are viewed as a microcosm of society

The Fall This describes a descent from a higher to a lower state of being. The experience involves a loss of innocence and bliss. It is often accompanied by the expulsion from a kind of paradise as a penalty for disobedience and moral transgression. Ex. Adam and Eve; “The Emperor’s New Groove” emperor turned into llama, Simba “Lion King”

Death and Rebirth This grows out of the parallel between the cycle of nature and the cycle of life. Thus morning and springtime represent birth, youth, or rebirth; evening and winter suggest old age and death

Symbolic Archetypes Archetypes that symbolize some event in the story. The element in the archetype name must be present in the story to represent the ideas.

Light vs. Darkness Light usually suggests hope, renewal, or intellectual illumination Darkness implies the unknown, ignorance, or despair

Water vs. Desert Water is necessary to life and growth, and it commonly appears as a birth or rebirth symbol as in baptisms, which symbolize spiritual birth. The desert represents alienation, loneliness, desolation, near starvation (both physically and spiritually)

Heaven vs. Hell Skies and mountaintops house gods Bowels of the earth contain the diabolic forces that inhabit the universe

Haven vs. Wilderness Heroes are often sheltered for a time in places of safety (havens) for a time to regain their health or spiritual strength before they are thrust out into a dangerous wilderness.

Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity Some characters exhibit wisdom and understanding of situations instinctively as opposed to those supposedly in charge who have extensive book learning, yet usually make poor decisions. Ex. Huck Finn vs. Tom Sawyer

Fire vs. Ice Fire represents knowledge, light, life, and rebirth . Fire is usually present when these forces are affecting the hero. Ice (like the desert) represents ignorance, darkness, desolation, sterility, or death. Ice would be present when these forces are affecting the hero or another character.

Nature vs. the Mechanistic World Nature is good while technology and society is often evil.

Good vs. Evil The battle between two primal forces. Mankind shows eternal optimism in the continual portrayal of good triumphing over evil despite enormous odds.

Supernatural Intervention A supernatural force, god, or being intervenes either on the side of the hero or sometimes against him. Ex. Athena on the behalf of Odysseus

The Unhealable Wound The hero or some other character has a wound, either physical or psychological, that cannot be fully healed. This wound often indicates a loss of innocence. It always aches and often drives the sufferer to desperate measures. Ex. Harry Potter’s scar; Achilles’ wound.

The Ritual Actual ceremonies that the initiate experiences. They will mark his rite of passage into the next level of his journey into adulthood.

The Magic Weapon This is a weapon that can only be weilded or used to its full potential by the hero. It symbolizes the extraordinary quality of the hero. Ex. Arthur’s sword

Color Archetypes Colors associated with certain characters can further explain characteristics

WHITE: Positive associations are light, innocence, purity, virginity, and timelessness. A heroic character will usually wear this color prior to experiencing a rite of passage. Negative associations are death, terror, the supernatural, and the blinding truth of an inscrutable cosmic mystery. BLACK: Positive associations are knowledge and intelligence. The hero figure may wear a combination of black and white while processing through various trials.

Archetypal Colors Color = positive (negative) Black = power (death, mourning) Blue = nobility, tranquility (depression) Brown = Earth, nature (confusion) Gray = neutral (passionless) Green = fertility, renewal, wealth (greed, envy) Orange = adventure, change (forced change, disruptiveness) Purple = royalty, positive personal growth (injury) Red = sex, love (sacrifice, taboo, humiliation, danger) White = purity, wholesomeness, rebirth (emptiness) Yellow = enlightenment (cowardice, illness)