1. Archetypes in Literature
World Literature

2. Definition of Archetype
A recurrent image, symbol, character, or even situation that is an instinctual expression of man’s nature and experiences that are universal in nature.
An archetype is the first real example or prototype of something (as the Model T is the prototype of the modern automobile). In this sense an archetype can be considered the ideal model, the supreme type or the perfect image of something

3. What does that mean to us?
Archetypes can be found in literature, movies, and other forms of entertainment, archetypes can be found.
They are universal concepts that can be recognized by all. It does not matter the language, country of origin, or nationality of the characters.
Collective Unconsciousness  unconscious mental record of all common human experiences – Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist

4. Three Categories
Character
Image
Situational

5. Character Archetypes Trickster Hero Villain Innocent
Rugged Individualist
Faithful Companion
Mentor/Teacher
Damsel in Distress
Hero
Innocent
Outcast
Scapegoat
Mother Figure (earth, step, fairy)
Star-Crossed Lovers

6. Hero
Circumstances of birth often vague, raised by guardian, little known about childhood
Characterized by courage, strength, and honor
Risks his life for the good of all
Upon reaching manhood, returns to future kingdom
Often meets with a mysterious death
Leaves familiar to challenge unfamiliar
Very adventurous life, until loses favor with gods
The courageous figure, the one who’s always running in and saving the day.
D’artagnan from Three Musketeers
John Wayne in most of his movies
Hercules

7. The Innocent Child/Youth Inexperienced adult
The innocent, fearing abandonment, seeks safety.
Their greatest strength is that they are trusting and have optimism that endears them to others and so gain help and support on their quest.
Their main danger is that they may be blind to their obvious weaknesses or deny them. They also may become dependent on others to fulfill their heroic task.
Frodo – Lord of the Rings
Dorothy – The Wizard of Oz
Snow White - Snow White

8. The Outcast
A figure that has been cast out or banished from a social group for some crime against his fellow man.
He/she is usually destined to become a wanderer
Examples:
Cain
The Grinch
Bella - Twilight
Shrek

9. Scapegoat/Sacrificial Victim
The one who gets blamed for everything, regardless of whether he or she is at fault. Often die to atone others’ sins.
Snowball from George Orwell’s Animal Farm
Maurice
Jesus Christ

10. Mother Figure
Fairy Godmother (surrogate mother) – comforts and directs child, especially when he or she is confused and needs guidance. Represents powers that can be called on for help when it is needed. Helps young person to solve own problems.
Earth Mother – This character is symbolic of fulfillment, abundance, and fertility; offers spiritual and emotional nourishment to those who she contacts
Stepmother – cruel, evil

11. Star-Crossed Lovers Romeo and Juliet, enough said!!
Young couple joined by love , but due to the disapproval of society, friends, family, or some other situation, their love affair is fated to end tragically

12. Trickster
A trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior.
Loki
Coyote
Wolf

13. Villain Evil Character Antagonist, has negative effect on others
Bad Guy, “Black Hat”, “The Heavy”
Examples:
Cruella DeVille
Zurg

14. Rugged Individualist
A person who is mentally and/or physically tough and is able to navigate through life without needing or relying on unnecessary assistance from outside forces.
Paul Bunyan
John Wayne
Liam Neeson in Taken

15. Faithful Companion
Friend and companion of any character that is willing to face hardship, harm, and ordeal in order to remain together.
Examples:
Tonto in The Lone Ranger
Robin in Batman

16. The Great Teacher/Mentor
Wise old men/women – protects or helps main character when he or she faces challenges.
Sometimes they work as role models and often serve as father or mother figure. They teach by example the skills necessary to survive the journey and quest.
Examples
Obi Wan Kenobi
Rafiki
Gandalf

17. Damsel in Distress
A vulnerable, single, beautiful woman who needs to be rescued by the hero. She is often used as a trap to catch the hero.
Examples
Sleeping Beauty
Snow White
Rapunzel

18. Images/Settings Water Islands Sun Crossroads Garden Road or Train Tree
Shapes
Forest
Animals
Desert
Numbers
Caves and Tunnels
Colors
Mountains and Peaks

19. Water - The River Crossing river may symbolize new territory
Rivers can be boundaries or borders and on the other side is something new or different
May represent human life or time passing as we follow the river from its source to its mouth

20. Water - The Sea Vast, alien, dangerous, chaos Waves may symbolize
measures of time and
represent eternity or
infinity

21. Water - Fountain
Stands for purification, purity; the sprinkling of water (baptism) washes away sin. Water of fountain gives new life such as the Fountain of Youth

22. Sun
Creative energy, father figure, passage of time and life, thinking, wisdom, and spiritual vision
Rising sun – birth, creation, associated with east
Setting sun – death, destruction, associated with west

23. Garden
Garden
Paradise, innocence, fertility

24. Tree
Represents life and knowledge

25. Forest
Those who enter often lose their direction or rational outlook and thus tap into their collective unconscious. This unregulated space is opposite of the cultivated gardens, which are carefully planned and are restricted to certain vegetation.
Often a symbol of the unknown
Often symbolized as a scary place
Example:
Thieves’ Forest in The Princess Bride
Haunted forests

26. Desert
Lack of spirituality
Death and despair
Hopelessness

27. Caves and Tunnels Deep down where character delves inside self
Place that character goes when “invisible” or inactive
At the extreme may signify death

28. Mountains and Peaks Highest peak is place to “see” far
Place to gain great insight

29. Islands Represent isolation or get-a-ways
Represents feeling of loneliness

30. Crossroads
Represents a decision

31. Road or Train Symbolizes a journey through life
Train can sometimes signify journey from life to death

32. Shapes Circle – complete, wholeness, unity Egg/oval – mystery of life
Square – different, utilitarian, sharp, uncomfortable

33. Animals Serpent – evil, corruption
Dark-colored bird – death, hate, corruption
Raven
Hawk
Light-colored bird – peace, love, life, and purity
Dove

34. Numbers Three – holy trinity, spiritual wellness
Four – life cycle, four seasons, nature, four elements (earth, air, fire, and water)
Seven – most potent of all symbolic numbers because it is the sum of 3 and 4 and makes it the perfect number
Thirteen - unlucky

35. Colors
Red – love, sacrifice, hate, evil, anger, violent passion, sin, blood, and disorder
Green – birth/death, fertility, luck, hope, jealousy, decay, greed
Blue – sadness, spiritual purity, truth, and religious feelings of security
Black – power, doom, darkness, mystery, primal wisdom, unconscious evil
White – purity, innocence, death, terror, supernatural, blinding truth, antiseptic

36. Situational Journey/Task/Quest Initiation/Rite of Passage
Parental Conflict
Coming of Age
Birth/Death and Rebirth
The Fall

37. Journey/Quest/Task
Journey - Protagonist or hero in search of some truth that will help save his kingdom
Task – the super-human feat that the hero must perform to accomplish his task.
Quests – Hero must accomplish to restore normalcy to a troubled land

38. Initiation and Rite of Passage
This is the process by which a character is brought into another sphere of influence, usually into adulthood.
The adolescent comes into maturity with new awareness and adult problems.

39. Parental Conflict and Relationships
Protagonist deals with struggles in becoming an adult. Usually the struggle is with parents, but can sometimes be with other authority figures.

40. Coming of age
Protagonist encounters an experience that has forced them to grow up before they are ready.
Examples:
Death of a parent
Act of violence committed against them

41. Birth/Death and Rebirth
Character experiences an event that renews their spirit and helps them to come to a clarifying realization. Can often be symbolized through sleep, as well.

42. The Fall: Expulsion from Eden
When a character becomes an outcast due to an unacceptable action. Usually the community as a whole banished them.
Example:
Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden