Character Archetypes

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Character Archetypes

• Patterns Types of Characters

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The Hero

• An archetype that is so well defined that the
  life of the protagonist is seen as a series of
  adventurous patterns.
• The hero is a martyr willing to suffer or die for
  his/her beliefs or to achieve his/her goals on
  the quest or journey.

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Young Man from the Provinces

• A hero spirited away as a young man (woman) and
  is reared by strangers. He/she later returns to
  his/her home and heritage where he/she is a
  stranger who can see new problems and solutions.

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The Initiates

• Young heroes or heroines who, prior to their
  quest, must endure some training and ceremony.
• They are usually innocent and often wear white
  (as a symbol).

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Mentors

• Someone who serves as a teacher or counselor to
  the initiates.
• Sometimes they serve as role models and often
  serve as a father or mother figure.

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Mentor-Pupil Relationship

• A relationship fostered throughout the life of
  the pupil (or hero) in which the mentor teaches
  the pupil by example the skills necessary to
  survive the quest.

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Father Son Conflict

• Involves a father-son or mother-daughter conflict
  that results in separation during childhood or
  from an external source.
• Often the parental figure meets the son/daughter
  after they have learned from a mentor and the
  mentor has a higher place of affection than the
  parent.

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Hunting Group of Companions

• A group of companions willing to face any number
  of perils in order to be together.

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Loyal Retainers

• Servants who are heroic themselves and whose duty
  is to protect the hero and reflect on the
  nobility of the hero.

10
Friendly Beast

• An animal that shows that nature is on the side
  of the hero.

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The Devil Figure

• Someone or something that offers worldly goods,
  fame, or knowledge to the protagonist in exchange
  for possession of the soul or another object of
  equal value.

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The Evil Figure with the Ultimately Good Heart

• A redeemable devil figure saved by the nobility
  or love of the hero.

13
The Scapegoat

• An animal or human whose death in a public
  ceremony explains some taint or sin that has been
  come upon a community. Their death often makes
  them a more powerful force than when they lived.

14
The Outcast

• A figure who is banished from a social group
  for some crime (real or imagined) against his/her
  fellow man.

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The Earthmother

• Symbolic of life, fruition, abundance, and
  nourishment to those with whom she comes into
  contact.
• She is often depicted in earth colors.

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The Temptress

• Characterized by sensuous beauty.
• The hero is often attracted to this person and
  their attraction ultimately brings about the
  downfall of the hero.

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The Platonic Ideal

• Source of inspiration and spiritual ideal for who
  the protagonist or author has an intellectual
  rather than a physical attraction (love of mind).

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The Damsel in Distress

• A vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the
  hero.
• She is often used as a trap to ensnare the
  unsuspecting hero.

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The Star-Crossed Lovers

• Two characters who are engaged in a relationship
  that is fated to end tragically for one or both
  due to disapproval of the society, friends, or
  family or some other tragic situation.

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The Creature of Nightmare

• A monster usually summoned from the deepest,
  darkest part of the human psyche to threaten the
  lives of the hero/heroine.