Archetypes

Numbers 3—light, spiritual awareness, unity (holy trinity), male principle 4—associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons, female principle, earth, nature, elements 7—the most potent of all symbolic numbers signifying the union of three and four, the completion of a cycle, perfect order, perfect number, religious symbol

7 is a symbolic number in the week because it symbolizes the 7th/last day god created the world and he rested on the 7th day

The Maze A puzzling dilemma or great uncertainty, search for the dangerous monster inside of oneself, or a journey into the heart of darkness

Alice in wonderland

Death and Rebirth The most common of all situational archetypes, this motif grows out of a parallel between the cycle of nature and the cycle of life. Thus morning and springtime represent birth, youth, or rebirth, while evening and winter suggest old age or death.

Arctic frog

The Initiation The adolescent comes into his maturity with new awareness and problems.

Eugene in tangled becomes mature and is aware of his new responsibility

The Magic Weapon The weapon the hero needs in order to complete his quest.

For King of Author it was the Excalibur sword.

The Evil Figure with Ultimately Good Heart A devil figure with the potential to be good. This person is usually saved by the love of the hero.

Frozen

The Tower A strong place of evil, represents the isolation of self

Frozen locked herself in the tower to isolate herself because she thought she was evil

The Fall The descent from a higher to a lower state of being usually as a punishment for transgression. It also involves the loss of innocence.

Gatsby was known as the rich fun guy until he was known as the one that killed myrtle, he went from having large parties, to no one coming to his funeral .

The Shadow A worthy opponent with whom the hero must struggle in a fight to the end. Must be destroyed or neutralized. Psychologically can represent the darker side of the hero's own psyche.

Hans from frozen

Fire and Ice Fire represents knowledge, light, life, and rebirth, while ice, like the desert, represents ignorance, darkness, sterility, and death.

Harry potter represents fire having light and knowledge, voldemort represents death and darkness cuz he is evil

Young Man from the Provinces The Hero returns to his home and heritage where he is a stranger who can see new problems and new solutions

In the movie where this guy gets in an accident and ends up back to where he grew up and starts to build the town up

Fog Symbolizes uncertainty.

In the song what does the fox say, they use fog to cover them because they are uncertain of what the fox sounds like.

Nature vs. Mechanistic World Nature is good while technology is evil.

Native Americans

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

Rapunzel , locked in her tower, needs a hero to save her

The Quest What the Hero must accomplish in order to bring fertility back to the wasteland, usually a search for some talisman, which will restore peace, order, and normalcy to a troubled land.

The Return of the King from Lord of the rings

Mentor The Mentor is an older, wiser teacher to the initiates. He often serves as a father or mother figure. He gives the hero gifts (weapons, food, magic, information), serves as a role model or as hero's conscience.

The giver was the mentor of jonas

Colors Red: blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder Green: growth, hope, fertility Blue: highly positive, security, tranquility, spiritual purity Black: darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy White: light, purity, innocence, timelessness (negatives: death, horror, supernatural) Yellow: enlightenment, wisdom

The green light in The Great Gatsby . symbol for hope

The Task The nearly superhuman feat(s) the Hero must perform in order to accomplish his quest.

The prince has to fight the dragon and bring his heart to the king.

The Journey The journey sends the Hero in search of some truth that will help save his kingdom.

The prince needs to learn how to fight

The Castle A strong place of safety which holds treasure or princess, may be enchanted or bewitched

The princess was held in the castle because she was kept in safety

The Outcast A character banished from a social group for some real or imagined crime against his fellow man, usually destined to wander form place to place.

a dissenter, shrek

Hunting Group of Companions These are loyal companions willing to face hardship and ordeal in order to stay together.

anna and hans go through so much just to stay together

The Ritual The actual ceremonies the Initiate experiences that will mark his rite of passage into another state. A clear sign of the character's role in his society

bar mitzvah

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

batman, uses darkness as an advantage to scare the criminals

Friendly Beast An animal companion showing that nature is on the side of the hero

beauty and the beast , the dragon in Shrek

Supernatural Intervention Spiritual beings intervene on the side of the hero or sometimes against him.

divine intervention

White Goddess Good, beautiful maiden, usually blond, may make an ideal marriage partner; often has religious or intellectual overtones.

glinda from wizards of oz

The Hero The Hero is a protagonist whose life is a series of well- marked adventures. The circumstances of his birth are unusual, and he is raised by a guardian. He will have to leave his kingdom, only to return to it upon reaching manhood. Characterized by courage, strength, and honor, the hero will endure hardship, even risk his life for the good of all. Leaves the familiar to enter an unfamiliar and challenging world.

harry potter was a hero saved a lot of people

The Underworld A place of death or metaphorically an encounter with the dark side of the self. Entering an underworld is a form of facing a fear of death.

holocaust, they faced death and because they didn't want to die they lied about knowing how to do a certain job

The Threshold Guardian Tests the hero's courage and worthiness to begin the journey

in kung fu panda the trainer tests the panda with food

Water vs. Desert Because Water is necessary to life and growth, it commonly appears as a birth symbol, as baptism symbolizes a spiritual birth. Rain, rivers, oceans, etc. also function the same way. The Desert suggests the opposite.

in lion king where desert represents the death of mufasa and the water represents the rebirth of when simba beats scar

The Scapegoat An animal, or more usually a human, whose death in a public ceremony expiates some taint or sin of a community. They are often more powerful in death than in life.

jesus being hung on the cross

The Crossroads A place or time of decision when a realization is made and change or penance results

joan in the bible had to chose to either go where god was sending him or run away

Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity Some characters exhibit wisdom and understanding of situations instinctively as opposed to those supposedly in charge. Loyal retainers often exhibit this wisdom as they accompany the hero on the journey.

matilda is a great example because she knows her powers and is smarter than her "educated" parents

Star-Crossed Lovers Two characters engaged in a love affair fated to end tragically for one or both due to the disapproval of society, friends, family, or some tragic situation.

myrtle and tom, and gatsby and daisy

The Unfaithful Wife A woman married to a man she sees as dull or distant and is attracted to more virile or interesting men.

myrtle in great Gatsby

Father - Son Conflict In this relationship, the tension is built due to separation from childhood or some other source when the two meet as men.

percy jackson is separated t 2 months from his father

The Platonic Ideal A woman who is a source of inspiration to the hero, who has an intellectual rather than physical attraction to her

princess Zelda, prince uses her to beat the enemy

The Unhealable Wound Either a physical or psychological wound that cannot be fully healed. The wound symbolizes a loss of innocence.

rape

Haven vs. Wilderness Places of safety contrast sharply against a dangerous wilderness. Heroes are often sheltered for a time to regain health and resources

snow white was kept in the wilderness in safety from the evil queen

Battle between Good and Evil Obviously, a battle between two primal forces. Mankind shows eternal optimism in the continual portrayal of good triumphing over evil despite great odds.

snow white wins over evil queen

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. Often it is a perversion or desecration of the human body.

spidersssssssssss

Heaven vs. Hell Man has traditionally associated parts of the universe not accessible to him with the dwelling places of the primordial forces that govern his world. The skies and mountaintops house his gods, the bowels of the earth contain diabolic forces.

the book angels and demons

The Whirlpool Symbolizes the destructive power of nature or fate.

the civil war was a symbol for destruction of the CSA

The Devil Figure This character is evil incarnate

the evil queen in the mermaid movie

The Temptress or Black Goddess Characterized by sensuous beauty, this woman is one to whom the protagonist is physically attracted and who ultimately brings about his downfall. May appear as a witch or vampire

the girl in teen wolf

Mentor - Pupil Relationship In this relationship, the Mentor teaches the Hero/pupil the necessary skills for surviving the quest.

the giver gives jonas the memories he needs to survive crossing the boarder

The Initiates The Initiates are young heroes or heroines who must go through some training and ceremony before undertaking their quest.

the prince of the Carranza , born a prince, but needs to learn before he can prove he is worthy to be one

The Threshold Gateway to a new world which the hero must enter to change and grow

the sphinx from the never ending story

The Earth Mother Symbolic of fruition, abundance, and fertility, this character traditionally offers spiritual and emotional nourishment to those with whom she comes in contact. Often depicted in earth colors, has large breasts and hips symbolic of her childbearing capacities.

the talking tree in Pocahontas