Archetypes

Front 1

search for someone or something which, when found and brought back, will restore fertility to a wasted land

Back 1

the quest

Front 2

not the same as the quest, but a step to complete it

Back 2

the task

Front 3

takes the form of an initiation into adult life; adolescent comes to his/her maturity with a new awareness, faces problems with new sense of hope. usually takes place at the end of the story

Back 3

the initation

Front 4

hero journeys in search of some truth or information necessary to restore fertility to the kingdom, main character descends into a real or psychological hell and is forced to discover the blackest truths

Back 4

the journey

Front 5

describes a descent from a higher to a lower state of being, involves a loss of innocence and bliss, expulsion from a kind of paradise as a penalty

Back 5

the fall

Front 6

parallel between the cycle of nature and the cycle of life, morning and sprintime represent birth, youth, or rebirth; evening and winter suggest old age and death

Back 6

death and rebirth

Front 7

actual ceremonies that the initiate experiences

Back 7

the ritual

Front 8

hero or some other character has a wound (physical or psychological) that cannot be fully healed, indicates a loss of innocence

Back 8

unhealable wound

Front 9

battle between two primal forces

Back 9

good vs. evil

Front 10

nature is good while technology and society is often evil

Back 10

nature vs. the mechanistic world

Front 11

usually suggests hope, renewal, or intellactual illumination

Back 11

light vs. darkness

Front 12

water is necessary to life and growth, commonly appears as birth or rebirth symbol as in baptisms, which symbolize spiritual birth. desert reps. alienation, loneliness, desolation, near starvation

Back 12

water vs. desert

Front 13

man has tradiontlaly associated parts of the universe not accessible to him with the dwelling places of primordial forces

Back 13

heaven v.s hell

Front 14

heroes are often sheltered for a time in places of safety to regain their health or spritual strength before they are thrust out into the dangerous wilderness

Back 14

haven vs. wilderness

Front 15

characters exhibit wisdom and understanding of situations instincively as opposed to those supposedly in charge who have extensive book learning, yet usually make poor decisions

Back 15

innate wisdom vs. educated stupidity

Front 16

fire reps. knowledge, light, life, and rebirth. ice reps. ignorance, darkness, desolation, sterility, or death

Back 16

fire vs. ice

Front 17

a supernatural force, god or being intervenes either on the side of the hero or sometimes against him

Back 17

supernatural intervention

Front 18

weapon that can only be wielded or used to its full potential by the hero. symbolizes extraordinary quality of hero

Back 18

magic weapon

Front 19

reps. creative enrgy, enlightenment, wisdom, and spiritual vision

Back 19

sun

Front 20

when present, uncertainty is typically experienced

Back 20

fog

Front 21

protagonist, can be marked as the character that changes in the face of conflict and we are able to see maturity

Back 21

hero

Front 22

hero is spirited away as a young man and raised by strangers, returns to home where he is a stranger who can see new problems and new solutions

Back 22

young man from the provinces

Front 23

young hero/heorine who prior to his/her quest, must endure some training and ceremony. innocent and often wears white

Back 23

the initiate

Front 24

individual serves as a teacher or counselor for the initiate, serves as a role model or as mother or father figure, teaches by example

Back 24

mentor

Front 25

loyal companions willing to face any number of perils in order to be together

Back 25

hunting group of companions

Front 26

animal who befriends the hero and serves him/her loyally, to show that nature is on the side of the hero

Back 26

friendly beast

Front 27

evil incarnafe, character offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge to the protagonist in exchange for possession of his soul

Back 27

devil figure

Front 28

a redeemable devil figure saved by the nobility or love of the hero

Back 28

evil figure with the ultimately good heart

Front 29

character used to carry the blame of the sins of society, usually seen as weak unitl death, then becomes a powerful force

Back 29

scapegoat

Front 30

figure who is banished from a social group for some crime (real or imagined) against his own fellow man, usually destined to become wanderer

Back 30

outcast

Front 31

fertility symbol in most stories, symbolic of fruition and abundance, offers spiritual and emotional nourishment

Back 31

earthmother

Front 32

characterized by sensous beauty, protagonist is physically attracted may bring about his downfall

Back 32

temptress

Front 33

woman is a source of inspiration and spiritual ideal

Back 33

the platonic ideal

Front 34

female character displays a fearless sense of honor, handles weapons, perceived as hating men

Back 34

amazon warrior

Front 35

vulnerable woman rescued by the hero used as a trap

Back 35

damsel in distress

Front 36

two characters engaged in a love affair that is fated to end tragically

Back 36

star-crossed lovers

Front 37

monster usually summoned from the deepest human psyche to threaten the lives of the hero/heroine

Back 37

creatures of nightmare

Front 38

+ light, innocence, purity, virginity, timelessness
- death, terror, supernatural, blinding truth of cosmic mystery

Back 38

white

Front 39

positive are knowledge and intelligence, neg. are evil, mystery, death

Back 39

black

Front 40

depicts hope and happiness positive association with the sun as long as the sun shines there is hope for a new beginning

Back 40

yellow

Front 41

pos. passion, neg. blood

Back 41

red

Front 42

pos. color means compromise, serenity, truth, security, spiritual purity, characters that wear rep peacemakers

Back 42

blue

Front 43

pos. are life, rebirth, growth, hope, fertility. neg. death and decay. sometimes seen with yellow

Back 43

green

Front 44

combo color reps hope and passion

Back 44

orange

Front 45

reps unity with the land seen with native animals or characters in harmony with homeland, earthmother wears color

Back 45

brown

Front 46

power and royalty, depending on degree of richness used

Back 46

purple

Front 47

wealth, status, power

Back 47

gold/silver

Front 48

neutral color, lack of passion

Back 48

grey

Front 49

associated with light, spiritual awareness and unity

Back 49

three

Front 50

circle, life, seasons, earth, nature

Back 50

four

Front 51

most potent, union of 3 and 4, completion of a cycle and perfect order

Back 51

seven