Archetype and stereotype are sometimes confused terms. But for writers, the differences between them are significant. While one can make your story stronger, the other can ruin it. Do you know the difference?
Let’s start with definitions. When creating characters, archetype is the model from which your character is created. In art terms, archetype is the medium: oils, chalk, or charcoal for example. But from that, the artist creates the masterpiece. From archetype, the writer builds an individual character.
There are some common archetypes throughout literature, such as the Unwilling Hero (Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter) or the Willing Hero (Eragon, King Arthur, Luke Skywalker). There are archetypes such as the Innocent Child (Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, or Alice from Alice in …show more content…
A stereotyped character takes a general type of person and oversimplifies their qualities into predictable or clichéd types.
Diana Wynn Jones did a fabulous book called The Tough Guide to Fantasyland that exposes many of the stereotypes found in fantasy writing. Such as the magical sword, the gruff dwarf with an ax, or that all elves must sing beautifully. Stereotype characters are stock and could be interchanged from one story to another without any major impact on plot.
Although both archetype and stereotype draw from a “type” of person to create character, the difference is that archetype will use the template as a starting place, and stereotype uses it as the end point.
For example, let’s compare Frodo Baggins with Harry Potter. They are both unwilling heroes in that neither asked for their roles in saving the world. Both would have been far happier to live out their lives without the weight and burden of being the hero. Both rely heavily on their friendships (Sam for Frodo, and Ron and Hermione for Harry), and would not have succeeded without those friends. And Frodo and Harry are both very compassionate, loyal, and determined
Let’s start with definitions. When creating characters, archetype is the model from which your character is created. In art terms, archetype is the medium: oils, chalk, or charcoal for example. But from that, the artist creates the masterpiece. From archetype, the writer builds an individual character.
There are some common archetypes throughout literature, such as the Unwilling Hero (Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter) or the Willing Hero (Eragon, King Arthur, Luke Skywalker). There are archetypes such as the Innocent Child (Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, or Alice from Alice in …show more content…
A stereotyped character takes a general type of person and oversimplifies their qualities into predictable or clichéd types.
Diana Wynn Jones did a fabulous book called The Tough Guide to Fantasyland that exposes many of the stereotypes found in fantasy writing. Such as the magical sword, the gruff dwarf with an ax, or that all elves must sing beautifully. Stereotype characters are stock and could be interchanged from one story to another without any major impact on plot.
Although both archetype and stereotype draw from a “type” of person to create character, the difference is that archetype will use the template as a starting place, and stereotype uses it as the end point.
For example, let’s compare Frodo Baggins with Harry Potter. They are both unwilling heroes in that neither asked for their roles in saving the world. Both would have been far happier to live out their lives without the weight and burden of being the hero. Both rely heavily on their friendships (Sam for Frodo, and Ron and Hermione for Harry), and would not have succeeded without those friends. And Frodo and Harry are both very compassionate, loyal, and determined