Trickster

The trickster archetype includes multiple elements in which make up this particular character and differ from other archetypes. These characters often show their intent to help others, although they will do whatever is necessary to accomplish their goal, and usually incorporate a humorous element to their personality. Tricksters have a motive and often times, that motive helps others. Although they do have an intention to help others, they contain a negative quality due to what they are willing to do just to achieve this or their end goal. In addition to the two contradicting elements in which makes up the trickster archetype, tricksters contain a humorous element that make either themselves or others look foolish. The short stories “Coyote Steals Fire”, “Master Cat”, and “How Stories Came to Earth” all prove these elements are essential to the trickster persona.…

as 'myths' or the collection of such stories which usually deal with the human condition, good and evil, human origins, life and death, the afterlife, and the gods. Myths express the beliefs and values about these subjects held by a certain culture (Mark). Myths are always true psychologically, sociologically, and anthropologically. In mythology and in the study of religion and folklore, a trickster is an example of a Jungian Archetype. The trickster is characterized in a story as one who…

A trickster, essentially, is a character who disobeys the norms, though carries greater knowledge and has mainly been discussed in mythology, folklore, and religious texts, and has consistently been viewed in indigenous context. The trickster is often the anthropomorphic personification of a hidden, allegorical world. Linda M. Morra and Deanna Reder’s Troubling Tricksters: Revisioning Critical Conversations, propose that the purpose of every trickster tale is to “[articulate] ambiguous…

Two approaches that have shaped my thinking are rites of passage and trickster. Rite of passage tales deal with major transitions in life, including birth, puberty, marriage, and death. In order to complete these transitions, a person must first be separated from the past and face a series of challenges before they can finally be reintroduced into society in their new form. Identifying the separation, ordeal, and reintegration stages allows one to determine the when the journey began and was…

Often times in stories found by many cultures, a common character is the “trickster”. The trickster is a person whom is prone to getting their way by playing tricks on people. Tricksters can be either gender, and could be the youngest sibling or smallest animal within the folklore. In the book of Genesis, many scholars believe that some form of a trickster or trickery is present and eventually they receive their comeuppance for what they have done. In the book of Genesis, Jacob is first…

Trickster Tales and The Coyote Trickster Tales and The Coyote are similar in more ways than one. The two Tales are given a main character. The characters are very similar in some aspects but also very different. The stories convey a message and a thought to carry after completion of the tale. Coyote and Trickster Tales main characters are animals. The animals have human like actions. The spider and coyote talk to their peers and the plot plans to achieve their primary goal. Coyote and…

Suhani Gupta Dr. Brendan Thornton RELI 144H 8 October 2015 African Trickster Tales The tradition of expressing the invincibility of the powerless through the form of the trickster served a major role in African culture. In John W. Roberts’ From Trickster To Badman, African trickster tales are viewed and discussed from different perspectives. For many years, the Europeans considered Africans to be an uncivilized group of people. In Roberts’ article, Thanet claims that the seemingly small and…

After reading The Odyssey Book 5-8, it came to my attention that the modern world of today and the classical myths of the past have somewhat different beliefs on what a trickster is all about. The current myth I am going to use come from the movie The Dark Knight(2008), where we are introduced to a trickster known as the Joker. The Joker is a villain who dresses up as a clown and commits crimes. In addition to being a villain he is also consider a criminal mastermind due to his ingenuity when it…

recurring theme in “trickster stories” is the concept of karma. The idea that the trickster can be devious enough to set a trap that catches his prey, but fails to evade other traps, often of his own design. This is apparent in the book “Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and Art” by Lewis Hyde. He writes, “and yet, as the Loki story indicates, the trickster can also get snared in his own devices. Trickster is at once culture hero and fool, clever predator and stupid prey. Hungry,…

Emily Scobee Phyliss Findley AP Language 12 October 2015 Trickster Animals in Native American Folklore Native American folklore is the beliefs, myths, or stories of Native American tribes. Folklore or the act or story telling is used to teach lessons, to help cope with the world, or to explain the origin of something. Often times folklore contains animals that are used to represent trickster. The tricksters are sly animals that device fellow animals for self gain. The most prominent…