What are Archetypes?

The idea of archetypes is often said to return to the work of psychological psychiatrist Carl Jung. Jung believed that archetypes were universal symbols and or patterns of behavior that are found in the collective unconscious of all humans whether in ancient or modern culture. Jung thought that archetype motifs represent the fundamental pieces of the mental machinery of the human psyche, which operates in the subconscious mind of each of us. An archetype can be material or abstract, collectively or individually held and can refer to customs, rituals and/or behavior that is shared by a group of people.

Types of Archetypes

There are four main types of archetypes that Jung believed to exist. They are the inner self, the child, the hero and the persona. The inner self is often referred to as the “soul” of the character which is eternal and provides a moral guide for the individual. The child archetype represents innocence and naivety which can be taken as a spiritual guide to enlightenment. The hero archetype is often seen as a champion of justice and morality, prone to making sacrifices and leading others by example. The persona archetype is the outer mask or public face of the character, the persona which is the individual face of each of us in the world.

Using Archetypes

When writers, filmmakers and storytellers create characters, they often use archetypes to compliment existing characters and to give a more developed story. Archetypes can help to define a character’s journey and provide a point of reference to either make a character more relatable or to give a story a familiarity that has resonance with the viewer.

Some authors have also used archetypes as a shortcut to explain the development of a character in a story. By focusing on an archetype, it can help the reader to follow the progression of the character and can help the author to create a satisfying end to the story.

In conclusion, archetypes are a powerful tool for storytellers, authors and filmmakers, used to explore the journey of a character or to provide an element of familiarity to a story. They can provide a moral guide, a source of reference or a shortcut for the author in the creation and development of a character.