Using archetypes for a narrative art lesson

1. Archetypes
Tools for developing personal narratives and myth making

2. What is an ARCHETYPE?
An archetype is a typical character, an action or a situation that
seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature.
An archetype, also known as universal symbol, may be a
character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting. Many works of
art are shaped by the archetypes.
Researchers have been able to collect & compare the myths,
legends, and religions of cultures from around the world. They
have been fascinated to discover that for centuries, people who
had no contact with each other at all had passed down stories
whose characters and events were strikingly similar. Many
great thinkers have tried to explain this phenomenon. Noted
psychoanalyst Carl Jung introduced a theory that humans have
a collective unconscious, which means that there is a store of
information that we, as humans, somehow hold. This collection
of information includes archetypes, or symbolic figures.
Archetypes influence the way we think and behave, as people
follow the same patterns throughout time and around the world.

3. Let’s look at some
examples of archetypes…
THE HERO:
He or she is a character
who predominantly
exhibits goodness
struggles against evil in
order to restore harmony
and justice to the
society.
Name some other
heros….

4. The protector
and leader that
keeps order and
often sets laws
or rules. Many
times the hero
has to break the
rules to
complete their
call to
adventure/quest.
The Father Figure:

5. The Mother Figure:
The mother archetype shows
itself in lots of ways. The
Great Mother is an archetype
of feminine mystery & power
who appears in forms as
diverse as Mother Earth and
The Wiked Witch. Such
character may be
represented as Fairy
Mother who guides and
directs a child, Mother
Earth who contacts people
and offers spiritual and
emotional nourishment,
and Step Mother who treats
their step children roughly.
Name some
Mother
archetypes…

6. The
Monster/Villian:
The antagonist,
especially in
opposition to the
hero. (The anti-hero)

7. The Innocent
Youth:
He or she is
inexperienced with
many weaknesses and
seeks safety of others
but is liked by others
because of the trust he
or she shows on other
people. Sometimes
they are known as The
Divine Child, the child
represents the
potential. The Divine
Child is the archetype
of the regenerative
force that leads us
toward wholeness.

8. Doppelganger/ The
Shadow:
It is everything in us that is
unconscious, repressed,
undeveloped and denied. It is
everything in us that is
unconscious, repressed,
undeveloped and denied. A
common theme involves the Self
accepting their Shadow,
metaphorically coming to terms with
their flaw. That is, The Hero refuses
to kill the Shadow, given the
opportunity, or outright refuses to
fight it. In the Vampire Diaries, Elena
and Katherine are doppelgangers.
Stephen and Silas are also

9. The Wise Old
Man/Mentor:
His or her task is
to protect the main
character. It is
through the wise
advice and
training of a
mentor that the
main character
achieves success
in the world They
can lead us to
higher levels of
awareness, or
away from them.

10. Trickster
:
Trickster plays tricks or
otherwise disobeys
normal rules &
conventional behavior.
Trickster openly
questions & mocks
authority, seeks out new
ideas & experiences,
destroys convention &
complacency, &
promotes chaos &
unrest. At the same time,
ttrickster brings new
knowledge &wisdom.
Even when punished
horribly for his actions,
his indomitable spirit (or
plain sheer foolishness)
keeps him coming back
for more.

11. The
Underdog:
Characters who are always in the
wrong place at the wrong time, but
who usually win something of value
in the end.

12. The Outcast:
A Figure banished from a
social group for some crime
against his fellow man (could
be falsely accused of a crime
or could choose to banish
himself from guilt).

13. The Sidekick:
Sometimes like
servants to the
hero who are
heroic
themselves; their
duty is to protect
the hero and
reflect the nobility
of the hero. In
recent times they
have become
friends of the
hero

14. What role do you see yourself
in?
What about your friends and
family? Which characters do they
play in your life?
As you develop your personal
narrative work, how can the
archetypes help you?
You will need to be able to tell me
about the archetypes you use in
your artwork.