Hero's Journey - Symbolic Archetypes

Light vs. Darkness

The two must be juxtaposed directly together, where light represents hope, renewal, or knowledge and darkness represents chaos, ignorance, or despair.

Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity

Some characters contain an innate ability to understand and solve life situations as opposed to those who are supposedly “in charge” of the society. 

Nature vs. the Mechanistic World

Usually depicts nature as good, while technology is evil. There is some concern that technology will overtake the natural world.

Haven vs. Wilderness

Places of safety that are scattered sparingly amongst a dangerous wilderness.

Fire vs. Ice

Fire represents knowledge, light, life, rebirth and Ice represents ignorance, darkness, and death

Water vs. Desert

Water (rivers, rain, oceans, etc.) represents life, birth, and spiritual cleansing while deserts represent death, hopelessness, and spiritual decay

Supernatural Intervention

Spiritual forces intervene either on behalf or against the hero. 

The Underworld

A place of physical or metaphorical death, where the hero must encounter his/her deepest, darkest fears

The Crossroads

A place of demarcation where the hero must face a realization and change his plan/course

Colors

Red - sacrifice, passion, death

Black - darkness, chaos, mystery, disorder, ignorance, evilness

Blue - security, tranquility, spirituality

Green - hope, growth, renewal

Yellow - enlightenment, wisdom

Orange - fire, pride, ambition

White - purity, innocence, creative force, peace

Numbers

3 - Divinity, holy trinity, spiritual awareness, unity

4 - Mankind, the circle of life (death/rebirth), the four seasons, elements (earth, air, fire, water) 

6 - Devil, evilness

7 - symbolizes the union of 3 and 4, a relationship between man and God, a completion of a cycle, a religious symbol

Animals

Birds: vulture - death; dove/pigeon - innocence, freedom; eagle - majesty, nobility, freedom; phoenix - rebirth, baptism, cleansing; owl - wisdom

Snake - evil, trickery, manipulation

Wolf - a wild spirit, in tune with nature 

Cat - slyness, cleverness, secretive, cunning 

Trees

Life, knowledge, education

Stars

Guidance, hope

Clouds/Mist/Fog

uncertainty, mystery

Forest

Fear, lost, unknown

Mountain

Ambition, goals, achievement, loftiness

Valley

Depression, danger, the unknown