Archetypes

The Everyman

motivation - Connect with others; The good old boy, regular guy/girl, the person next door, the working stiff, the solid citizen, the good neighbor, the silent majority. Dr. John Watson from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Jester

motivation - Connect with others; The fool, trickster, joker, practical joker, comedian. Tigger from The House at Pooh Corner

The Lover

motivation - Connect with others; The partner, friend, intimate, enthusiast, sensualist, spouse, team-builder. Romeo from Romeo and Juliet

The Hero

motivation - Leave a mark on the world; The warrior, crusader, rescuer, superhero, the soldier, dragon slayer, the winner, the team player. Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings

The Magician

motivation - Leave a mark on the world; The visionary, catalyst, inventor, charismatic leader, shaman, healer, medicine man. Merlin from The Sword in the Stone

The Rebel

motivation - Leave a mark on the world; The rebel, revolutionary, wild man, the misfit, iconoclast. Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein

The Caregiver

motivation - Provide structure to the world; The saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter "Marmee". March from Little Women

The Creator/Artist

motivation - Provide structure to the world; The artist, inventor, innovator, musician, writer, dreamer. Pippi Longstocking from Pippi Longstocking

The Ruler

motivation - Provide structure to the world; The boss, leader, aristocrat, king, queen, politician, role model, manager, administrator. Macbeth from Macbeth

The Explorer

motivation - Yearn for paradise; The seeker, iconoclast, wanderer, individualist, pilgrim. James from James and the Giant Peach

The Innocent

motivation - Yearn for paradise; He or she is inexperienced, with many weaknesses, and seeks safety with others. Dorothy from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Sage

motivation - Yearn for paradise; The expert, scholar, detective, advisor, thinker, philosopher, academic, researcher, thinker, planner, professional, mentor, teacher, contemplative. Mary Poppins from Mary Poppins

The Garden

A place of purity; cultivation

Forest

Represents fertility, home of the Great Mother, symbolically primitive

Tree

Represents life and knowledge

Cave

Turning inward; deep down where a character delves into himself, becomes invisible

Mountain

The highest peak; place to gain greatest insight

River

place of reflection or rebirth; crossing borders or new territory

Sea

vast, alien, chaotic, dangerous; waves may symbolize measures of time and represent eternity or infinity

Island

place of isolation; a small world unto itself; microcosm

Battle of Good and Evil

Good ultimately triumphs

Death and Rebirth

Shows the circle of life

Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity

A character will have intuition and knowledge that is better than those in charge

Initiation

character matures and takes responsibility

Journey

hero confronts trials along the way

Quest

search for someone or something

Task

Something that must be done

Small Town

where everyone knows everyone and judges them, so it represents intolerance

River

Life, flow of time

Wheel

A complete cycle

Water

Purification

Rising Sun

Birth, beginning

Setting Sun

Death, ending

Circle

Unity

Snake

Evil

Light

Hope, renewal

Dark

Despair, ignorance

Fire

Knowledge, rebirt