ELA Archetype study

Garden

Paradise, innocence, fertility, unspoiled beauty

Tree

life, growth, generation and regeneration

Circle

life, wholeness,Unity

Desert

lack of spirit; death, hopelessness

Serpent

evil, corruption, destruction

Red

passion, desire, love OR blood, sacrifice, violence, danger

Green

growth, fertility OR death, disease, decay

Blue

spiritual/religious connection, truth

Black

(darkness: power, luxury OR danger, evil, death

White

(light): purity, innocence OR supernatural, emptiness, fear

3

Unity

4

Circle/cycle

7

Union of 3&4 perfection

Archetype

a Symbol or pattern that crosses many cultures, and shows up in literature throughout history, and around the world.

Hero

(protagonist) the Main charactwho faces the main conflict and goes on a transformative journey

Mentor

a positive figure who guides, aids, trains, and protects the hero on their journey

Threshold guardian

someone who tests or challenges the hero early on, to see if they are worthy to go on their journey

Herald

someone who issues a Warning, challenge, or change that is coming

Shapeshifter

someone whose appearance or behavior changes to fit the needs of a story (can be physical OR emotional change)

Trickster

someone who provides comic relief and/or stirs up trouble

Shadow

(antagonist) the character that works against the hero and tries to defeat/destroy them

Water

life/creation, growth, purification, redemption

Sun

• Rising: birth, creation, enlightenment

• Setting: death