Tricksters and Archetype

What is a trickster figure

• Often crafty and intelligent

• Pull tricks on others

• Manipulate situations to benefit themselves

• Could be foolish or help humans against the rules

• Coyote is often a trickster

• The characteristics of the trickster is the most notable transfer, most tricksters are mischievous and selfish

The Trickster

• An animal or person or other character that uses trickery, violence, or magic to assert dominance over weaker or more vulnerable characters

  • They evolve to situations to either trick others for amusement or they are tricking others to survive

• Intelligent and cunning characters who are prone to pranks and other mischief

  • Pranksters, clowns, magicians, fools, rulebreakers

• They can teach moral lessons, often at the expense of the person being deceived

6 Trickster Traits

• Fundamentally ambiguous and anomalous

• Deceiver and trick-player

• Shape-shifter

• Situation-inverter

• Messenger and imitator of the gods

• Sacred and lewd bricoleur

Origin of tricker tails

• Originated in folklore

• Helps explain how people in different cultures connect and behave

• Helps tell stories on how things happen