They all call me an iconoclast, as if that’s an insult! I choose to believe in what I think is right, instead of what society’s beliefs tell me. That should be something to be proud of, a grand virtue! Unlike the hundreds of citizens, which know nothing but conformity, I am unique! I am not naive, like they are, because I have my own mind to make my judgements. I don’t need to comply, with whatever is deemed socially acceptable. I make my own rules!
Choose 3 of the archetypes- (one from each category)- a describe a character from a book, t.v. show, film, graphic novel, comic etc. that you believe fits that category. List the character name, show, and a 2-3 sentence rationale (reason) as to why you believe that character fits that archetype.
EGO TYPE: The Caregiver
Hagrid, Harry Potter: This is because he was constantly protecting and taking care of others, including all students, specifically first years. He also always nurtured and took care of his vast amount of magical pets, despite the fact that many of them hurt him. His caring nature was also often exploited by the trio, to get secret information. On a more serious level, he was also exploited by Professor Quirrel to obtain information. As well, he was being a martyr when Harry was threatened, proclaiming that they take him instead.
SOUL TYPE: The Creator
Daedalus, Percy Jackson: This is because he was an artist, architect and inventor. He was famous for his creativity and imagination, which led him to make many new, advanced, inspiring inventions. He was brought down by his weakness, when he made a bad decision to use the labyrinth to escape and cheat death. Ultimately, he was faced with execution due to his ideas, because his labyrinth was tied to his life force. Thus, to destroy it he had to die.
SELF TYPE: The Magician
Gandalf, Lord of the Rings: This is because he was the catalyst and visionary that started the entire story. He was a charismatic leader, which is why he was able to convince Bilbo to participate in the journey, and the dwarves to set out on the journey to reclaim their homeland. Gandalf was one of the few characters who understood some of the fundamental laws of the universe and wanted to understand the reasoning of all of them. His greatest fears sometimes came true, because some of his actions had unintended negative consequences. At times, he also bordered on becoming manipulative.
In your own words, what do you think archetypes do? As in, what is the purpose of classifying characters into archetypes?
People classify characters into archetypes for several reasons. When we determine which archetype suits a character, we can better look at their motivation and characteristics. Archetypes help us identify the role that a character plays in a story. Characters that fit into specific archetype groups, have determined qualities, strengths, weaknesses, fears, goals, strategies and talents. Looking at the archetype of a character helps us analyze both their personalities and motivation. When we analyze this, we are able to predict and make inferences about the character’s future decisions.
5. Which of the archetypes do you think is the most interesting? Why?
I find many of the archetypes interesting, but one that I think is exceptionally interesting is the Ruler. This is because I feel that the characters with this archetype, balance on a thin line between good and evil. You can see that in many stories, the character with the most power often becomes corrupt. The vast amount of power that they wield can influence them to believe, that they are the only ones, who know what is right for their kingdom. They start to feel as if their opinion is superior to others. These characters are unable to delegate their work, because they feel that only they themselves can do things right.