What Is An Archetype? Definition & Examples

Archetype is a term that describes a group of people who share common traits and characteristics.

An archetype is something that has been passed down through the generations, an idea or concept that has been interpreted in different ways through different cultures.

Archetypes can be used to explain how we see the world, our beliefs and behaviors, even our thoughts and feelings.

An archetype is a collective unconscious mind pattern that can be seen in many different forms throughout history.

The collective unconscious is thought to be made up of all the experiences of all of humanity’s ancestors since the beginning of time.

It’s what gives us our basic instincts and drives, like hunger and thirst, sex drive, etc., which are shared by all humans.

CrowdSpring have a great infographic that shows the various character archetypes: 

Archetypes are universal but their meaning differs depending on culture and context. They exist in all human societies; we don’t just have one universal way of looking at things but many different ways.

Iconic Archetypes In Film

Actors, writers, directors and producers have all used iconic archetypes to create memorable characters. Archetypes are recurring themes and images that appear in literature, art and movies. They are a foundation for storytelling and help audiences connect with the story.

Archetypes have become so commonplace that we often don’t stop to notice them, but they are a vital part of every story because they help us relate to the main character. We’re all familiar with these famous archetypes: the hero who saves us from danger, the villain who wants to destroy us and the wise mentor who guides us along our journey.

   

The best stories use these archetypes to inspire us to act on our own personal journeys through life’s twists and turns. These archetypes can also be used for good or evil purposes depending on how they’re portrayed in the film or book.

Whether you’re looking for films about friendship or films about revenge, there are plenty of films out there that can teach you important lessons about life as well as entertain you with great stories!

What Is An Archetype In Literature?

 Archetypes are a literary device that exists in the world of literature, but also in real life.

An archetype is a pattern that you can see repeated over and over again, in different cultures and times, but they all have one thing in common: they are symbols.

In other words, archetypes in literature are symbols that mean something different each time they appear. They are metaphors for something else, which is why they’re called archetypes.

For example, take the concept of a “mother” – it’s an archetype because it means so many different things depending on where you live and what you believe. For example, if you grew up in South America or Africa, the concept of motherhood would mean being responsible for someone else’s well-being and future (like your child).

But if you grew up in North America or Asia, it would mean something completely different – being responsible for another person’s life (like a husband or wife).

Guide To Archetypal Characters

 Archetypal characters are the foundation of storytelling. They are essentially the same no matter the genre or medium. Archetypes include the hero, heroine, villain, parent, child and mentor.

The hero is usually someone who saves the day with his or her strength, courage and determination. There are countless versions of this character in literature and film.

The heroine is usually a damsel in distress needing to be rescued by a stronger male character (the hero). This archetype can be found in many genres including romance novels, action films and horror films.

The villain is usually a powerful figure who wields power over others through intimidation or deception. Villains may have supernatural abilities or may use their intelligence to manipulate others into doing their bidding without them realizing it until it’s too late.

   

Parent archetypes include those who are authoritative figures like parents who expect their children to behave; those who are nurturing but distant because they’re not sure how to guide their children; and those who are carefree but irresponsible parents who don’t want to deal with problems at home so they send their kids out into the world alone without any guidance from anyone else except for themselves

Walter White Is An Example Of An Archetype

 Walter White is an example of an archetype because he is a character who is in a situation that is not entirely his own fault. He has been brought to this point by his own choices and actions, but he has also been given some help by those around him.

In the beginning of Breaking Bad, Walter White was just another nice, middle-class businessman living in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife Skylar and their daughter Holly. He had a successful business selling chemicals to local farmers and was well liked by everyone who knew him.

At first glance, it would be hard to imagine someone like this as the main character of a television show about drug dealers and criminals. But then again, being a nice guy does have its disadvantages.

When we first meet Walter White in the pilot episode for Breaking Bad, he seems like any other middle-aged white man: he’s working at home during the day and going out with friends after work every night in order to relax from his stressful job at home selling chemicals for big pharmaceutical companies. He has some problems with his partner Hank Schrader because they can’t agree on how much money they should charge

Guide To Archetypal Symbols

 The Guide to Archetypal Symbols is a great way to learn the meaning behind each image. It’s filled with helpful information about the symbol, how it relates to other symbols, and how it was used in history.

   

The book has five sections:

Section 1: The Symbol as a Whole

This section discusses the characteristics of archetypes and how they relate to human behavior. It also provides a brief history of archetypes in art and literature, and explains why they are so important today.

Section 2: The Personal Journey of an Archetype

This section looks at how archetypes can be applied in personal life and relationships. You’ll learn how to identify your own archetypal patterns, understand their impact on your life, and discover what you need to do differently if you want to change them for the better.

Section 3: The Human Condition as an Archetypal Pattern

This section explores why humans have always drawn on these universal patterns throughout history. You’ll see how these patterns have shaped our relationship with nature; with each other; and even with ourselves as individuals.

Archetype Examples In Film History

 In film history, there are many examples of archetypal characters. These characters are so recognizable and universal that they have become a part of our culture. The following list contains some of those characters and their archetypes.

Archetype Examples In Film History:

The Hero: This is the main character in most films (and books). He or she is usually an ordinary person who finds himself thrust into extraordinary circumstances and must overcome these challenges in order to succeed. The hero is often portrayed as someone who has flaws but keeps striving towards his/her goals despite them.

The Damsel In Distress: This character may be a princess, princess-in-training, or any other female caught up in a dangerous situation with no way out. She needs to be rescued by her prince charming in order to live happily ever after with him.

This type of character is often used as a plot device to help drive the story forward while also providing emotional relief for viewers during otherwise dark moments within the narrative.

The Villainous Character: This archetype can take many forms depending on the story at hand but generally speaking it involves someone who does not want something good for themselves or others; this

What Is The Purpose Of Archetypes?

 Archetypes are images in the human psyche that represent universal and timeless truths. They are universal because they appear in every culture, and they are timeless because they have existed since the dawn of human consciousness.

An archetype is an image that appears repeatedly within the human psyche, even though it may be interpreted differently in each culture or era. Archetypes are the basis for mythologies and religions throughout history, but there is no such thing as an archetypal religion or archetypal myth.

Every religion has its own set of archetypes that can be used to explore its basic message.

The purpose of archetypes is to provide a common language for discussing human experience. Archetypes help us understand ourselves by bringing something from our personal past into present awareness and allowing it to influence our thinking and behavior today.

How To Write An Archtypal Character

 The archetypal character is the character who embodies all the traits of a particular archetype. It’s important to know what these archetypes are and how to write them, because they can help you create characters who are immediately recognizable as belonging to one category or another.

The first step in creating an archtypal character is understanding your main character’s basic personality type. The main character is basically a combination of the most popular and well-known archetypes in literature. For example, if your main character were presented as a “bodyguard” archetype, he or she would be someone who’s tough, aggressive, a little bit mean and possibly even violent at times.

   

Now that you’ve defined what kind of person your main character is going to be, it’s time to figure out which archetype they fit best with!

What Is An Archetype – Wrapping Up

 Archetypes are a part of our psyche that have been passed down through time. They are the primal building blocks of human experience, and they shape our lives.

The word archetype comes from the Greek word archein, meaning ‘first’, and it describes an idea or concept that is common to a group of people. An archetype can be thought of as an image with which we identify or as a pattern by which we are conditioned.

Archetypes are timeless psychological structures that reflect some basic truths about how people think and how they behave.

These patterns can be found in art, literature, religion, mythologies, myths, folklore and legends throughout history (and across cultures). They may also be found in dreams or fantasies as well as in our daily lives.