Tuesday, April 2nd

• Notes on the 7 Archetypes

Please pick up a handout on the small

table!

Archetype: Hero

From the Greek root = “to protect and serve”

Qualities/Characteristics:• Selfless; self-sacrifice• This is the character with which the audience should easily

identified with; everyman• Multiple different types. Look at the following slides.

Types of Heroes• Willing: Heroes who decide to help others. Ex: King Arthur, Hercules• Unwilling: These heroes are typically portrayed as ordinary people thrust into

extraordinary circumstances which require them to rise to the occasion or people with extraordinary abilities who desire to avoid using those abilities to help others. Ex: Shrek

• Cynical Anti-Hero: A protagonist who is lacking the traditional heroic attributes and qualities; Instead this character possesses traits that are anti-ethical. Ex: Gollum, Gatsby, Captain Jack Sparrow, Danny Archer (Blood Diamond)

• Tragic Anti-Hero: A character who makes an error in judgment that inevitably leads to his or her own downfall. Ex: Hamlet

• Group Oriented: Fights for a group of people. Ex: William Wallace in Braveheart• Lone Hero: Indiana Jones• Catalyst Hero: He or she is the hero of their own stories. Ex: Superman

Types of Heroes• Mythological: These heroes are different from other people. They are

superior in ability and intelligence, can control the environment, and are divine or semi-divine. Often believed in by children. Ex: Superman or Thor

• Romantic: These heroes are Human – but like a superhuman, is special and can control environment. They get help from enchanted weapons, talking animals, witches. These heroes require a stretch of the imagination – natural laws slightly suspended. Sometimes gets help from the supernatural world. Ex: King Arthur, Neo (from The Matrix)

• Realistic: One of us, definitely human. This hero momentarily transcends the environment.He/She is made special – brave, courageous, determined – for a short time. This fits some athletes and rescuers. Ex: Michael Jordan, police and firefighters

Mentor

Qualities/Characteristics:• Loyal friend, wise adviser, teacher,

guardian• Connected to all things; Usually

personified as an old man or woman

• Acts as the hero’s conscience• May be what the hero could

become if he/she makes the right decisions.

• Has 2 responsibilities: teaching and gift giving

Types/Examples:• Dark mentor: anti-heroic

character, the opposite of heroic values

• Fallen mentor: has trouble w/ own heroic journey

• Continuing mentor: recurring characters in a series of stories

• Multiple mentors: each teaches a new skill to the hero

• Comic mentor: advising sidekick• Shaman: aids the Hero in seeking

a guiding vision to help on the journey.

Herald/Harbinger

Qualities/Characteristics:• Issues challenges or announces

the coming of change.• Can be a chance or planned

meeting with the hero.• Often represented by an animal• Compels the Hero to answer

the Call to Adventure*• Can be Hero’s inner knowledge

that change is needed or a feeling of restlessness

Types/Examples:• Negative: a Shadow or

Threshold Guardian (issuing a challenge or trying to trick the Hero)

• Positive: the mentor in disguise• Neutral: an Ally or Threshold

Guardian (Hero has found his/her own way to the 1st Threshold)

Threshold Guardian

Qualities/Characteristics:• Presents a menacing face to the

Hero, but can be overcome or turn into an ally

• Not the villain, but a lesser thug or henchman hired to guard the chief’s headquarters

• Placed to test the Hero’s willingness and skill.

Types/Examples:• Not always characters• May represent obstacles (bad

weather, bad luck, prejudice, oppression)

• Can be the Hero’s internal demons: emotional scars, vices, dependencies, self-limitations (Tragic Flaw)

• Fully evolved Hero can learn to feel compassion for his enemies rather than just destroy them.

Shapeshifter

Qualities/Characteristics:• Can be confused w/ Trickster• Main job = lure the Hero to

his/her doom or reward.• In some stories the hero has to

figure out which side he or she is dealing with

• Often begins life as a Threshold Guardian.

Types/Examples:• Changes form and is dangerous,

sometimes in a sexual way (femme or homme fatales)

• Often the Hero’s love interest whom the Hero doesn’t understand

• Sincerity and loyalty is called into question

• Characters out for blood who may try to murder the Hero

• Ally or enemy label revealed at the end of story

Trickster/Fool

Qualities/Characteristics:• Differs from Shapeshifter in that

it is the comic aspect of story• Often begins life as a Threshold

Guardian.

Types/Examples:• Personification of world’s chaos

w/ no purpose• May or may not work with the

Hero or Shadow• May have own skewed agenda

Shadow

Qualities/Characteristics:• Represents the energy of the

dark side, the unexpressed, unrealized, or rejected aspects of something

• In direct conflict with the Hero whose goal it is to destroy

Types/Examples:• External shadows (Villains) must

be destroyed• Internal shadows must be

acknowledged• Mirror and personify the traits the

Hero refuses to acknowledge are within himself/herself

• A Mentor may act as a Shadow to teach the Hero a lesson

• Any character can be a shadow, but only the character whose motivations are in direct conflict with the Hero’s is the Villain

Let’s use some movie examples: Hamlet, Aladdin, Bolt, and Gatsby

Let’s use a movie example: Hamlet

• Hero:

Hamlet• Hero: Hamlet• Mentor: Horatio• Herald: Hamlet Senior’s Ghost appearing to the guards• Threshold Guardian:

– Hamlet’s indecision and sorrow. – The “ Murder of Gonzago” play. – Rozencrantz and Guildenstern. – Ophelia. – Laertes. – Gertrude.– Fortinbras.

• Shape shifter: Ophelia• Trickster: Polonius• Shadow: Claudius

Aladdin• Hero: Aladdin• Mentor: Genie• Herald: Aladdin is recruited to enter the Cave

of Wonders by Jafar• Threshold Guardian: – Aladdin is poor, a “street rat”

• Shape shifter: Jasmine, Genie• Trickster: Abu and Iago• Shadow: Jafar

Bolt• Hero: Bolt• Mentor: Mittens (the cat)• Herald: Penny’s “kidnapping”• Threshold Guardian: – Distance, Animal Control, Bolt’s lack of superpowers

• Shape shifter: Mittens• Trickster: Rhino (t.v. obsessed hamster)• Shadow: Separation from Penny

The Great Gatsby

• Hero:• Mentor:• Herald:• Threshold Guardian:• Shape shifter:• Trickster:• Shadow:

NEXT…

Start filling out your Hero’s Journey Project Packet. Look at the definitions you have for each archetype. What characters from your book fit each archetype?

Quiz tomorrow on the archetypes.