Think about characters. Not specific characters like Katniss Everdeen or Atticus Finch. Think about the kinds of characters they are and the roles they play. You might describe Katniss Everdeen as a hero or a chosen one. Because she’s one of many characters who can be described this way, you could say she fits an archetype.
What is an archetype in literature?
An archetype in literature is a symbol, pattern, plot, or character template that appears in multiple stories from across cultures. They’re recognizable because they’re familiar and often represent our collective experiences and perceptions.
An archetype, pronounced ARK-uh-type, is a story element that gets reused repeatedly in various forms of storytelling, including folklore, books, and movies. This concept also applies to nonfiction narratives, such as historical accounts and news stories.
Archetypes provide a shorthand for characters, settings, and plot elements. For example, a plot archetype might be the story of a long-lost love. A character archetype may be the wise, solitary sage who advises a story’s protagonist.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung coined the term archetype in his 1919 essay “Instinct and the Unconscious.” He used the term to refer to concepts that all people seem familiar with, dubbing them the “collective unconscious.”
Later, literary critic Northrop Frye played an integral role in applying the term and concept to literature. But his application is descriptive, not prescriptive—the use of archetypes in literature dates back thousands of years, with many ancient character and plotline types still appearing in works today.
Types of archetypes
There are lots of different kinds of archetypes in writing. See if you recognize any of the following.
Character archetypes
Hero
The hero archetype is a character who heeds a call to take action and protect others. Heroes generally have virtuous qualities, like kindness, compassion, and a sense of duty.
Antihero
The antihero archetype is similar to the hero in that they protect others, but unlike the hero, the antihero often doesn’t possess virtuous qualities. Instead, an antihero may be a reluctant protector or an antagonistic character who ultimately defeats evil.
Trickster
The trickster archetype is a character that subverts expectations and breaks social rules. They may be a funny character, but this isn’t a requirement. Trickster characters often voice profound insights in the guise of jokes.
Innocent
The innocent is a character, typically a young one, who is naive and has only pure motivations. Often, the hero is tasked with rescuing or protecting the innocent.
To learn more about two key parts of writing well-rounded characters, read our articles on indirect characterization and direct characterization.
Situational archetypes
Lost love
A lost love plot is a story about a protagonist searching for “the one who got away,” a love interest or other relationship from their past. They might or might not find the lost love. In stories with this plot, the archetype is primarily about how this experience changes and shapes the protagonist.
Rags to riches
Stories that fit this archetype are about protagonists who come from humble backgrounds and somehow find themselves wealthy and successful. In some stories, they remain wealthy, and in others, they return to their humble lives by the end.
The voyage
The voyage is a plot archetype that involves the protagonist going on a trip that takes them far from home, exposing them to new people and experiences. The protagonist overcomes the story’s conflict through this journey and the trip back.
Symbolic archetypes
Light
Among archetypes in literature, light is often symbolic of goodness. When light is used as the archetype for “good,” darkness is often the archetype that communicates “bad.”
Darkness
In contrast to light, darkness is a symbolic archetype of evil. It may take the form of a shadow or appear in references to night and darkness.
Trees
Trees are often symbolic of life. One famous tree archetype is the tree of life. It may communicate ideas of immortality, life after death, or nature.
Water
Similar to trees, water can symbolize life. In contrast to trees, which tend to symbolize life and longevity, water can often symbolize support, life force, and emotion.
Archetypes vs. related terms
How is an archetype different from a trope, cliché, or stock character?
Archetype vs. stock character
Think of an archetype as a blueprint for crafting nuanced characters, plots, and symbols. It’s the starting point, rather than the endpoint, for story elements. A stock character, in contrast, is a flat character that doesn’t go beyond this basic blueprint.
A stock character can be an archetype, but an archetype isn’t, by definition, a stock character.
Archetype vs. trope
In fiction, tropes are familiar motifs, like a villain explaining their evil plan to the hero or a simple misunderstanding creating enough drama to fuel an entire story. Tropes can exist alongside archetypes, but while an archetype is a template for a story element, a trope is a plot point found across stories. The word trope can also refer to the figurative language used in a work of fiction, like describing a character’s eyes as deep pools.
Archetype vs cliché
A cliché is a turn of phrase that’s been overused to the point of losing its impact. A few examples of clichés include:
- It’s not over until it’s over.
- Rise and shine.
- A broken clock is right twice a day.
Archetype examples
Antihero
- Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights
- Batman
The voyage
- Alice in Wonderland
Rags to riches
- Cinderella
- Oliver Twist
Innocent
- Lenny from Of Mice and Men
- Phoebe Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye
Archetype FAQs
What are archetypes in literature?
Archetypes in literature are templates for characters, plots, and other story elements that can be found in stories from across the world.
What are some types of archetypes?
A few types of archetypes in writing include character archetypes, plot archetypes, and symbolic archetypes.
How do archetypes differ from tropes?
Archetypes are different from tropes in that while archetypes are templates for story elements, tropes are predictable plot devices and instances of figurative language.
What are some well-known examples of archetypes?
A few well-known examples of archetypes in writing are:
- The voyage plot structure
- The hero archetype
- Light as symbolic of goodness
- Rags-to-riches plot structure
