2 Using archetypes as a basis for your characters can give them the appearance of weight very quickly, because each type expresses a fundamental pattern
that the audience recognizes, and this same pattern is reflected both within the character and through interaction in the larger society. An archetype resonates deeply with an audience and creates very strong feelings in response. But it is a blunt tool in the writer's repertoire. Unless you give the archetype detail, it can become a stereotype.
KEY POINT Always make the archetype specific and individual to your unique character. Starting with the psychologist Carl Jung, many writers have spoken about what the different archetypes mean and how they connect.
For fiction writers, probably the key concept of an archetype is the notion of a shadow. The shadow is the negative tendency of the archetype, a psychological trap that a person can fall into when playing that role or living out that psychology. We need to translate each major archetype and its shadow into practical techniques that you can use in creating a story. This involves thinking of the various archetypes in terms of both the beneficial role and the probable weaknesses that each might have in a story. We need to translate each major archetype and its shadow into practical techniques that you can use in creating a story. This involves thinking of the various archetypes in terms of both the beneficial role and the probable weaknesses that each might have in a story.
King or Father * Strength Leads his family
or his people with wisdom, foresight, and resolve so that they can succeed and grow.
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