ARCHETYPESArchetypes are recurring symbols, characters, patterns, and settings that give literature its unity. In other words, they are the basic patterns that occur repeatedly in literature of all ages.

ARCHETYPAL CHARACTERS Alter-ego Helpful animal Earth Mother Wise Old Man Temptress Hero Anti-Hero Innocent Scapegoat/Sacrificial

Victim Trickster Villain Transgressor

Destroyer Handsome Prince Helpless Princess

HERO: USUALLY PORTRAYED AS LARGER THAN LIFE, THE HERO HAS OUTSTANDING QUALITIES AND ABILITIES AND UPHOLDS THE VALUES OF HIS CULTURE OR SOCIETY

Examples:

Harry Potter Santiago

ANTI-HERO: THIS CHARACTER MAY TRY TO UPHOLD HEROIC QUALITIES, BUT ACTUALLY DOES NOT. THE ANTI-HERO USUALLY TURNS OUT TO BE A LOSER.

The Englishman

ALTER-EGO OR DOUBLE: SPLIT PERSONALITIES OR OPPOSITE TENDENCIES WITHIN AN INDIVIDUAL

Severus SnapeThe Crystal Merchant

SUPERNATURAL HELPER OR HELPFUL ANIMAL: ANY ANIMAL/FORCE THAT USUALLY APPEARS WHEN THE HERO CANNOT SEE A WAY OUT OF HIS DILEMMA

Kreacher

Dobby

Hawks

Scarab Beetle

WISE OLD MAN: ETERNAL PROVIDER, PROTECTING, NOURISHING, SHELTERING, AND NURTURING

Albus DumbledoreMelchizidek

TEMPTRESS: A WOMAN, WHO, THROUGH HER POWER, CAN MAKE A STRONG MAN WEAK AND A WISE MAN FOOLISH. SHE CAN BE AN IMMORAL TEMPTRESS(DOES SO ON PURPOSE) OR AMORAL TEMPTRESS (UNINTENTIONALLY TEMPTS THE HERO)

Ginny WeasleyFatima

INNOCENT: A CHILD OR NAÏVE AND INEXPERIENCED MAN OR WOMAN WHO IS EXPOSED TO THE EVILS OF THE WORLD. THE CHARACTER USUALLY MOVES FROM INNOCENCE TO EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

SCAPEGOAT OR SACRIFICIAL VICTIM: ONE WHO SUFFERS OR IS BLAMED UNJUSTLY IN ORDER FOR OTHERS TO ESCAPE BLAME OR PUNISHMENT

Harry Potter Santiago

TRICKSTER: THE CHARACTER WHO, THROUGH SUPERIOR WIT OR CUNNING, CAN DECEIVE AND MANIPULATE THOSE WHO SEEMINGLY HAVE GREATER STRENGTH OR AUTHORITY

Fred and George Weasley

Thief

Fortune Teller

TRANSGRESSOR: PUSHES THE LIMITS OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE AND OFTEN ANGERS “THE GODS”

Voldemort The Alchemist

DESTROYER: DESTROYS FOR DESTRUCTION’S SAKE; ENJOYS EVIL

Bellatrix LeStrange

VILLAIN: AN EVIL CHARACTER WHO ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY THE HERO

Voldemort

Thieves at the Pyramids

HELPLESS PRINCESS: WOMAN (USUALLY BEAUTIFUL) IN NEED OF A HERO TO SAVE HER FROM DEATH, EVIL ADVERSARIES, OR OTHER DANGER

HANDSOME PRINCE: SERVES AS A HERO TO A PRINCESS OR KINGDOM

ARCHETYPAL SETTINGS

CAVES, TUNNELS, POOLS OF WATER: SYMBOLS OF DESCENT INTO THE UNCONSCIOUS OR THE INNER SELF

The Pensieve

Where Godric Gryffindor’s Sword Is hidden

Voldemort’s Cave

COUNTRYSIDE: ASSOCIATED WITH HEALING AND GOODNESS

The Burrow

Santiago’s Pastureland

GARDEN: ORDERED AND CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT THAT IS USUALLY SAFE, HAPPY, AND NURTURING

The Oasis

MOUNTAINS AND PEAKS: SYMBOLS OF THE QUEST FOR SPIRITUAL SELF AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT

The Pyramids

RIVER: ON-FLOWING TIME OR LIFE, ETERNAL CHANGE, DESTINY

ISLANDS AND SHIPS AT SEA: SYMBOLIZE SPIRITUAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISOLATION OR EXILE

The Island in Voldemort’s Cave

The Desert

ARCHETYPAL THEMES AND PATTERNS OF EXISTENCE

o Initiation• Santiago must sell

his sheep• Harry Potter must

leave Hogwarts to search for Horcruxes

o Journey, Search, or Quest

• Santiago looks for treasure

• Harry looks for Horcruxes

o Transformation• Santiago discovers

the meaning of (and location of) true treasure

• Harry Potter accepts his fate for the good of the wizarding world