Archetypes: Guided Notes
What is an archetype?
A ____________________ from which copies can be made.
The “________________________________________” of something.
Archetypes fall into two major categories: ____________________ and ___________________________.
Characters: The Seven Archetypes
1. Hero
____________________ / central character
Purpose:
Separate from the ________________________________________
Sacrifice ____________________ for the service of the journey (answer the ____________________,
complete the ____________________, restore the ________________________________________)
We experience the ____________________ through the eyes of the Hero
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
2. Mentor
Provides ____________________, ____________________, and ____________________ to help the Hero
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
3. Threshold Guardian
Protects the “________________________________________” and its secrets from the Hero
Provides essential tests to prove the Hero’s ____________________ and ____________________
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
4. Herald
Issues ____________________
Announces the coming of significant ____________________
Can make his appearance at any time during the Journey; often appears at the ____________________
to announce a “Call to Adventure”
Character may wear the Herald’s mask to make an ____________________ or ____________________,
report ____________________, or deliver a ____________________
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
5. Shapeshifter
Misleads the hero by ____________________ a character’s ____________________ and
____________________.
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
6. Shadow
Can represent our darkest ____________________, our untapped ____________________, rejected
____________________
Can also symbolize our greatest ____________________ and ____________________
May not be ____________________
May reveal ____________________ (even redeeming) qualities
Hero’s ____________________ / ____________________ often wear the Shadow mask
This physical force is determined to ____________________ the Hero and his ____________________
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
7. Trickster
Loves ____________________ and ____________________
May not change through the course of the Journey
However, the world and its ____________________ are ____________________ by the Trickster’s antics
Uses ____________________ and ____________________ to make characters see the absurdity of a
situation and possibly force a ____________________
Example from The Lion King: ____________________
Situations/Symbols
1. The Task
A ____________________ in which a character or group of characters is driven to
____________________ some duty of monstrous proportion.
Example from The Lion King: ____________________________________________________________
2. The Quest
Here, the character(s) are ____________________ for something, whether ____________________ or
____________________. Their thoughts, actions, and feelings center around the ___________________
for completing this quest.
Example from The Lion King: ____________________________________________________________
3. The Loss of Innocence
This is, as the name implies, a loss of innocence through sexual experience, ____________________, or
any other means.
Simba’s loss of innocence is ________________________________________________________________.
4. The Initiation
This is the process by which a character is brought into another sphere of influence, usually (in
literature) into ____________________.