Thirty Character Archetypes
1. The Hero - Frodo Baggins (The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien)
2. The Mentor - Gandalf (The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien)
3. The Shadow - Darth Vader (Star Wars series)
4. The Herald - R2-D2 (Star Wars series)
5. The Innocent- Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by the Brothers Grimm)
6. The Explorer - Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
7. The Trickster - Loki (Norse Mythology and Marvel Comics)
8. The Ruler - Mufasa (The Lion King)
9. The Rebel - Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)
10. The Lover - Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
11. The Caregiver - Marge Simpson (The Simpsons)
12. The Jester - The Fool (King Lear by William Shakespeare)
13. The Sage - Yoda (Star Warsse ries)
14. The Outlaw - Robin Hood (Robin Hood folklore)
15. The Warrior - Wonder Woman (DC Comics)
16. The Femme Fatale - Catherine Tramell (Basic Instinct)
17. The Sage Fool - The Fool (King Lear by William Shakespeare)
18. The Complex Anti-Hero - Walter White (*Breaking Bad*)
19. The Damsel in Distress - Princess Peach (*Super Mario* series)
20. The Sidekick - Samwise Gamgee (*The Lord of the Rings* by J.R.R. Tolkien)
21. The Victim - Carrie (*Carrie* by Stephen King)
22. The Seeker- Holden Caulfield (*The Catcher in the Rye* by J.D. Salinger)
23. The Destroyer - The Joker (*Batman* series)
24. The Misfit - Edward Scissorhands (*Edward Scissorhands*)
25. The Parental Figure - Atticus Finch (*To Kill a Mockingbird* by Harper Lee)
26. The Anti-Villain - Magneto (*X-Men* series)
27. The Wise Fool - Abed Nadir (*Community*)
28. The Coward - George Costanza (*Seinfeld*)
29. The Lost Child - Wendy Darling (*Peter Pan* by J.M. Barrie)
30. The Dreamer - Jay Gatsby (*The Great Gatsby* by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Symbolic Archetypes
Here are twenty examples of symbolic archetypes in literature along with their titles:
1. The Garden - Represents paradise or innocence. (Ex. The Garden of Eden in Genesis from the Bible)
2. The Journey- Symbolizes personal growth and adventure. (The Odyssey by Homer)
3. The Fall - Represents loss of innocence or a transition; often coupled with temptation. (Paradise
Lost by John Milton)
4. The Hero’s Sword - Symbolizes power and authority, often bestowed upon the worthy. (Ex.
Excalibur in Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory)
5. The Cross- Represents sacrifice and redemption. (The Crucible by Arthur Miller)
6. The Circle - Symbolizes eternity and wholeness. (Ex. Lord of the Flies by William Golding - the conch
shell represents order and civilization)
7. The Darkness - Represents evil or unconsciousness. (Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad)
8. The Light - Symbolizes knowledge, purity, or enlightenment. (Ex. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles
Dickens - the recurring motif of light and dark)
9. The Door - Represents transition or new opportunities. (The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson
Burnett)
10. The Ocean - Symbolizes the vastness of the subconscious or life’s challenges. (Ex. The Old Man and
the Sea by Ernest Hemingway)
11. The Mountain - Represents the challenge of reaching new heights or self-discovery. (Ex. Into the
Wild by Jon Krakauer)
12. The Wolf - Often symbolizes cunning and predatory instincts. (The Three Little Pigs - the wolf is a
traditional antagonist)
13. The Mirror - Represents self-reflection or truth. (Snow White by the Brothers Grimm - the magic
mirror symbolizes vanity and truth)
14. The Bridge - Symbolizes connection and transition between two worlds. (Ex. The Bridge to
Terabithia by Katherine Paterson)
15. The Phoenix - Represents rebirth and transformation after destruction. (The Phoenix and the
Turtle by William Shakespeare)
16. The Labyrinth - Symbolizes a complex journey, often leading to self-discovery. (The Minotaur
myth, various retellings)
17. The Tree - Often symbolizes life, growth, and connection to nature. (The Giving Tree by Shel
Silverstein)
18. The Candle - Represents hope and the fragility of life. (A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein)
19. The Armor - Symbolizes protection and the facade of strength. (Ex. Beowulf - Grendel’s defeat
through armor and weaponry)
20. The Scarecrow - Represents the idea of facing fears or perceived weaknesses. (Ex. The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum)
