Renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung theorized that certain universal patterns, called archetypes, exist at the core human behavior. Jung’s theory often resonates with writers and frequently exist in literature, TV, and movies.
Learning to use archetypes can help authors create fully-developed characters for their books or stories. Many first-time authors fail to write full-bodied characters with a unique voice and a clear, consistent personality.
There are a number of frameworks that authors can use to define the details of their characters. Those details translate to personality traits and a unique voice for each primary character. In this series, we’ll introduce you to a number of tools that authors can use in character development.
In this first blog, we help you learn about the desires, strengths, and weaknesses of each Jungian archetype, as our contribution to your good writing.
The Rebel ¤ The Magician ¤ The Hero
The Lover ¤ The Jester ¤ The Everyman
The Caregiver ¤ The Ruler ¤ The Creator
The Innocent
Safety | Yearns for the Spiritual
Like a young child, the Innocent is bright, open-minded, happy, and generally full of positivity. They notice the good in the world, even if others sometimes struggle to see the light.
Known for being kind, trusting, and unpretentious, they fear punishment and need validation. The dark side of their sunny outlook is that their naivety makes them too trusting. The Innocent lights up a room and makes people feel welcome without even trying.
The Sage
Empathy | Yearns for the Spiritual
The Sage puts a premium on learning, using their methodical and objective nature to understand the world. You can often find them bettering themselves reading books, taking classes, or debating a concept. This archetype always seeks to find the truth by using their sharp mind to sift through the noise.
Their main fear is being misled or realizing that they are ignorant of a topic. Since the Sage lives in their head, they frequently get stuck overthinking. Sometimes they’re all study and no action, but generally, their wisdom and intelligence shines through.
The Explorer
Freedom | Yearns for the Spiritual
The Explorer blazes their own trail, always with the intention of going where no one has gone before. These independent self-starters don’t conform to traditional notions of life, preferring to go their own way.
They hope to improve the world with their discoveries but have a nagging fear of being penned in by an unfulfilling life. Sometimes their desire to fight conformity can make them more of a misfit or outcast than an adventurer. Though they may look like they wander aimlessly, more often than not, they inspire a sense of wonder because of their autonomy, ambition, and authenticity.
The Rebel
Liberation | Leave a Mark
The Rebel isn’t afraid to be radically different when they see the opportunity to change the world for the better, even if such change is uncomfortable. These passionate idealists can come across as jarring when they set their mind to a cause. They aren’t afraid of tearing down the current system in order to create a better one.
Ultimately, the Rebel fears being powerless because it keeps them from fulfilling their vision of progress. Sometimes they go too far, having a tendency to slip towards darkness—after all a “freedom fighter” to one person can be a “terrorist” to another. At their core, the Rebel wants to overturn what they see as wrong in favor of something more promising.
The Magician
Power | Leave a Mark
The Magician is a big dreamer that has an uncanny knack for turning their flights of fancy into charming realities. Their charisma and unique point of view frequently allow them to do the impossible. This archetype creates magic in order to better understand the universe they live in.
The Magician fears that, in using their powers, they might inadvertently create negative consequences. Sometimes dallying with the unknown can cause a disaster, making them seek to manipulate things in order to fulfill their vision. Though they can face darkness, the Magician usually has the skill to unearth win-win solutions.
The Hero
Mastery | Leave a Mark
The Hero is always willing to fight— metaphorically or literally—for the underdog. Their strength, bravery, boldness, and discipline means they often become champions of those weaker than themselves. Their willingness to dig in and work when things get hard inspires those around them.
Always aiming to prove their prowess, the Hero abhors being weak, vulnerable, or cowardly. Sometimes they overcompensate for any shortcomings by becoming dictatorial or seeking out a fight. But at their core, Heroes will prove their worth through courageous acts and mastery that improves the world.
The Lover
Intimacy | Connection to Others
The Lover delights in intimacy, sensuality, and emotion. They achieve their goal of connection by elevating simple moments, like a walk in the garden, into delightful experiences. This archetype thrives when their life is in harmony and naturally avoids conflicts.
Lovers excel in pairs and fear ending up alone because they are unwanted or unloved. This desperation to have a partner can lead them to become people-pleasers or lose themselves in relationships. At their best, they bring passion, commitment, and gratitude to all their relationships
The Jester
Pleasure | Connection to Others
The Jester usually acts as the life of the party, using their playfulness to brighten others’ days. Unafraid to be innovative or outspoken, this archetype lives in the moment, often using their humor to conquer the hearts and minds of others.
Sometimes the Jester’s joy hides an inner sadness, as they find themselves bored by normalcy and fear they will bore others. This can lead them to waste their lives, losing themselves in frivolity. Their main aim is to liven up the world by spreading joy.
The Everyman
Belonging | Connection to Others
The Everyman comforts others by virtue of their authenticity, honesty, and hardworking nature. They’re happy to support and collaborate with others because of their belief that all people should have equal rights and opportunities.
This archetype’s deep need to belong can leave them anxious that they’ll be left out or stand out from the crowd. Sometimes they’d prefer to lose their individuality in order to fit in, making them cynical about others’ uniqueness. Generally, you’ll find they’re open, honest people full of grit and empathy.
The Caregiver
Service | Provide Structure
The Caregiver loves to act as a mentor or guide, supporting and defending those around them. Usually consistent, trustworthy, and responsive, this archetype is a shoulder to lean on in times of trouble. They’ll protect and care for anyone that falls into their circle.
Since the Caregiver wants to be of service to others, they fear being selfish or ungrateful. Such fears often lead them to be exploited by people, becoming a martyr to the needs of others. Overall the compassion and generosity of this archetype makes them well loved.
The Ruler
Control | Provide Structure
The Ruler is an authority figure that isn’t afraid to take control. Politically savvy, well-connected, and a natural leader, this archetype understands how people and power function. They use their talent for leadership to create prosperity by exerting their control.
The orderly ruler has a nagging fear of chaos or being overthrown by their “subjects,” which, at it’s worst, can lead them to become quite controlling and tyrannical. Under usual circumstances, the Ruler leads responsibly and uses their talents to improve their dominion.
The Creator
Innovation | Provide Structure
The Creator takes on many forms like writer, designer, musician, inventor, engineer, or architect. They have a knack for bringing order to chaos through beauty, functionality, or both. This archetype is intensely creative and quite persuasive.
Always on the hunt for excellent solutions to the world’s disorder, the Creator worries that their ideas or creations will end up being mediocre rather than great. Their perfectionism and fear of coming up with a poor solution can paralyze them at times. At their best, the Creator marries creativity, imagination, and inventiveness into a harmonious combination.
Conclusion
We hope this has inspired you to use something like this Jungian archetype list when working on your character profiles. Next, we’ll be delving into animal archetypes because who doesn’t love animals!
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