Situational Archetypes – Flashcards

archetypes that define the overall plot of a story

the ultimate goal of the main character; search for someone or something which, when found and brought back, will restore the world

a step to complete the quest; one of the challenges the main character must face in order to complete his quest

takes the form of a transition into adult life; adolescent comes into his or her maturity with a new awareness, and faces problems with a new sense of hope

hero is in search of some truth or information; main character descends into a real or psychological hell and is forced to discover the blackest truths, often concerning his own faults; must accept personal responsibility

a descent from a higher to a lower state of being; involves a loss of innocence; often accompanied by the expulsion from a kind of paradise as a penalty for disobedience and moral transgression

a parallel between cycle of nature and cycle of life; morning and springtime represent birth, youth, or rebirth; evening and winter suggest old age and death

actual ceremonies that the initiate experiences; rite of passage into adulthood

the hero or some other character has a wound, either physical or psychological that cannot be fully healed; often indicates a loss of innocence

the battle between two primal forces

nature is good, technology and society is evil