 For Authors: August 02, 2023 Issue [#12094] |
This week: Jungian Archetypes Edited by: Annette  
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| The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable. - Carl Jung |
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Jungian Archetypes
Last week was Carl Jung's birthday. That's an excuse as good as any to review the archetypes he named. He came up with those in the context of Psychology. Jung, along with Freud and a few more of the old-style psychologists, have been debunked on many of their claims. Jung's catalog of characters is rather mystical and pseudoscientific. Which means it lends itself perfectly for literary purposes.
There is an unlimited number of archetypes, but Jung identified four that he inferred from his studies of dreams, art, literature, and religion.
The Persona is how someone presents themselves to their environment. It is the social mask that we put on to fit in with different situations. As writers, we can use this archetype to explain why a character who is wicked at heart can come across as charming. Or we can create a character whose emotions are socially unacceptable and describe the mask they have to present to fit into the society they live in.
The Shadow is the unconscious mind. It represents instincts, desires, weaknesses, and repressed ideas. In fiction, we can use this archetype to show the conflict between the character's darker side like greed, hate, aggression, envy, and prejudice - even if these feelings go against the character's personal values and morals. Mystical representations of the Shadow are often depicted as a dragon, demon, snake, or other monster.
The Anima is how a man imagines the feminine and also the feminine aspects in men.
The Animus is how a woman imagines the male and also the masculine aspect in women.
According to Carl Jung, gender identities were formed through social influences and physiological changes while growing up. Ahead of his time, Jung suggested that people should not adopt rigid gender roles and instead explore with all facets of their gender expression. As writers of modern fiction, it might be a good idea to read up on his explanations about that as a way to create well-rounded modern characters without having to interview a bunch of people.
The Self contains the ego, the conscious mind, and the unconscious mind. For your fictional characters, the Self is equal to a well-rounded character who is attempting to become whole through achieving different milestones.
More Archetypical Images are created by overlapping or combining the original four.
 Trickster
Ruler
Creator/Artist
Sage
Innocent
Explorer
Rebel
Hero
Wizard
Jester
Everyman
Lover
Caregiver
Each one of these types conjures a specific image in the reader. It's up to you as a writer to make yours distinct from others of the same type.
Do you think archetypes are useful in writing? |
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Replies to my last For Authors newsletter "On Writing" that asked Is On Writing on your must-read list?
Angelica Weatherby-Happy 2025  wrote: Never read that book. Though I'll forget most of it, I'll have to check it out if it's at the library. This might help my issue of staying past tense or present tense. I do struggle with other areas too and it's simple.
I am pretty sure you will be able to find it at the library. It's a very famous book. If you don't want to slog through the whole biography part, start with the chapter called "What Writing Is." That's where he goes into writing advice.
oldgreywolf on wheels  wrote: I reread my dog-eared copy of ON WRITING every few years. When it becomes dog-tailed, I'll buy a new copy.
For worldbuilding, I favor A TREVENA's 6-volume series. The 1st volume is (or was) available on-line as a free PDF. (The complete set is available on Kindle.)
Thank you for mentioning that resource. I am going to see if I can find that at the library.
Lilli  wrote: Indeed, On Writing is on my reading list; even though I've read it a couple of times already. I have a stack of books that I keep at arm's reach for quick reference and that one is among them.
Good going! I'm still not finished reading through it once, but I think I've gotten some good advice from it already. |
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