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The Hero Archetype in Literature, Religion, Movies, and Popular Culture: A Graduate Project

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A comparative look at King Arthur, Moses, Luke Skywalker, Simba, and William Wallace as archetypal heroes

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There is a link here. It just didn't have a picture.

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Characteristics of the Hero's Journey- A Checklist Directions: While reading a hero myth or watching a hero movie, put a check next to the characteristics that apply to the protagonist. For example, if you were watching "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring," you would note that Frodo starts out naive and inexperienced so you...

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A quintessential villain, who acts as an evil foil to the hero's personality and is a main block to his journey towards his destiny. Will always end up existing as an obstacle to, or as a consequence of, the hero's quest, and they generally have ...

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Includes the hero, the mentor, and the villan

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Introduction: What is a Character Archetype?

You may have heard the word "archetype" tossed around before, but it's possible that you haven't quite learned the meaning of this word yet. Simply put, an archetype is something that reoccurs in literature and in art. This something can be a symbol, a theme, a setting, or a character. This article focuses on character archetypes-that is, character types that pop up across all genres of literature, both classic and contemporary. Everyone is familiar with these guys, because everywhere we turn, there they are! Here's a list of some of the most commonly found archetypes in literature.

The Hero

Summary: The hero is always the protagonist (though the protagonist is not always a hero). Traditionally speaking, the hero has been male, though fortunately there are more female heroes appearing in contemporary literature (think Katniss Everdeen and Lisbeth Salander). The hero is after some ultimate objective and must encounter and overcome obstacles along the way to achieving this goal. He or she is usually morally good, though that goodness will likely be challenged throughout the story. Heroes' ability to stay true to themselves despite the trials they must face is what makes them heroic. That and the fact that they are often responsible for saving a bunch of people (or hobbits, or wizards, or what have you).

Examples of hero archetypes in literature: If you're a medieval literature buff, you'll be familiar with Sir Gawain of Sir Gawain and the Green Knightfame. If reading Middle English literature isn't your thing, here's a quick breakdown: Sir Gawain, after stepping up to the plate and taking on a challenge that none of the other knights were brave (or dumb) enough to take on, must go on an adventure that is almost certain to end in his death. He faces many challenges along the way-most important, there is a very tempting and very married lady that Sir Gawain must resist. The whole thing is a test of Sir Gawain's integrity and bravery, and-honorable knight that he is-he passes with only a minor indiscretion.

Though not everyone is familiar with Sir Gawain, I think it's fair to assume that most people have heard of Harry Potter. Harry represents the hero archetype almost perfectly. He takes on more responsibility than he should reasonably have to-teens aren't usually expected to keep the world safe from evil, after all-and remains brave even when he knows he faces certain death. Like many classic heroes, Harry conquers death, completes his mission, and never waivers from his true self, despite all the hardships he must face. Like many hero archetypes in literature before him, Harry is ethical almost to a fault. His friends accuse him of being a martyr, a role that often goes along with the hero territory.

The Mentor

Summary: The mentor is a common archetype in literature. The mentor is usually old, and this person often has some kind of magical abilities or a much greater breadth of knowledge than others possess. Mentors help heroes along their journeys, usually by teaching them how to help themselves (though mentors sometimes directly intervene in extreme situations). The mentor often ends up dying but is sometimes resurrected or revisited even after death.

Examples of mentor archetypes in literature: One word, folks: Gandalf. This infamous The Lord of the Rings wizard is the guy you want to have on your side when you're faced with an unexpected journey. He knows when to help; he knows when to back off. Gandalf's magical powers seem almost inseparable from his knowledge. He's definitely someone you want to have on your side when you're in a tough spot.

The Everyman

Summary: The everyman character archetype often acts as the stand-in for the audience. This character archetype is just a normal person, but for some reason, he or she must face extraordinary circumstances. The everyman can be the protagonist or a supporting figure. Unlike the hero, the everyman does not feel a moral obligation to his or her task; instead, these characters often find themselves in the middle of something they have barely any control over. Unlike the hero, the everyman archetype isn't trying to make a great change or work for the common good: these characters are just trying to get through a difficult situation.

Examples of everyman archetypes in literature: Dr. John Watson is the epitome of the everyman archetype. Sidekick to the infamous Sherlock Holmes, Watson is perfectly content being Holmes' right-hand man. His plainness contrasts Holmes's eccentricities, and he is assumed to be on the same average level as the reader. Another example of the everyman archetype in literature is Arthur Dent of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He's just a regular guy minding his own business when he's suddenly saved from the destruction of his entire planet. Normal dude, extraordinary circumstances.

The Innocent

Summary: Characters representing the innocent archetype are often women or children. These character archetypes are pure in every way. Though often surrounded by dark circumstances, the innocent archetype somehow has not become jaded by the corruption and evil of others. These character archetypes aren't stupid: they're just so morally good that the badness of others cannot seem to mar them.

Examples of innocent archetypes in literature: There are several examples of characters fitting the innocent archetype in literature both old and new. Lucie from Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities comes to mind, as does Tiny Tim from Dickens's A Christmas Carol. A more contemporary example of the innocent character archetype is Prim from Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Gamesseries. Prim is a beautiful young girl who retains her innocence and love for others, even after seeing her district destroyed and her sister nearly killed by the Capitol. Her faith in people never seems to waiver, despite the fact that, other than her sister Katniss, people have never done much good for Prim.

The Villain

Summary: The villain wants to stop the hero archetype from achieving his or her goal. The villain is often evil, though there is often a reason-however warped that reason may be-why villains are so bad. Villains often want nothing more than to control and have power over everyone and everything around them, probably because most of them are secretly strongly motivated by fear. Villains are often the moral of the hero: that is, their main vice will parallel the hero's main virtue.

Examples of villain archetypes in literature: There are so many great examples of villain archetypes out there that it's hard to cite only a couple. The White Witch from C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, Edmund from Shakespeare's King Lear, Iago from the Bard's Othello, the Joker from the Batman series, and of course J.K. Rowling's Lord Voldemort and J.R.R. Tolkien's Sauron all come to mind as classic villain archetypes.

The Joker, from DC Comics' Batman series, essentially worships chaos. This is in direct contrast to Bruce Wayne himself, who spends his life trying to restore order and safety in Gotham. Lord Voldemort, of Harry Potter, craves power because he wishes to overcome all weakness, especially the mortal weakness that scares him the most: death. While Harry faces his certain death with dignity, Voldemort drags himself back from the brink of death, even when he barely exists anymore. These villains have one thing in common: their actions work directly against those of the heroes, but they also create the need for the heroes' actions in the first place.

Conclusion

There are many more character archetypes in literature to learn about. However, knowing the five character archetypes above should help make you more aware of other archetypes as you encounter them in your favorite books. Which types of characters seem to recur over and over again? What do these character types have in common? If these questions are easy to answer, you've likely encountered a character archetype.

Incorporating character archetypes into your own novel? Our manuscript editors provide feedback about characterization, plot progression, and structure in addition to grammar and punctuation. Get a free quote and place your order today!
Image sources: Heather Wilson Smith/Stocksnap.io

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5 Common Character Archetypes in Literature | Scribendi

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You may have heard the word "archetype" tossed around before, but it's possible that you haven't quite learned the meaning of this word yet. Simply put, an archetype is something that reoccurs in literature and in art. This something can be a symbol, a theme, a setting, or a character.

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There are one or more examples for each archetype based on characters from well known cinema

The Hero- Superman, Spiderman, Marlin (finding Nemo), Flick (A bug's Life), Robin Hood, Jamal (Slumdog Millionaire)

Young Person from the Provinces- Tarzan, Hercules, Dumbo

The Initiates- Mulan (Mulan), William Turner (Pirates of the Carribean), Daniel (The Karate Kid)

Mentors- Mr. Miyagi (The karate kid), Gill (finding Nemo), Mark Thackeray (To Sir with love), Leigh Ann Tuohy (The Blindside)

Hunting Group of Companions- Sinbad, Kale, Dymas, Rat, Li and Jin (Sinbad legend of the seven seas) , The X-men, and Theodore, Vince, Spinelli, Mikey, Gretchen and Gus from the (TV series Recess), Pony boy and the Greaser Gang (The Outsiders)

Loyal Retainers- Robin (Batman), Little John (Robin Hood), Tantor and Terk (Tarzan), Ponton (The Pink Panther)

Friendly Beast- Spirit (From spirit stallion of the Cimarron), Mice (Cinderella), Forest animals (Snow white)

The Devil Figure- Cruella De Ville (101 Dalmations), Captain Hook (Peter Pan), Scar (The Lion king), Ursulla (Little mermaid), Captain Barbosa (Pirates of the Carribbean), Lord Voldemorte (Harry Potter)

The Evil Figure with an Ultimately good Heart- Ben Wade (3:10 to Yuma), Bartok the Bat (Anastasia), Beast (Beauty and the Beast)

The Scapegoat- Aslan (The Lion, The witch and The Wardrobe), Harry Stamper (Armageddon),
Johnny (The Outsiders)

The Outcast- Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Snow white (Snow white and the seven dwarfs), Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

The Earth Mother- Motormouth Maybelle (Hairspray), Fairy Godmother (Cinderella), Nurse (Romeo and Juliet), Erin Gruwell (Freedom writers)

The Temptress- Megara (Hercules), Eris (Sinbad of the Seven Seas), Delilah (Sampson and Delilah), The White Witch (Chronicles of Narnia)

The Platonic Ideal- Nothing Gold can Stay by Robert Frost (The Outsiders), Joe Fox (You've got Mail)

The Unfaithful Wife- Emily Bradford Taylor (A Perfect Murder), Prudie Drummond (The Jane Austin Book Club), Addison Sheppard (Grey's Anatomy)

The Damsel in Distress- Vivian Ward (Pretty woman), Leticia Musgrove (Monsters Ball), Gray (Catch and Release), Latika (Slumdog Millionaire), Abby Janello (Bounce)

The Star Crossed Lovers- Romeo and Juliet, Danny and Sandy (Grease), Ian and Daphne (What a Girl Wants), Patrick and Kat (10 things I hate about you), Sam and Kate (Holes), Dr. John Prentice and Joey (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner)

The Creature of Nightmare- Freddy Krueger (The Nightmare on Elm Street), The Eye/ Sauron (Lord of the Rings), Poltergeist (Poltergeist)

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Examples of character archetypes in Movies

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There are one or more examples for each archetype based on characters from well known cinema The Hero- Superman, Spiderman, Marlin (finding Nemo), Flick (A bug's Life), Robin Hood, Jamal (Slumdog Millionaire) Young Person from the Provinces- Tarzan, Hercules, Dumbo The Initiates- Mulan (Mulan), William Turner (Pirates of the Carribean),

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Another Article with Multiple Archetypes

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Another Article with Multiple Archetypes

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Includes the hero, the mentor, and the ally (companion)

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In The Hero of a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula. That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero's journey. Even if you've never heard of it before, you've consumed this " monomyth " in works like Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Along with a specific plot structure, the hero's journey has a repeating cast of characters, known as character archetypes. An archetype doesn't specify a character's age, race, or gender. In fact, it's best to avoid stereotyping by steering clear of the demographics people associate with them. What archetypes really do is tell us the role a character plays in the story. Thinking about your characters in terms of their archetype will allow you to see whether they're pulling their weight, or if they're useless extras.

There are many way to categorize the cast of the hero's journey, but most central characters fall into one of these eight roles:

1. Hero

The hero is the audience's personal tour guide on the adventure that is the story. It's critical that the audience can relate to them, because they experience the story through their eyes. During the journey, the hero will leave the world they are familiar with and enter a new one. This new world will be so different that whatever skills the hero used previously will no longer be sufficient. Together, the hero and the audience will master the rules of the new world, and save the day.

J is the heroic tour guide in Men in Black. A cop at the top of his beat, he is suddenly taken behind the masquerade of everyday life. Waiting for him is a world where aliens are hiding among everyday people, and a galaxy can be as small as a marble. While he's still a cop in essence, his adversaries - and the tools he must wield against them - are nothing like he's previously known.

Other heroes: any protagonist fits the hero role. Some heroes from stories that stick closely to the hero's journey are Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.

2. Mentor

The hero has to learn how to survive in the new world incredibly fast, so the mentor appears to give them a fighting chance. This mentor will describe how the new world operates, and instruct the hero in using any innate abilities they possess. The mentor will also gift the hero with equipment, because a level one hero never has any decent weapons or armor.

Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz appears soon after Dorothy enters Oz. She describes where Dorothy is, and explains that she's just killed the Wicked Witch of the East. Then, before the Wicked Witch of the West can claim the ruby slippers, Glinda gifts them to the hero instead.

Often, the mentor will perform another important task - getting the plot moving. Heros can be reluctant to leave the world they know for one they don't. Glinda tells Dorothy to seek the Wizard, and shows her the yellow brick road.

Once the hero is on the right path and has what they need to survive, the mentor disappears. Heroes must fight without their help.

Other mentors: Morpheus from the Matrix, Dumbledore from Harry Potter, and Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.

3. Ally

The hero will have some great challenges ahead; too great for one person to face them alone. They'll need someone to distract the guards, hack into the mainframe, or carry their gear. Plus, the journey could get a little dull without another character to interact with.

Like many allies, Samwise looks up to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. He starts the story as a gardener, joining the group almost by accident. He feels it's his job to keep Frodo safe. But not all allies start that way. They can be more like Han Solo, disagreeable at first, then friendly once the hero earns their respect. Either way, the loyalty and admiration allies have for the hero tells the audience that they are worthy of the trials ahead.

Other allies: Robin from Batman, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter, and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

4. Herald

The herald appears near the beginning to announce the need for change in the hero's life. They are the catalyst that sets the whole adventure in motion. While they often bring news of a threat in a distant land, they can also simply show a dissatisfied hero a tempting glimpse of a new life. Occasionally they single the hero out, picking them for a journey they wouldn't otherwise take.

The great boar demon that appears at the beginning of Princess Mononoke is a herald bearing the scars of a faraway war. Ashitaka defeats him, but not without receiving a mark that sends him into banishment. This gets the hero moving and foreshadows the challenges he will face.

Heralds that do not fill another role will appear only briefly. Often, the herald isn't a character at all, but a letter or invitation.

Other heralds: Effie from the Hunger Games, R2D2 from Star Wars, and the invitation to the ball in Cinderella.

5. Trickster

The trickster adds fun and humor to the story. When times are gloomy or emotionally tense, the trickster gives the audience a welcome break. Often, the trickster has another job: challenging the status quo. A good trickster offers an outside perspective and opens up important questions. They're also great for lampshading the story or the actions of the other characters.

Dobby from Harry Potter is an ideal trickster. He means well, but his efforts to help Harry Potter do more harm than good. And every time he appears in person, his behavior is ridiculous. However, underlying the humorous exterior is a serious issue - Dobby is a slave, and he wants to be free of his masters.

Other tricksters: Luna Lovegood (also from Harry Potter), Crewman #6 from Galaxy Quest, and Merry and Pippin from LoTR.

6. Shapeshifter

The shapeshifter blurs the line between ally and enemy. Often they begin as an ally, then betray the hero at a critical moment. Other times, their loyalty is in question as they waver back and forth. Regardless, they provide a tantalizing combination of appeal and possible danger. Shapeshifters benefit stories by creating interesting relationships among the characters, and by adding tension to scenes filled with allies.

Dr. Elsa Schneider, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, is a very effective shapeshifter. Even after she reveals she is working for the enemy, she and the hero still have feelings for each other. She allows him to steal an item back without getting caught, and he allows her to discover the McGuffin with him. But the distrust between them remains.

Other shapeshifters: Gollum from LoTR, Catwoman from Batman, and Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter.

7. Guardian

The guardian, or threshold guardian, tests the hero before they face great challenges. They can appear at any stage of the story, but they always block an entrance or border of some kind. Their message to the hero is clear: "go home and forget your quest." They also have a message for the audience: "this way lies danger." Then the hero must prove their worth by answering a riddle, sneaking past, or defeating the guardian in combat.

The Wall Guard in Stardust is as classic as guardians get. He stands alone at a broken section of stone wall between real world England and the fairy realm of Stormhold. The guard is friendly when Tristan tries to pass into the fairy realm to start his adventure, but he carries a big stick and he's not afraid to use it.

Other guardians: The Doorknob from Alice in Wonderland, the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Heimdall from Thor.

8. Shadow

Shadows are villains in the story. They exist to create threat and conflict, and to give the hero something to struggle against. Like many of the other archetypes, shadows do not have to be characters specifically - the dark side of the force is just as much a shadow for Luke as Darth Vader is.

The shadow is especially effective if it mirrors the hero in some way. It shows the audience the twisted person the hero could become if they head down the wrong path, and highlights the hero's internal struggle. This, in turn, makes the hero's success more meaningful. The reveal that Darth Vader is Luke's father, right after Luke had ignored Yoda's advice, makes the dark side feel more threatening.

Other shadows: Voldemort from Harry Potter, Sauron from LoTR, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

It's unusual for stories to have exactly one character per archetype. Because archetypes are simply roles a character can take, Obi Won and Yoda can both be mentors, J can be a hero and a trickster, and Effie Trinket can be first a herald, then later an ally. While you shouldn't rush to add archetypes that are missing, any character that fits more than one is probably important to the story. If you have a character that doesn't fit any, make sure they are strengthening, and not detracting from, your plot.

Learn More About These Archetypes

These character archetypes are described in depth in The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler. This book is the gold standard for storytellers who want to learn more about the hero's journey. It's well written, neatly organized, and if that isn't enough, it contains beautiful illustrations. I highly recommend it.

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The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero's Journey

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In The Hero of a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula. That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero's journey.

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Archetype Definition

In literature, an archetype is a typical character, an action, or a situation that seems to represent universal patterns of human nature.

An archetype, also known as "universal symbol," may be a character, a theme, a symbol, or even a setting. Many literary critics are of the opinion that archetypes - which have a common and recurring representation in a particular human culture, or entire human race - shape the structure and function of a literary work.

Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist, argued that the root of an archetype is in the "collective unconscious" of mankind. The phrase "collective unconscious" refers to experiences shared by a race or culture. Such experiences include such things as love, religion, death, birth, life, struggle, and survival. These experiences exist in the subconscious of every individual, and are re-created in literary works, or in other forms of art.

Examples of Archetype in Literature

Below is the analysis of common archetypes that exist in literature.

Archetypes in Characters

Example #1: The Hero

He or she is a character who predominantly exhibits goodness, and struggles against evil in order to restore harmony and justice to society. Examples of hero include Beowulf, in the book Beowulf, Hercules, in the book Hercules, and d'Artagnan, from The Three Musketeers.

Example #2: The Mother Figure

Such a character may be represented as a Fairy God Mother, who guides and directs a child, Mother Earth, who contacts people and offers spiritual and emotional nourishment, or a Stepmother who treats their stepchildren poorly. Examples of a mother figure include:

In Literature:

Lucy and Madame Defarge, from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities

Disely, from William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury

Gladriel, from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings

Glinda, from the Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

In Fairy Tales:

The wicked stepmother in Charles Perrault's Cinderella

The fairy godmothers in Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty

Mother Goose

The grandmother in Charles Perrault's Little Red Riding Hood

In Mythology:

The mythological figures of Persephone, Demeter, Hecate, Gorgon, Medusa

Example #3: The Innocent Youth

He or she is inexperienced, with many weaknesses, and seeks safety with others. Others like him or her because of the trust he or she shows in other people. Usually, the experience of coming of age comes in the later parts of the narratives. Examples of innocent youth include:

Pip in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

Nicholas in Charles Dickens' The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

Joseph from Henry Fielding's The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews

Example #4: The Mentor

His or her task is to protect the main character. It is through the wise advice and training of a mentor that the main character achieves success in the world. Examples of mentor include:

Gandalf in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings

Parson Adams in Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews

Senex in Madeleine L'Engle's A Wind in the Door

Example #5: The Doppelganger

It is a duplicate or shadow of a character, which represents the evil side of his personality. Examples of doppelganger in popular literary works include:

Example #6: The Scapegoat

A character that takes the blame for everything bad that happens. Examples of scapegoat include:

Example #7: The Villain

A character whose main function is to go to any extent to oppose the hero, or whom the hero must annihilate in order to bring justice. Examples of villain include:

Shere Khan, from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book stories

Long John Silver, from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island

Archetypes in Situations

Example #8: The Journey

The main character takes a journey, which may be physical or emotional, to understand his or her personality, and the nature of the world. Examples of archetype in journey include:

Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy

Henry Fielding's The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels

Example #9: The Initiation

The main character undergoes experiences that lead him towards maturity. Examples of archetypes in initiation include:

Henry Fielding's History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Laurence Sterne's The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

Voltaire's Candide

Example #10: Good Versus Evil

It represents the clash of forces that represent goodness with those that represent evil. Examples of this archetype include:

Example #11: The Fall

The main character falls from grace in consequence of his or her own actions. Examples of archetype in fall include:

Oedipus, from Sophocles' Oedipus Rex

Lear, from William Shakespeare's King Lear

Function of Archetype

The use of archetypical characters and situations gives a literary work a universal acceptance, as readers identify the characters and situations in their social and cultural context. By using common archetypes, writers attempt to impart realism to their works, as the situations and characters are drawn from the experiences of the world.

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Archetype - Examples and Definition of Archetype

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In literature, an archetype is a typical character, an action, or a situation that seems to represent universal patterns of human nature. An archetype, also known as "universal symbol," may be a character, a theme, a symbol, or even a setting.

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This short blog post discusses characteristics of both the good mother and the temptress (which this site calls the femme fatale).

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Dr. Kipp L. Wheeler describes an archetype as "an original model or patter form which other later copies are made, especially a character, an action, or situation that seems to represent common...

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In Campbell's 'Hero's Journey' he describes 'Woman as Temptress' as one of the stages found in many heroic stories.

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This website includes MORE details than you really need, but gives you great examples.

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The mentor character archetype helps and protects the hero along her journey. Let's look at the similarities of Hagrid, the mentor in Harry Potter, and Haymitch, the mentor in The Hunger Games.

1. The Mentor was Once in the Hero's Position

Though the hero is starting an unusual journey, the mentor has been exactly in the hero's shoes before.

Hagrid was a Hogwart's student. "Oh, well - I was at Hogwarts meself but I - er - got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth." (HP Ch. 4).

Haymitch was a tribute in the Hunger Games. "'Haymitch. How do you think he won the Games?' I say. 'He outsmarted the others,' says Peeta." (HG Ch. 23).

2. The Mentor Appears Disheveled

The mentor's appearance gives us the feeling that the hero might be doomed right from the start.

Hagrid does not look like a tidy, proper wizard. "He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face. . . ." (HP Ch. 1).

Haymitch is not taking care of himself, let alone another person! "His breath reeks of liquor and it's been a long time since he's bathed." (HG Ch. 2).

3. The Mentor is a Misfit of Society

The mentor does not fit in to the very society that he is helping introduce the hero to.

Hagrid is not allowed to do magic. "I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed." (HP Ch. 5).

Haymitch is too unrefined enough to fit in with the Capitol residents. "But we rarely get sponsors and he's a big part of the reason why. The rich people who back tributes . . . expect someone classier than Haymitch to deal with." (HG Ch. 4).

4. The Mentor Lives Separately from the Other Characters

In fact, the mentor is a literal "outcast" from society because he does not live among them.

Hagrid does not live in the castle with the students and professors. "Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest." (HP Ch. 8).

Haymitch lives in the Victor's Village. "He lives alone, no wife or children, most of his waking hours drunk." (HG Ch. 23).

5. The Mentor Drinks More than Any Other Character

To round out the mentor's aura of unreliability, the mentor drinks a lot of alcohol.

Hagrid is often seen drinking. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron?" (HP Ch. 5).

Haymitch is clearly an alcoholic. "'All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you,' says Haymitch." (HG Ch. 4).

6. Everyone knows the Mentor

The mentor is highly recognizable and looked at fondly by society, even if he doesn't fit in.

Hagrid is recognized at The Leaky Caldron. "Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, 'The usual, Hagrid?'"(HP Ch. 5).

Haymitch appears on TV every year as the District 12 coach. "He has been around so long, he's practically an old friend to some of them." (HG Ch. 23).

7. The Mentor is Charged with Keeping the Hero Alive

Despite the mentor's outward appearance, outcast status, and drinking habit, he is somehow the one who is supposed to take care of the hero.

Hagrid brought Harry to the Dursley's after Voldemort attacked Harry as a baby. "Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders." (HP Ch. 4).

Haymitch is responsible for getting sponsors while Katniss is in the arena. "You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games." (HG Ch. 3).

8. The Mentor Is Not Very Reliable

The stories drive home the point that the mentor is unreliable by having other characters assume that the mentor will mess up.

Professor McGonagall worries that Hagrid is too careless. "You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?" (HP Ch. 1).

Katniss relies on Effie at the training center "because at least she can be counted on to corral us around to places on time whereas we haven't seen Haymitch since he agreed to help us on the train. Probably passed out somewhere." (HG Ch. 6).

9. The Mentor Forces the Hero to Acknowledge He is Talented

Without the mentor's help, the hero wouldn't have realized that he had talent. Notice that both heroes have to "think about it" before accepting the truth.

Hagrid helps Harry realize that he already has magical qualities. "'Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?'. . . Now he came to think about it . . . " (HP Ch. 4).

Haymitch helps Katniss realize that he has survival skills. "'And you're good?' asks Haymitch. I have to think about it." (HG Ch. 7).

10. The Hero Trusts the Mentor

Perhaps because of the mentor's honest presentation of himself, the hero almost immediately trusts the mentor and begins following his advice.

Harry decides to leave the Dursleys with Hagrid. "[Y]et somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him." (HP Ch. 5).

Katniss follows all of Haymitch's advice even though she doesn't like it, including not resisting the stylists, staying by Peeta's side during training, and not showing off her archery skills during training. "We both start to object, but Haymitch slams his hand on the table. 'Every minute! It's not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said!'" (HG Ch. 7).

Why it Works

The mentor (and the wise one) fill the void of the hero's missing parents. However, the mentor is much more flawed than the saintly and serene wise one- compare Haymitch with Cinna, and Hagrid with Dumbledore.

Sure, the mentor knows all about the awesome-awful land, but he's certainly not the ideal teacher. That would be too easy! The mentor's flawed character helps us see the hero as even more of an underdog.

I'm undecided on what role the alcohol plays- perhaps it's part comic relief or maybe it just stacks the deck against the hero's success.

In a follow-up post on the r oles of the mentor, we'll see that the mentor will usher the hero from his homeland, to awful-awesome land, and back again (with a few tricks up his sleeve). I will add index cards for the mentor's scenes to the master outline in that follow-up post.

What other famous literary mentors are out there? Are you using one in your novel?
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10 Traits of the Mentor Character Archetype: Hagrid + Haymitch

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The mentor character archetype helps and protects the hero along her journey. Let's look at the similarities of Hagrid, the mentor in Harry Potter, and Haymitch, the mentor in The Hunger Games. Though the hero is starting an unusual journey, the mentor has been exactly in the hero's shoes before.

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In order to encourage you to join my character counts contest, and because I did promise to do a series on my favorite archetypes, I now present a blog post on one of the most popular archetypes used in media:

Just to refresh your memory, let me define archetypes again. An archetype is an original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype after which others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all.

Archetypes are scattered everywhere in media. Many writers use archetypes because they provide a guide for the readers to understand the storyline better. As writers, it's important that we understand the many archetypes out there. Why? Because when we understand the definition and function of an archetype, we may:

1. tweak the definition to suit our storyline

2. break the rules of what a particular archetype is supposed to do to spice up our story

3. apply a particular perspective to the archetype according to the message of our story. For instance, we may have an anarchist Mentor, a feminist Knight or a Freudian Hero

(If you are so inclined and have time at your disposal, might I suggest that you read or re-read my article on Archetypes and Characters?)
Now that you have a good idea of how archetypes can help us writers, let's get to know the Archetype in today's spotlight.

What do Yoda, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, Merlin and James Bond's Q have in common? They are all mentors.

Christopher Vogler in his very helpful book The Writer's Journey, says:
"Mentors provide heroes with motivation, inspiration, guidance, training, and gifts for the journey. Every hero is guided by something, and a story without some acknowledgement of this energy is incomplete. Whether expressed as an actual character or as an internalized code of behavior, the Mentor archetype is a powerful tool at the writer's command"
If you're wondering where the word Mentor comes from, look no further than The Odyssey.

Telemachus, Odysseus' son, is helped by a character named Mentor who is actually Athena in disguise.

And since Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom, the Mentor Archetype is also typically personified as the "Wise Old Man" or "Wise Old Woman".

Which is probably why most of the Mentor Archetypes you see in media are wizened old men or women.

Merlin

Q

Cinderella's Fairy Godmother

The Mentor Archetype has two major functions:

Mentors often serve as the hero's GPS. They are the hero's conscience and teacher. They motivate the hero to achieve their goals, plant ideas in the hero's mind that later on the hero draws upon, or initiate the hero into the mysteries of life and love. They also train the hero so that he may have the skills to face dangers he will encounter on his quest. (Example: Yoda training Luke Skywalker)

They also invent items which the hero might need along their journey (as in Q's case) or they bestow the hero with a particular gift to aid them in their quest (as in Merlin giving Arthur Excalibur, or Cinderella's Fairy Godmother providing her with the pumpkin coach and such to get her to the Ball).

According to Christopher Vogler, the Mentor is there to protect the hero and to help him discern between right and wrong. More often than not, the Mentor is teaching the hero lessons he has learned from his own experience. Mentors are often former heroes who have survived the quest and are now passing the lessons they have learned to the hero who is just starting out. Think of Brom, passing down his wisdom to Eragon.

Although Mentors usually come in the form of wise old men and women, don't be fooled. There are several types of mentor archetypes which you can choose from in your own stories.

Comic Mentor

They come in the form of hero sidekicks, giving advice that seems wrong in the beginning but often turn out to be the perfect solution in the end. They are often seen in romantic comedies or stories with elements of comedy in them. Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked is a fun example.

Continuing Mentor

These are often recurring characters in a story series. They may be the boss (such as Charlie in Charlie's Angels), or the butler (Alfred in Batman). Their role is to give assignments or set the plotline in motion.

Dark Mentor

They are the anti-hero and represent the inversion of the hero's values. Often, Dark Mentors mislead the hero (and the audience). They pose as mentors, but in reality, they lure the hero into danger and instead of motivating the hero, they become obstacles to the hero himself. Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas) in Wall Street 2 as he teaches Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf), is a good example.

Fallen Mentor

These fallen mentors are actually characters who are dealing with issues in their own heroic journey. They are mentors who are experiencing a crisis of faith or who have fallen far from grace. They parallel the hero in his own journey and often serve as a warning to the hero of who not to be. Haymitch in The Hunger Games comes to mind as a great example.

Inner Mentor

Some characters have no need of or no contact with an actual physical mentor who can act as their teacher. These heroes often carry their own internal mentor in the form of their own conscience or a code of ethics or a code of honor they follow. The inner mentor can also be in the form of a long dead being whose advice still lingers in the mind of the hero. The inner mentor can often be seen in Samurai or warrior movies. Ip Man, and The Last Samurai are examples of movies which show the inner mentor at work.
The Last Samurai
Multiple Mentors

Sometimes a hero needs more than one mentor as he undergoes several steps of training. Each mentor can focus on a different aspect of the training which a hero must learn. Jackie Chan as Lu Yan , the Drunken Immortal and Jet Li as the Silent Monk play mentors to Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) in the movie Forbidden Kingdom.

Shaman

Sometimes all the hero needs is a vision to get him started. The Shaman is a healer who can help the hero by giving her a vision to point him to the next leg of his quest. Monk Gyatso, Aang's airbending master in Avatar the Last Airbender is an example. Another example would be Guru Pathik, also in the Last Airbender.

Monk Gyatso, The Last Airbender Nickelodeon Series

Mentors are wonderful archetypes to have in any story.

In my own book, URTH, I make use of Multiple Mentors. I have a Comic Mentor in the form of Will's best friend Finn, and an Inner Mentor in the form of the lessons Will has learned from his dead father. I also have a Shaman who guides Will on a Spirit Walk, as well as a Continuing Mentor in the form of Terra, the Guardian who teaches Will Urth Magic as well as trains him in the Fighting Art of Urth.

Now that you have been acquainted with the Mentor Archetype, look back at your own story. Do you have a Mentor character? Do you have one mentor or multiple mentors? How does this mentor influence the hero's journey?

References:
http://adventures-in-creative-writing.blogspot.com/2009/11/archetypes-unveiling-mentor.html http://www.applewarrior.com/lps/writing/hero/hero_quest_archetypes.pdf http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mgoodin68/archtype.htm
http://shanna-s.livejournal.com/265009.html

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In order to encourage you to join my character counts contest, and because I did promise to do a series on my favorite archetypes, I now present a blog post on one of the most popular archetypes used in media: Just to refresh your memory, let me define archetypes again.

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is an archetype who is an unscrupulous woman of great seductive charm and intelligence who exploits men and leads them into dangerous situations. Some examples of a Temptress are enchantress, femme fatale, seductress, sirens, vampires, and witches. Because of her beauty and manipulating ways, the Temptress acts as a distraction in the hero/protagonist's life, she is the reason for his downfall because she tempts the Hero to turn away from his goals, hopes, and dreams and makes him weak.

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is an archetype who is an unscrupulous woman of great seductive charm and intelligence who exploits men and leads them into dangerous situations. Some examples of a Temptress are enchantress, femme fatale, seductress, sirens, vampires, and witches.

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The damsel in distress is one of the oldest female archetypes and, until recently, has been a very popular archetype in literature and movies. These women are passive, naive, innocent, easy targets, and always waiting to be rescued. In the archetype's original form, they are also pure and kind, their innocence not affected by the evil in the world around them. Think fairy tales like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. Stories that we've all heard at some point and many of us grew up on. The women are all in some kind of peril or dire circumstance until a prince comes to save them.

There are a number of movies that show this archetype clearly. The first, very similar to the fairy tales, is Enchanted. It begins in the classic fairy tale style with the heroine Giselle in the animated fairy tale land of Andalasia, living in the forest awaiting her true love. Through the machinations of a witch, Giselle finds herself in New York City with all of her fairy tale innocence, naivety, and complete trust in everyone intact. Robert, not a prince but an average New Yorker, becomes the hero, reluctantly, and they live happily ever after in New York.

An example a bit further away from the fairy tale style is Maid in Manhattan. Jennifer Lopez plays Marisa who is a maid in a hotel, supporting her son. Her friends all think she has management potential but Marisa is not convinced and is reluctant to apply. She then meets Chris, a political candidate, who falls for her believing she's a guest at the hotel, not the maid. In the end, Chris is convinced by Marisa's son that he does love her, and he comes to find her at her new hotel, again working as a maid. After this, she starts her own business, and they live happily ever after.

Pretty Woman is another good example. Most of us are familiar with this movie where Julia Roberts plays a hooker, Vivian, and Richard Gere plays Edward, a successful, but unhappy businessman. Vivian wants more out of life, but hasn't started working for it when Edward hires her as an escort for a week. The two fall in love, and Edward comes for Vivian in the end in white knight style with her as a princess in her tower/apartment.

All of the women above have great potential, but they don't realize it until a man comes in to help show them the way. Some of them are not as naive as classic fairy tale damsels in distress or quite as innocent, but they do seem to believe in the general goodness of the world and the people in it. Several other examples include Baby in Dirty Dancing, Rose in Titanic, and Buttercup in The Princess Bride.

This archetype has fallen out of favor in recent years with the arrival of modern feminism. Women who don't fight back, who drift through life and wait to be rescued, are not seen as positive role models. Modern women are supposed to fight back and to save themselves. The modern damsel in distress may start out as a waif, but she is forcefully pushed into action, realizing her own strength and seeing that people are not always as good as we'd like to believe.

Legally Blonde is one example of a modern damsel in distress. Elle, played by Reese Witherspoon, is dumped by her boyfriend because he needs to have a serious girlfriend since he's going to law school. Elle decides to go to law school herself to try to win him back by proving she can be serious. She succeeds in law school, realizing that she actually enjoys it and is good at it too. When her boyfriend suddenly wants her back, she also realizes that she succeeded by herself and doesn't need him at all. Instead of being saved by the guy, the woman gets to save herself.

One more example of the modern version is Thelma and Louise. Both are unhappy women in bad relationships. Louise convinces Thelma to go away for a weekend together. Throughout their various adventures, the two women realize what they're capable of. In essence, the two women save each other.

The more recent fairy tale Disney movies have taken a new turn as well. Instead of the classic Rapunzel story we have Tangled, and Cinderella and Snow White are replaced by Brave and Frozen. The heroines in Tangled, Brave, and Frozen are feisty and independent, not needing or wanting to be rescued by men, especially with all of the men in Brave being positively ridiculous.

Though less so, this archetype is still popular today, because I think both men and women find things to appreciate in it. As women, we want to be able to handle ourselves and be independent, but some days it would be really nice to have someone rescue us. I also think that men like rescuing women and being the hero. I'm not saying that men want women to be weak, passive, or naive, but every once in a while they want to sweep a woman off her feet. Given the modern twist this archetype has taken, I'm curious to see where it goes from here.
By Melissa Blakely

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The damsel in distress is one of the oldest female archetypes and, until recently, has been a very popular archetype in literature and movies. These women are passive, naive, innocent, easy targets, and always waiting to be rescued. In the archetype's original form, they are also pure and kind, their innocence not affected by the evil in the world around them.

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Pictures

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damsel in distress archetype - Google Search

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Hero Archetype: Supernatural Help for the Hero

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Star Wars gets help from Ben even after Ben is slain by Darth Vader. Here is Ben healing Luke after Luke has been attacked by the Sand People. Ben has many powers that make him a wizard-like character, similar to Merlin. Ben teaches Luke about the Force and later guides him from the spirit world.

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The Sidekick is a character who accompanies the hero or protagonist on their journey.

The Sidekick

"I'm with him."

Like the mentor, but even more so, the sidekick archetype is an interesting one, as the sidekick can be created out of many other archetypes, all with their own traits and roles. However, the sidekick as archetype, also has a set of reasons for being: to support the main hero on their journey. A sidekick must have a purpose, and that purpose is to be with the main hero.

Sidekicks can be secondary or even tertiary characters. Some of Robin Hood 's Merry Men are tertiary or flat characters without much development of their persona. Others are considered secondary because they too don't have a full character growth arc or their own fully developed individual goals. Still others are full main characters in their own right, with inner goals as individuals but also sharing the external goals and conflict lines of the main hero.

Sidekicks as Opposing Characters

As foils to the main character, authors are often advised to create sidekicks with completely opposing traits to the main protagonist (her yin to his yang). Taken technically - or too literally - this advice means that you would create sidekicks from completely different cultures, ethnicity, ages, genders, professions, personalities, interests or skills than the MC. Sometimes this does work, but I would advise to avoid throwing together such drastically different MC's and sidekicks, because sometimes this is exactly what it appears as - this sidekick character is solely there to conflict with the protagonist for the sake of meeting quota, being diverse or providing conflict between characters to highlight the hero as being superior.

In real life, we tend to mix with similar people, and form support groups within those people. Even within those groups - say, a school yard, there is enough contrast to find a suitable sidekick who has a commonality with the protagonist to put them together in the first place, but enough differences to provide the foil. Those types of characters, with some kind of commonality, also understand each other more easily than putting two largely diverse characters suddenly together.

Tip: - Unless you are creating a story that throws complete strangers together, (say, in a disaster movie, where they have only survival in common), give your sidekick and hero something big in common which would allow them to form the hero-sidekick bond.

Mentors vs Sidekicks

There was a time when writers were advised that mentors and sidekicks were different. The main difference being that mentors teach the hero, but the hero teaches the sidekick, and never the other way around.

I think this has changed over the last few years. Hermoine Granger is a case-in-point. With her superior studious knowledge in magic, Hermoine often taught Harry Potter things he didn't know, whereas Harry taught Hermoine very little on the educational front. However, Harry had some obvious other mentors such as Dumbledore with far superior knowledge to embark on Harry. In this respect Hermoine and Harry keep their sidekick to hero status because their understanding and knowledge is on a more equal footing.

Tip: - There is a difference between mentors and sidekicks in that mentors can have less story time - they do not necessarily need to take the full journey with the hero, whereas the sidekick is there (mostly) for the entire journey - that's the point of a sidekick.

Sidekicks of the Other Gender, and Love Interests

Hermoine and Harry's example also breaks another often-advised rule that heroes and sidekicks should always be of the same gender. This was to save the pairing from fallout issues found if a love interest. But as we know nowadays, female characters, even as strong characters, don't always have to be there solely as a love intrigue. Heaven help us if this was the case in our real life workplaces.

Although still rare, nowadays we have more fictional examples of heroes and sidekicks capable of sustaining a working (for the story) relationship without a romantic or sexual love. Lucy Liu's female Joan Watson in the Elementary modern rendition of Sherlock Holmes proves that.

I'm not sure who is hero, who is sidekick or whether they are a buddy hero pairing where each alternates in the roles, but the Marvel Avenger 's movie franchise pair of the Black Widow and Hawkeye as best mates also speaks to the ability to create platonic relationships. However, in later movies, the Black Widow, who is a sidekick hero to more powerful avenger heroes, develops a lover relationship with one of those heroes, Bruce Banner, which the writers then shortly after pulled apart by distance, so that Black Widow would work as a sidekick again.

Love interests can (possibly) be sidekicks but only before they become lovers. The primary bond between hero and sidekick is built on trust and loyalty - in other words, the sidekick will never disappear or break up (permanently) with the hero. (Although they may have a falling out on principle, and the sidekick may leave temporarily).

However, if they do become lovers, there is a bigger possibility of losing trust, and the partnership breaking up, reducing the pairing. This is why television shows like Moonlighting or laterly, Castle often went for many seasons with the questions behind "will they, or won't they?" before requiting the love affair. Even so, to keep the sidekick / hero aspect, the Castle writers often broke up Castle and Kate's love taking them back to the working together relationship, even to the detriment of some belief in the actual long-term potential of such a rocky relationship.

Sidekicks who Grow Out of the Archetype

This is possible too. Tolkein suggested that Samwise was the hero of Lord of the Rings, even though the story is through Frodo's eyes. Both Frodo and Samwise are heroic and heroes.

It could be argued from the above Castle example that both Castle (who holds the story as main character because he's in the title) and Beckett are both heroes and the series is a buddy story (until they get together). Beckett began the series as reluctant mentor to Castle, but Castle acts as sidekick to Beckett for much of the detective action. Later on as equal partners, both display the traits of the hero.

Batman's sidekick Robin grew out of the role in the comics, as Dick Grayson took on the mantle of Nightwing, and later even had a stint as Batman.

In the television detective series Bones, Temperance Brennan is the main character of title, she's the protagonist of the books the television show was based on. In the early T.V. series, FBI Agent Seeley Booth was Bones' sidekick, providing more human translations of the words and ideas of the brilliant but socially awkward Brennan. Booth soon became a hero in his own right, and the sidekick characters roles provided as a group by the rest of the forensics crew at the Smithonian.

Recognising the Sidekick

A sidekick is a foil to the main hero. The sidekick will have traits which oppose or contrast but also complement specifically with those of the protagonist, particularly in times of conflict. This means the sidekick will teach - through behaviours - the protagonist to grow and develop those traits for themselves, to fully become the hero they are destined to be.

The sidekick accompanies the protagonist or hero on their external journey, while also supporting the hero's inner journey.

When dynamically developed, a sidekick will be a co-protagonist.

Good sidekicks help showcase the protagonist's positive and negative traits by contrasting them against the sidekick's own traits. A sidekick's traits will complement those of the protagonist.

Bad sidekicks are there for an author's purpose - to showcase the hero's bravery by being forever in need of rescue; to be a comedy foil (or fool) constantly; to provide a quota of diversity for the sake of it; or to have a fully-developed character arc because the author fell in love with them and there are now too many plotlines going on around the main hero's story.

Sidekicks point out faults in the hero, provide needed skills or traits not possessed by the hero, remind the hero, boost the hero, or kick the hero's butt when needed. But they do not take over the storyline.

Importantly, a sidekick keeps the hero likeable for the audience. The sidekick provides a human interpretation and emotional connection to a hero who may be too distant or dark (ie. Batman), or through being stupid, make the hero appear more intelligent.

Sidekicks can provide secondary points of view.

In character groups, with multiple sidekicks to the main character, you will often find each sidekick meeting a particular archetype needed as a part of that group ie. the cheerleader, the brain, the techie. These sidekicks hold expertise or traits missing (complementary) in the hero, but required for the journey. But, these group sidekicks can run into stereotypes unless you take care to develop them as individuals.

Sidekick and hero relationships can be remarkably intense. This means that a sidekick may have girlfriends or even wives or family, but they are so closely bonded with the hero that such wives or family are purely background characters (and can often go lacking in attention).

Sidekicks can save the hero (save the day) and be heroic, but ultimately the hero will be the person who ends the story by defeating the villain.

A sidekick can be expendable ie take the bullet, or die heroically, leaving the hero behind to avenge the sidekick. We see this often with sidekicks who are also mentors like Obi-Wan Konobe in Star Wars. Or Rue as sidekick to Katniss in The Hunger Games.

Particular sub-types of the sidekick hold specific traits and behaviours to influence or contrast with the protagonist. Some examples:

The cheerleader influences the protagonist with optimism and has the ability to lighten the mood, especially in times of conflict

The Heart influences the protagonist's decisions towards morals, ethics and justice- how actions will affect others, but also how hard decisions are ultimately worth it for the end.

The muscle fights for the hero, but may not be loyal or understanding of the hero's mission - they fight because they believe in their friend.

The fish-out-of-water - this sidekick archetype is the opposite of a fish-out-of-water main character (like an apprentice hero who must learn the ropes). The F-O-O-W sidekick is there to contrast their inexperience with the expertise of the hero. Through the F-O-O-W's eyes the reader learns more about the world the hero fights in or against.

Non-human sidekicks are normally personified to some extent, even if normal animal like a dog. This puts them into either the silent companion type territory or that of a naive or quick-witted companion where they often provide a humourous but moralistic contrast to the hero's efforts.

Example Archetypes

Two well-drawn sidekicks who are constantly argued to be as much the hero as the main protagonist, Harry Potter - are Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley. Not only do they substantially share and believe in Harry's journey, and each provides several other archetypes as foils to Harry (Hermoine is the brains and heart, Ron is often the muscle and comedy) but each has their own character arc and journey in contrast with Harry. However, their arcs aren't as dramatic as Harry's and are supported within the main storyline, rather than taking over from it.

Disney does non-human sidekicks often, and extremely well. Mulan's dragon pal Mashu, Beauty and the Beast's Mrs. Pots, and Peter Pan's Tinker Bell are examples. Cartoons often use non-humans as a moral contrast: Futerama's Bender as a narcissist robot, or several superhero's have non-human companions. Consider Groot, who has an unintelligible language, but provides a loyal and ethical contrast to many (okay, all) of the other major Guardians of the Galaxy characters. Before Groot, Chewbacca had a loyal sidekick role in Star Wars.

John Watson provides a foil to Sherlock Holme's deduction and scientific expertise, but also lack of human emotions. Robin has a reasonably similar foil role to the darker side of Batman. Both Watson and Robin provide roles where the heroes can use them to talk and teach about what they are doing or to show off their skills.

The fish-out-of-water sidekick is well-known from the Dr Who television phenomena. Each Doctor has one or two sidekicks who meet this sub-archetype, allowing viewers to experience the wonder (and fear) of new worlds and aliens with time travel. They are even called "companions". The Dr Who sidekick human limitations emphasise the immortal and cosmic nature of the Time Lord, and also allow them to die (or disappear, or grow weary of time travel) thus allowing a new sidekick to recreate the same fish-out-of-water contrast and complement to the hero.

The Dr Who sidekick grounding as human also gave the homeless Doctor a sense of continuality of place, and something (somewhere) to fight for. Certain Dr Who sidekicks provided needed complementary roles. For instance with the elderly Willaim Hartnell, the companions were often young athletic men who could do all the action scenes while Hartnell's Doctor did all the cerebral stuff. Many older detective heroes have younger more nubile sidekicks for similar reasons.

Tolkein stated that he considered Samwise Gamgee the true hero of Lord of the Rings, even though the story is about Frodo Baggins, who is sent on the main task and story goal. Sam is a truly loyal and heroic friend. Tonto, created initially as a narrative foil for The Lone Ranger, took on much more heroic and noble characteristics in the viewer's world, becoming as much a hero as the Ranger. Another initial narrative foil is found in Man Friday for Robinson Crusoe.

Action heroes like James Bond are given sidekicks who are often apprentices or initiates into the action world. Alone, and as a static character, Bond would just be too moody, cut-off or predictable to be forever revered by readers/viewers. Sidekicks, even if only for one story, provide the foils to allow Bond to show off his heroic skills, his heart, and to sometimes explain what exactly he is doing. Without those sidekicks he'd be mumbling to himself.

Other Names, Associates and Origins

Other names:

for protagonist: companion, friend (and alternates, bestie, bff), consort, right-hand man, wing-man, supporter, helper, co-protagonist, buddy, ally, partner or mate (both platonic); in business or love - partner

for antagonist/villain: minion, henchman (minions are discussed in the M post for this series)

Associations: mentors/apprentice/initiate relationships (see I for Initiate); loyalist, loyal sceptic (see Q for Questioner); the fool; the love interest (before they became the lover)

Sub-archetypes / stereotypes: the cheerleader, the brains, the skeptic, the muscle, the class clown; the fish-out-of-water; non-human companions (ie. animals, aliens, spirits)

Shadows:

1. shadow sidekicks tend to come out of the sub-archetypes: a cheerleader type can be overly Polyanna-ish or annoying or become an obsessed fan or groupie (or Yandere) or as a parent, too clingy or restricting; the brains can be too automotive or slow in action; the sceptic may be overly negative; the love interest may become one of the negative forms of the deres such as the yandere; the muscle may take force over the top and become a bully

2. or the sidekick aspect itself can create a shadow in jealousy of being second-rung, or not the main hero. This can lead to betrayal, double-agency.

3. or in contrast, the sidekick may be so firm in their loyalty and love for their hero, that it will be detrimental to other relationships. We see this often in the cop buddy stories where partner or buddy cops can't maintain healthy marriages or family relationships.

4. the Villain or Antagonist forms the contrast in traits and behaviours ultimately to the Hero Protagonist. In this argument, the villain is the shadow sidekick to the entire story. Less of a full villain, the nemesis or frenemie (particularly in school yard forms) can have some redeeming features, but still remain in direct conflict with the hero.

Part of 2016's Character Archetype Series (A-Z) @ Hunter is Writing.

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The Sidekick is a character who accompanies the hero or protagonist on their journey. The Sidekick "I'm with him." Like the mentor, but even more so, the sidekick archetype is an interesting one, as the sidekick can be created out of many other archetypes, all with their own traits and roles.