the writings, musings, and photography of a dream smith
A mini-series on Jungian archetypes in fiction, particularly as they are portrayed in fantasy novels and popular movies.
There is strength in intimacy; divinity in love, and no archetype wields this power more skillfully than the Lover: aptly named, often misunderstood. This archetype brings to mind the great romances, playboys, and jilted lovers of the world's story tapestry, but they are not limited to passionate affections. The Lover presides over all love: familial,…
Rules are made to be broken, and without those at the ready to test the status quo, they never would be. The Outlaw, or Rebel, is a fiction favorite, striding through their worlds with a confidence bordering on arrogance and shaking the foundations their society has always known -- often doing so with little to no…
There are those that refuse to be caged in. We know them. They are in the eyes of the imaginative child, or in the heart of our favorite cartoon characters' songs. We are exposed to this archetype first, most likely because of its significance to exploring our world and learning, each day, how much wider…
Sometimes, all we need is someone to give us unconditional love. Cue the Caregiver, originally known as the Mother. This person will offer their heart openly and willingly, and extend whatever energies they can to help the hero succeed on their quest. Quick to forgive and encourage, the Caregiver offers characters weary from a long period…
Life is full of peril. Danger and darkness lurk the corners, and in our blackest moments, most of those journeys would fail if not for the Hero rising up to save the day. He--or she--is the final trump against evil: resilient, strong, and death-defying. We experience most stories from the eyes of the Hero, and many…
