the writings, musings, and photography of a dream smith
What endears us to a character? Centuries of literature from all across the globe have shown us kings, highwaymen, samurai, wisemen, star-crossed lovers, and wizards––many so common that they have become archetypes in our consciousness. According to Carl Jung, there are twelve in all, set into three different categories of Ego, Soul, and Self. In…
Tropes. Clichés. Archetypes. From the Hero's Journey to magic swords, these devices abound in works of fantasy, from the most ancient of mythologies, to more contemporary works of fiction. While tropes and archetypes should not be confused with the more negatively-defined cliché, all work together to build a story that is not only accessible to readers, but also bigger than the page they appear on. The use of archetypes and tropes in one's writing can make for characters and stories that are complex and familiar, which urges greater investment from the audience that interacts with the story.
Ariel Hudnall 