How can Carl Jung’s theory of archetypes help you in your creative writing?

Among his many theories, Carl Jung includes “archetypes.” An archetype can be defined as “a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior.” If you read Robert McKee’s book History, you will find that the key to writing a great novel lies in “building archetypal elements into the story.” So what exactly are these “archetypal elements”? And how exactly can they help creative writers?

Let me give you some archetype suggestions from my own reading and observation:

1. The indissoluble association in the search: This pair is wired in our unconscious: character A is the one on whom the gifts and destiny have fallen; and character B is the unfailingly loyal and faithful companion who provides the essential moral, emotional, and psychological support without which character A could not succeed. We see this work in the following pairings: Frodo and Sam; Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson; Arthur and Merlin; The Doctor and his companion.

2. The spirit animal guide/messenger. We see this in the history of Siegfried (one of the four parts of the musical drama The Ring of the Nibelung by Richard Wagner). As Siegfried waits for the dragon to appear, he notices a woodpecker in the tree, which he befriends; when he fights the dragon, his blood burns his hands; by licking them, he tastes the dragon’s blood and can understand the song of the forest bird. He follows his instructions to take the Ring from the dragon’s treasure. Philip Pullman expanded on this idea in his use of animals daemons in his dark materials trilogy; Mrs. Coulter has her golden monkey and Lyra has hers marmoset, Pantalaimon. Here the animal is like an externalized part of our unconscious. The Bible, of course, also makes use of this by giving the Dove a key role as a guide; and as a symbol of peace, love, the Holy Spirit. Another example is the Raven. “To have the knowledge of a raven” is an Irish proverb meaning “to have the supernatural powers of a seer”. The Raven was banished from the Ark by Noah, but returned later in the Old Testament to feed Elijah in the desert.

3. The holy fool / the one without a guide – this appears in the history of Parsifal again dramatized by Wagner in his opera of the same name. The fool himself, Parsifal, personifies goodness. The quality of simplicity and purity of motif appears in many characters, such as the chaplain in Joseph Heller’s novel. wrestling 22. However, Heller develops the chaplain to the point where he discovers that his innocence has become irrelevant; he is disoriented by a world where killing has become a virtue. His original purity of motives, however, provides a strong emotional charge to the novel. The same is true of the character of Dilsey, the black servant in William Faulkner’s novel. The Sound and the Fury. The simplicity of her approach to faith holds her together, in stark contrast to the other characters.

For a novel to rise from merely “good” to “great” it must incorporate archetypal elements. How can we do that? Studying great stories until this becomes part of our own subconscious as we plan and create our own.

SC Expert