Character Archetypes 101: The Caregiver

This week, The Caregiver took some time off from lending a hand to everyone to vacuum the crevices of my couch before lying down. The Caregiver is also known as the saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter, and nurturer in archetypes circles.

The "Good"

The Caregiver does just that...gives care, unselfishly, compassionately, and generously. They are supportive, understanding, empathetic, encouraging, and optimistic. They draw people to them by their innate altruistic personalities, dedication, and patience.

Caregivers are most fulfilled when they are making a difference in the life of someone else. They actually expect very little in return. They are dedicated to demonstrating their support to others, which can found in their ability to listen, stay positive, advocate for others, and provide counsel.

Others always come first, self second. Responding to needs is exciting and challenging to them. They always see the silver lining in people and situations, responding with reassurance and empathy.

The "Bad"

The Caregiver has a tendency to be unable to say no to others. Resentment can set in when too many demands are made of an overly compromising Caregiver, and eventually, this can lead to self-martyrdom. They take a risk in their pursuit to help others, and can end up getting harmed themselves, whether this comes in the form of burnout, being too much of a doormat, or being exploited.

Some Caregivers have a hard time with balancing self-care with care for others, and can work themselves and others until they drop. They might engage in guilt-tripping others or pushing a personal agenda on others. Some Caregivers might only help others for personal gain or fame, or even infer that they are the only means of helping others achieve health, almost like a savior complex.

The insatiable needs to "fix" everyone and make everyone happy are impossibly tasks. This means the Caregiver is often trying to please everyone and being everything to each person, which is exhausting. This can also make the Caregiver seem wishy-washy, like s/he has no ideals for which to stand. 

Likely Goals

To protect others
To care for and help others
To make a difference

Likely Fears

To be selfish
To be ungracious
To burn out

Examples in the Media

 -->Julie Andrews as Maria in The Sound of Music
Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side
Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins
Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List
Jessica Brown Findlay as Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey  
Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility
Renee Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire   

Archetypes Who've Completed Therapy

The Innocent
The Orphan
The Hero 

Let's Analyze

Since archetypes carry with them a stereotypical connotation, it's not unlikely that people would think only of women for this archetype. I had a hard time myself thinking of males who fit this bill. Can you help me think of any more?

Friday Free Association Chain

The word is....

MUGSHOT.

RULES: First commenter free associates (writes the first word that comes to mind) with the above word. Second commenter free associates to the first commenter's word, and so on. Remember - the FIRST thing that comes to mind.

Go!

There is still time to comment on my newest How Does That Make You Feel? post for a chance to win a mini-assessment!

Psychopaths in Fiction

Once again, I'm guest posting in a mini-series on the ACFW Blog. Yesterday was about therapists in fiction, and today is about psychopaths in fiction.

Colloquially, people use the term psychopath (pronounced sigh-COP-ah-thee) to indicate that someone is “crazy,” but this would be a gross overstatement. I’ve got family members who are crazy, but are not remotely psychopaths. In the psychological field, the term is mainly used in conjunction with or as the equivalent to Antisocial Personality Disorder, but this is shortsighted and incorrect.

The term psychopath isn’t located in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is the canon of therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Psychopathy is more like a combination of characteristics from several disorders, not just one.

Click here to read the rest of the post.

Therapists in Fiction: No One-Shrink-Fits-All

Due to my extended weekend where I went off-grid, I'm taking a hiatus from the Character Archetype series this week....but I'm not going to leave you empty-handed! I'm guest blogging today and tomorrow at the ACFW blog.
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I like to think that any professional, not just therapists, would laugh at their fictional counterparts. I assure you that Drs. Frasier Crane and Hannibal Lecter are hardly representative of the majority of us.

No, authors most likely convey therapists as empathetic, conservatively dressed, with degrees artfully hung on the wall in a tasteful but somewhat intimidating manner.  They come across the page as a wise sage archetype, doling out nuggets that change or alter the hero’s life or perspective.

And yes, I do laugh at this depiction, because therapists don’t come in a one-shrink-fits-all size.

Click here to read the rest of the post.

How Does That Make You Feel? Question and Character Assessment Giveaway!

My husband and I are going away. Four days. Totally u n p l u g g e d from everything. Not even taking watches to this retreat. (Aren't you jealous?)

So, I thought a How Does That Make You Feel post was in order, which you can all answer and simultaneously be entered into a mini character assessment giveaway!

Without further ado:

Your boss put you in charge while he's away tending to personal business. His week of personal time extends into a month...then on into another month and another. After three months or so, he's scheduled to return. He requests an emailed "report" of everything that has happened in his absence. In so doing, your report includes the following:

-- Four employees quit and/or were terminated.
-- You will need to meet four new employees in four different departments.
-- Half of the funding for a major program is being cut, effective immediately.
-- Your #2 wrote himself out of a job to balance the budget, effective May 1st.
-- The $10,000 camera system installed two years ago is now defunct. No hope of repair.
-- You're #3 will be going on maternity leave in less than 2 weeks.

You hit SEND.

Leave a comment and I'll enter you to win one of my character assessment minis.

Wish me luck on this retreat! We've never unplugged totally, and with a 5-year-old, it's not without its anxiety production for me. But I'm really looking forward to it. See you back Monday!

Character Archetypes 101: The Hero

This week, we are analyzing The Hero, who had taken some time off from swashbuckling acts of courage and valor to somewhat cautiously perch on the edge of my couch.  The Hero is also known as the warrior, crusader, superhero, soldier, the winner, the rescuer, and the dragon slayer.

The "Good"

The Hero is goal-oriented, focused, and determined. He (or she!) fights to overcome adversities, to rise to the occasion, beat the odds, and take others with them as they do so. They have stamina, confidence, and courage in abundance, and all of this points to their ability to and likelihood of making a difference.

Typically, this archetype is strong, both physically and mentally. They are disciplined, driven, and competitive while at the same time being protective, helpful, and a team-player. They usually excel at sports or being athletic, and have loads of energy, skill and general toughness to achieve greatness in various arenas.

As noted above, a female can be The Hero archetype, because archetypes aren't stereotypes, but frameworks for characters. The female Hero often has the same qualities of the male counterpart, such as being independent, individualistic, assertive, and proactive. They often reject the "suitor" and the status quo in the story, such as in Mulan.

Both male and female Heroes are noble, tenacious, and relentless. They act with honor, stick up for the underdog, and usually view "rules" more like guidelines or suggestions, never something to buckle under.

The "Bad"

Heroes, as the ones creating most of the story or action on the page, might struggle with hubris. They accomplish a great deal under duress, and should be proud of this...but it can easily slip into

arrogance or trying to prove a point to others. 

They might pick battles unwisely or compulsively, even, with an obsessive need to win. The Hero might rush to action with adrenaline, rather than using their brain to think things through. They might even turn to the dark side (humming Darth Vader's theme here) and evil black magic to prove their strength and ability to overcome all obstacles in their way.

The shadow side of the Hero can veer toward manipulation and ruthlessness. Others might become enemies when they aren't. A Hero might also respond to stress by becoming a workaholic, and this unbalanced life wreaks havoc both internally and externally.

Above all, Heroes have mental dragons that need slaying, just as much as the story "dragons" do. They have to overcome their fears, and choosing a story plot that highlights their internal knot (to borrow author/editor Jeff Gerke's phrase) is the best way to showcase this battle.

Likely Goals

To prove worth through courage
To be strong and competent
To achieve mastery in order to improve the world
To succeed despite the odds
To infuse meaning in what they do

Likely Fears

To be weak
To be vulnerable
To be incompetent
To be seen as a "chicken"

Examples in the Media

I want to underscore the idea that Heroes are not necessarily men, so I'll break examples down by gender first, and then somewhat by genre.
 
Males:
Sylvester Stalone as Rocky
Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene in ER
Despereaux Tilling in The Tale of Despereaux (mouse)
Simba in The Lion King
Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix
James Bond movies
Clint Eastwood/John Wayne movies

Females:
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Mulan
Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
Jody Foster as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs

Archetypes Who've Completed Therapy

The Innocent
The Orphan

Let's Analyze

Traditional names of archetypes carry with them stereotypical connotations, which also include gender. I ran across Ariel's name (from The Little Mermaid) in several research pages...what do you think about her fitting the bill?

Friday Free Association Chain

The word is....

PAISLEY.

RULES: First commenter free associates (writes the first word that comes to mind) with the above word. Second commenter free associates to the first commenter's word, and so on. Remember - the FIRST thing that comes to mind.

Go!

And there is STILL time to enter to win Katie Ganshert's novel Wishing on Willows! I've extended the giveaway until tonight at 12 a.m.