If you are a writer, you have undoubtedly heard of these two words. Archetype, and stereotype, and they are often used interchangeably. But what do they really mean? Are they actually the same? And are they a help for a writer, or something to avoid at all costs?

The Two Types

Archetype

The word archetype is a little difficult to define very well without using examples. It is a broad category, much broader than stereotype. Archetype comes from two Greek words, archein, ‘to begin’ or ‘to rule’, and typos, meaning, as you might suspect, ‘type.’ So, going from that, the word archetype means the original kind, the ancestor, the father. Though you might not have known the meaning of the word itself, you’ve certainly seen archetypes. The young hero. The old soldier. The wise man. These are archetypes. They are not, however, stereotypes.

Stereotype

The word stereotype was originally used for printing. Printers worked off the same idea as stamps or signet rings. You cannot change the image on the stamp, you can only put it again and again and again on different pieces of paper. That is the way with stereotypes. And you have seen stereotypes many times, paired with archetypes. The young hero is naïve, knows nothing about his world or anything around him, is an orphan, loses the last important thing to him, then discovers he is ‘the chosen one.’ The old soldier is hard and cold, cynical, without hope. The wise man is, in a word, Gandalf. These are stereotypes.

Similar? Or Different?

Overlap

There seems to be some ‘overlap’ with stereotypes and archetypes. The young hero is an archetype. The naïve young hero is a stereotype. The old soldier is an archetype, while the cynical, hopeless old soldier is a stereotype. This is not so much an overlap as it is the way the stereotype fits into the archetype. Since an archetype is the parent, the ancestor, the origin of a character, every single character falls into an archetype. The stereotype is merely a generalization of that character, and will therefore inevitably fit into the archetype, since the archetype is the body type, so to speak, while the stereotype is the generic description of that body type. But they are not the same, and cannot be used so.

Difference

So, what is the difference between stereotypes and archetypes? Archetypes tend to be much broader than stereotypes. There are many different archetypes, and each archetype has room for imagination, creativity, and uniqueness. Stereotypes are like a mold, with little to no room for change or originality. Archetypes tend to be more realistic and accurate, mostly because of this chance of creativity, while stereotypes are exaggerated and so generic as to be unreal.

Uses

Uses for Archetypes

We have mentioned three archetypes, the young hero, the old soldier, and the wise man. At first glance, these seem like stereotypes, because we are so used to seeing the same stereotype of these archetypes, that we get them confused. But who says the old soldier has to be cynical and without hope? Who says the young hero has to be naïve and clueless? Who says the wise man has to be old, or even a man? When you broaden your view of archetypes, you suddenly see characters who fall into these archetypes, but did not fall into the stereotypes. A writer uses archetypes, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to avoid that. Every character you have will be an archetype. Anyone who guides the main character and his/her allies or gives good advice is the wise man, whether they are always wise or not, whether they are male or female. The wise man can be the old woman, the queen, the little peasant girl, the farmer, the noble. Archetypes take many different forms.

Uses for Stereotypes

Using the ridiculous generality to prove a point. That is all that I can think of. Stereotypes should be avoided otherwise. They are a lazy way of ‘printing’ characters, when characters should be formed, by hand, like people. You can use stereotypes in satires, making fun of these stereotypes and showing just how ridiculous they are, or you can use stereotypes to show a moral point or problem. When you use a stereotype, it should be purposeful, not by accident or because it is easy.

Conclusion

Archetypes and stereotypes are very different, and are used in very different ways. Most people use archetypes whether they realize it or not. It is very hard to avoid archetypes, and it is not necessary to avoid them. Most people use stereotypes as a stamp to create their characters, for the sake of ease or to follow a common trend. This is not desirable. Writing is an art, and though many people will admit this, it still seems to be ignored. Art takes time, art takes skill, and practice, and thought. Both archetypes and stereotypes should be used wisely and well, as should everything a writer does to portray their ideas.

I hope this article has helped you see the difference in archetypes vs. stereotypes, and until next week, keep writing, keep learning, keep growing.