Archetypes - Symbols That Stay the Same in All Time Periods and Cultures

Archetypes - symbols that stay the same in all time periods and cultures.

I. Water sea - eternity, life, mystery rivers - flowing of time, change in life, barrier to undead stagnant water - death, wrong, a life with no meaning, unfulfilled life rain - a new beginning, death, purity (like in the end of The Lion King when it rains to show that Scar's reign is over and a new beginning is about to happen for the pride).

II. Sun rising sun - beginning, birth (The Lion King begins with the sunrise to symbolize the birth of the new king) sun moving across the sky - time passing (The Devil's Advocate uses this a lot to show that we are moving from one night to the next) setting sun - the end, death (Most cowboy movies end with the heroes riding off into the sunset)

III. Circles, spheres, eggs - completion, God, infinity, female (don't ask)

IV. Spears, guns, swords, etc. - male power (again, don't ask)

V. Wind, breath - inspiration, God or the gods speak, warning, inspiration (In Pocahontas (the second worst movie ever made) she "dances with the colors of the wind and gets inspired on how to get everyone to get along with each other. Also, horror movies often use this - you know you are being warned that something bad is going to happen when the curtains blow in the breeze or the candle flickers.)

VI. Colors White (light) - purity, good Black (darkness) - chaos, unknown, death, evil Red - blood, violent passion, violence, female Green - life, envy, growth

VII. Ship/boat/train/plane/any major form of transportation - major life choice (In The Polar Express, the conductor makes the comment, "It doesn't matter where you go, it matters whether you choose to get on or not.")

VIII. Desert - death, hopelessness, alone (After Simba runs away in The Lion King, he is in the desert because he is alone and hopeless)

IX. Gardens, Forests - paradise, life, beauty

X. Nature - goodness, God

XI. Christ Figure - one who sacrifices him/herself to save others (Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia is a good example. In movies, these characters almost always die with their arms outstretched)

XII. Snakes - trickery, deceit

XIII. Deluge - the universal flood

XIV. Directions east - birth, beginnings west - death, the end

XV. Seasons spring - birth, beginning summer - youth, prime of life autumn - approaching old age winter - death, sorrow