Supporting Character Archetypes – What They Are and When to Use Them
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What is an archetype? An archetype is, simply, a pattern or model that exemplifies the main characteristics and functions of a particular thing - in our case, the supporting characters in a novel.
Archtypes in literature are patterns that have been built up over centuries - even millenia - of human storytelling. Readers respond to them because they instinctively understand them. They can be powerful patterns for any type of character, including the main hero/ine and villain/antagonist, but today I specifically want to talk about how using them as a model can help writers create stronger, more resonant secondary characters.
Before we start, a caveat: Relying too much on archetypes can backfire, resulting in unrealistic characters that are more like cardboard cutouts than real people. You should think of them as the template you use to start; you need to fill in the lines and colors with telling details. This is of course especially important when creating main characters.
With secondary characters, however, there are a whole bunch of archetypes that work. Why? Because most of the time they don’t have a particular character arc for themselves. They are there to support or hinder the main character. They are there to provide a function, to fill a particular role in the story. Here, archetypes can shine.
You don’t need to use all of them. You can select which ones make sense for the story you’re telling – which will enhance it, and which will just be extra baggage. They need to be meaningful additions, not just there to look cool or because a particular story blueprint suggests them.
You can also mix them up, or make them different by the details you use. Your Mentor doesn’t need to be a Wise Old One. They can be a child savant computer hacker. Surprising the reader keeps the story fresh.
7 Main Archetypes and Their Functions
Mentor – A protector, teacher, giver of gifts. Someone who guides the hero/ine toward their destiny. They train the hero/ine, provide them with knowledge, and perhaps pick them back up when they need a boost. They have experience and perspective. However, they need to have some flaw or something that prevents them from simply solving the story problem for the protagonist. They also need to have a stake in the outcome – it has to be meaningful for them in some way - because they care about the protagonist, or the world, or a way of life that’s in peril. Note that the mentor may or may not be benevolent. When thinking of Master Yoda, or Gandalf, remember Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. Sometimes the mentor is out for their own ends, and the protagonist may have to grow beyond their mentor to achieve their goal or fulfill their character arc.
Ally – Unless they’re a lone wolf, the hero/ine needs allies. And even then, however begrudgingly, they may collect allies along the way. Allies are the sounding board, the conscience, or the foil to the protagonist. They provide practical help, advice, and moral support. They may be comical, or serious. The classic examples are Ron and Hermione from the Harry Potter series, and they are a great example because they are such contrasting characters. They are staunch friends to Harry, but each bring their own strengths to the game. Allies need to have distinct voices, quirks, flaws, and may even have their own small growth arc over the course of the story. They may get along fine with the protagonist, but not so well with each other. They balance out the protagonist – if the hero/ine is overly serious, they bring some levity. If they’re emotional, the ally brings cool logic.
Trickster – Tricksters are, well, tricky. They are mischievous, clever, unpredictable, and bring chaos to all the hero/ine’s carefully laid plans – but they can also act as allies, throwing some needed knowledge or practical aid into the mix. They may provide comic relief or bring tension and new obstacles through their actions. Loki from Norse mythology is a classic Trickster. He causes all kinds of trouble, is morally ambiguous, and creates headaches and challenges for everyone. He’s not evil, though, just in it for his own amusement, or perhaps to show up Thor and the other gods, or grab some power for himself. Tricksters are larger-than-life, and thus must be used carefully. They may be pure chaos, or they may have their own desires that may or may not coincide with the protagonist’s.
Guardian – the Guardian inhabits a threshold the hero/ine must cross to get to the next stage in the journey, or win some coveted prize that will aid them in overcoming the villain. Guardians are not villainous, per se; they have a duty. It’s nothing personal. In some crime or mystery novels, it’s the police chief who firmly tells the sleuth to stay out of the investigation – maybe even threatening them with consequences if they don’t obey. Sometimes it’s an actual guardian, like the door guard in The Wizard of Oz who at first refuses to let Dorothy and her companions through to see the Wizard. The hero/ine must find a way around this person in order to continue. Maybe it’s through sneaking around, or an emotional appeal, or outwitting the guardian. The Guardian is a test – of the hero/ine’s resolve, of what they’ve learned so far, or of how much they’re willing to risk to get what they want.
Herald – The Herald pushes the protagonist out of their current comfortable life into their new adventure, or possibly the next stage of the adventure if their will to continue lags. It doesn’t always need to be a completely new character. Sometimes the mentor holds this role (Gandalf sets Frodo on his quest to take the Ring to Rivendell) and sometimes it’s not a character at all, but a letter, phone call, or other call to action. Or, in the case of Alice in Wonderland, a white rabbit.
Shapeshifter – The Shapeshifter is similar to the Trickster, in that they are out to cause trouble. Often not just morally ambiguous but outright antagonistic, they want what they want, and they don’t care who is in their way. We see them most often in fantasy and science fiction, where they are often literal shapeshifters, like Dracula, who can take the form of a bat or a mist. However, it can also refer to people who are “two-faced,” attempting to trick or deceive the protagonist for their own ends. The character may appear at first as an ally or love interest but eventually shows their true colors through cheating, stealing from, or betraying the protagonist. These characters can be fun to write as you set up the twist that leads to the big reveal. However, sometimes even the Hero/ine needs to become a shapeshifter to win the treasure they seek, deceiving the antagonist – think of Robin Williams’ character in Mrs. Doubtfire. The Shapeshifter archetype can be a great way to add tension, suspense, or a twist to the story.
Shadow – The Shadow represents all the qualities that the hero/ine represses in themselves, that they don’t want to acknowledge. For that reason, the Shadow can be very powerful when it shows up in another character. The shadow is the “dark side” of a character – the benevolent queen who becomes imperious and demanding; the mentor who turns out to be pushing the protagonist for their own ends; and of course, the villain, who often shows the opposite qualities of the hero/ine. Sometimes the antagonist forces the protagonist to confront their own shadow: what will they do (or not do) to achieve their goal? Sometimes Shadows appear directly as characters in the story, as in Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or Gollum/Smeagol. They are there to remind us, the reader, that the potential for evil exists in all of us. Stories with a strong Shadow presence ask us to confront our own Shadow, and ask ourselves what we would do when faced with the same situation.
Of course, these are based on the Hero’s Journey archetypes. There are other models to draw upon that may be templates for powerful characters for your story. The maiden/mother/crone archetypes of the Heroine’s Journey, for example. Or you might look at the Major Arcana of the Tarot: The Fool, Emperor, Empress, Devil, and so on. Western and non-Western myths might also give you some ideas of new ways to portray archetypes Jean Shinoda Bolen’s Goddesses in Everywoman and Gods in Every Man discuss female and male archetypes that are wonderful blueprints for characters.
The main thing is, take the archetypes and make them your own. Some major secondary characters will fulfill archetypal roles. Sometimes minor, walk-on characters will fulfill the archetypal functions. It’s important not to try to construct a perfect, paint-by-numbers story that slavishly follows every step of the Hero’s Journey – too many bad movies and books have been churned out that way. Use them as a springboard for your imagination, and you will create stories that deeply resonate with readers.
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