Situational Archetypes

A situation in which one loses the respect, love, power, possession and/or authority once held, and is sometimes exiled from the group. Often there is a rise again back to power or status afterward.

• Rags to Riches

• The Bachelor, any season

• Fall

• Initiation

A situation in which positive forces beat the odds to overcome negative forces.

• Unhealable wound

• Tim Gunn save

• Humans vs Technology

• Battle between Good and Evil

A situation in which a person not in authority or a person less educated is wiser than those in charge or who have had the benefit of more education.

• Fall

• Rags to Riches

• Experience vs. Education

• Spongebob vs. Squidward

The moment when a character develops awareness that the world is not what it seems.

• Initiation

• Rags to Riches

• first bite of Burger King's Impossible burger

• Fall

A physical or psychological injury that is painful and does not mend and cannot be eased. It is often associated with a loss of innocence.

• Battle between good and evil

• Initiation

• Unhealable wound

• Tooth fairy leaves you a nasty note under pillow instead of money

Situation in which someone starts out poor and becomes wealthy or someone has money but isn't happy in life and in the end gives up money for happiness.

• Rags to Riches

• Fall

• Initiation

• Unhealable wound

The search for something (tangible or intangible) in order to restore the land or restore/renew the "kingdom." It usually takes a long time and is very difficult, with physical and mental challenges that must be solved. Often resulting in self-knowledge.

• Answers to common core math problems

• Humans vs. Technology

• Battle between Good and Evil

• Quest

A situation in which a character's original self dies and the character is reborn with a new outlook or purpose having abandoned his or her old thoughts and views.

• unhealable wound

• experience vs. education

• quest

• death and rebirth

Individual challenges (mental or physical) that must be completed, often something extremely challenging or involving superhuman strength. Differs from Quest because it is a single challenge and maybe not over a long period of time.

• Intermittent fasting diet

• task

• Fall

• zipping up pants after six months of quarantine

What is a situational archetype?

• Circumstances that occur within a parallel universe or the Twilight Zone or similar, such as in a Walmart on Black Friday.

• Circumstances that occur in the waiting room of a dental office especially if one hears screams and moans coming from within the treatment rooms.

• Circumstances that occur within a story and follow a distinct pattern.

• Circumstances that occur when someone yells "fire" in a crowded movie theater.