Here I Dreamt I Was An Archetype

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Instant story -- just add plot!

April 8, 2008

ofravens commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

I find both the title and concept of this list to be fairly stupendous.

April 8, 2008

sionnach commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

How about fawning courtier? ambulance-chasing lawyer? lily-livered poltroon? hooker with a heart of gold? whiskey priest? wise elder statesman? corrupt politician?

April 8, 2008

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Great suggestions, sionnach -- thanks!

April 9, 2008

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Is "lily-livered poltroon" an archetype? I'm not sure. It sounds more like a hilarious Shakespearean insult.

And why has no one listed it yet? You'd think that Wordies, of all people, would appreciate hilarious Shakespearean insults.

April 9, 2008

sionnach commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Fair point, pterodactyl. My recollections of the stories that I read while growing up is that they were just studded with cads, bounders, and poltroons. But memory is notoriously unreliable.

What is the difference between a cad and a bounder? The bounder is much more despicable. The following story encapsulates the distinction:

An officer is killed in battle, and one of his brother officers is tasked with delivering the bad news to the widow. Now, the brother officer would be a bounder if he told the widow the bad news, and then seduced her - but would be a cad if he seduced her, and then delivered the bad news.

The assumption, of course, being that only a bounder would be so tasteless as to take advantage of a grieving woman.

April 9, 2008

sionnach commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

There's also the quirky roommate (who may also serve as wingman or comic sidekick). The mean girl, the prom queen, or - more interestingly - the former pageant queen/prom queen/head cheerleader. The comedy gold of the foreign exchange student, source of many hilarious misunderstandings. And, of course, there's that high-school stalwart, the cool, brooding outsider.

The arrogant clinician, with entourage of fawning courtiers, held at bay by the straight-shooting, street-smart emergency room nurse. All those female district attorneys, E.R. doctors, forensic pathologists, married to their jobs and unlucky in love.

April 9, 2008

bilby commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

In early Spielberg films the archetypes were invariably pepsodent suburban normalites - E.T., Poltergeist, Close Encounters, etc. They had to be pinnacles of ordinariness to provide contrast and resonance for feature character/event/monster.

April 9, 2008

chained_bear commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

ptero... not sure, but there are a bunch of Shakespearean insult lists, that's for dang sure!

April 9, 2008

ofravens commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

May I suggest the evil stepsister? Or the benevolent, pipe-smoking grandfather?

April 12, 2008

bilby commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

How about good cop, bad cop? Two archetypes for the price of one!

May 12, 2008

whichbe commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

I hope you keep adding to this list, it's great.

June 10, 2008

bilby commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Streetwise punk.

July 7, 2008

sionnach commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

How about those eldritch Goth kids?

July 7, 2008

darqueau commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

gutter punk?

July 7, 2008

bilby commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Oh! How about the jabbering native?

July 7, 2008

dontcry commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

nosey neighbor?

scaley used-car salesman?

July 7, 2008

bilby commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Here, perhaps you'd like to wear the The Hall of Cliche Super Heroes.

April 5, 2009

davidvkimball commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Yes! Is the title of this list a Decemberists reference? I love you!

September 3, 2010

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Yes, David, it is. I see your love and share it back to you. :-)

September 3, 2010

Prolagus commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

January 5, 2011

ruzuzu commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

That's adorable, Prolagus! I love the dancing bear.

January 5, 2011

Prolagus commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Thanks Urzulei! By the way, I see David's love and raise you a "favorite".

January 5, 2011

ruzuzu commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

*also favorited*

January 5, 2011

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Thanks, folks! I'm glad you like the list. I've made it a public list, so feel free to contribute.

For more archetypes and tropes, see TVTropes.org.

January 6, 2011

chained_bear commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

It's hard not to love a dancing bear.

January 11, 2011

reesetee commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Truer words....

January 11, 2011

ruzuzu commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

The title of this list had such a deep impact on my psyche that I was looking right at the word "architect" when I mistakenly added "archetype" to Pro's new Decemberists list.

You're good pterodactyl... very good....

January 24, 2011

ruzuzu commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

The Periodic Table of Storytelling.

April 16, 2011

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

Oooooooooooooh...

April 16, 2011

pterodactyl commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

It's 3/22/13, and Wordnik just picked this list as List of the Day! Thanks, Wordnik! A hat tip to you guys and the good work you do!

March 22, 2013

ruzuzu commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

I <3 pterodactyl, this list, and Wordnik. Yay!

March 22, 2013

ry commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

my (embarrassing) list contemporary-character-classes is tangentially related to this

March 22, 2013

itsdanihall commented on the list here-i-dreamt-i-was-an-archetype

average joe?

November 4, 2022