In literature, an archetype is a character, action, or situation that may represent the patterns of human nature. These archetypes include special symbols, occasions or even people in our lives that have an impact it negatively or positively. Archetypes for us and for characters in stories help shape the structure of our personal lives, and in stories it supports the function of the literature represented in the particular story.
According to literarydevices.net, an archetype is "also known as a universal symbol, but may be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting" so in my personal life, one archetype would be the a cross, as we discussed in class today. A few years ago, my grandma gave me a charm bracelet for the birthday, where I could place important charms that represent my life, for example what is important to me and what I enjoy, etc. The very first charm she gave me was a cross. She gave this to me to remind me that God is the center of my life, and that I should never forget His unconditional love for me. My family is very religious, and I've grown up learning about God's love and hearing Jesus' parables generations ago, so the cross is very beneficial to my life, which makes it the most important archetype in my life today. I've taken that little tiny charm for granted until now, because I've realized that it serves as a symbol for my life and how I live for God.
Another important archetype in my life would be my family's traditional Christmas Eve dinner. This is considered an archetype of setting or even a situation. This dinner has been a tradition since before I was born, and it brings my family together during a special time of year: Jesus' birth. We get to come together and enjoy our family, and we get to celebrate and thank God for how blessed we really are, even though we might not think we deserve it. In my opinion, being able to have plenty of loving family members to celebrate such a special time with, and just having loved ones near to help shape my life and influence me, just really serves as a archetype that serves a great purpose in my life today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
Lastly, an important archetype in my family or community would be my parents, siblings, grandparents, and even my friends. These people go along with the example of characters, because they all play important roles in my life story. My parents encourage me, and have helped me grow as kid to a teen, from a teen to an adult, and now they're even helping me grow in my adult life. My grandparents are a lot older and wiser than I probably will ever be, so they keep me on the right track and understand what I'm going through better that I do, because they've been there and done that. My siblings and friends are always there to give me a good laugh and also provide a support system and just help me get through life, as I help them through as well. The characters in my life story keep me going and give me the push in life that I need, which is an important archetype in my life.
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