Character Archetypes: The Hero

Last year I had a lot of fun making my series An Introduction to. . . teaching you all about different kinds of genres and how they're written. This year I'm starting a new series, this time talking about all the types of characters that inhabit works of fiction. From heroes to villains and everything in between.

Today we're starting with the hero, the biggest part of any novel. In this series we'll take a look at what each type of character is, the role they have in the story, and common traits that they share. I'll also include examples to help you understand what I'm talking about (especially when it comes to lesser known character types). Let's take a look at the most important part of any story- the hero.

A note on the term hero: Hero can often refer to a specific type of main character who is brave, courageous, and generally fighting for a cause. In this post, I'll be using it as a broader term meaning the main protagonist of a novel or movie.

Who is the Hero?

Main character. Protagonist. Hero. Take a look at almost any novel and you'll find this character. The person that the story is about, and most often is told by. They are the driving force of the narrative. Their actions, fears, and goals shape what happens and why. Sometimes there are multiple main characters, more often only one. With a few exceptions, if you don't have a protagonist, you don't have a story.

If you're planning on writing a piece of fiction, you'll need to figure out who your hero is going to be. Whose story are you telling? Why? What makes this person so important that they get the most page time instead of someone else? Once you know who your main character is, you'll have to develop them until they're almost life-like.

Types of Heroes

• Classic. Brave. Charismatic. Stands for all the good and wonderful things of the world, but isn't proud or stuck-up. Think of characters like Superman or Captain America. They're good normally just because they're good and they normally have a happy ending to their story.

• Everyman. This type of hero is completely normal, like you or me. They have no special skills or gifts, no famous lineage, or anything else that sets them apart. A lot of contemporary or YA novels have these sorts of protagonists. Think of Bilbo or Frodo Baggins.

• Superhero. Pretty self-explanatory. The hero has special abilities that normal people don't have, whether it's because they're a mutant or gained the powers through special circumstances. Iron Man or Wolverine are good examples.

• Tragic. Ah, the tragic hero. This character has a flaw that brings about their own downfall and are quite popular in mythologies. It might not even be their fault, more of a whim of fate. They do not have happy endings and often teach the reader a lesson, like Romeo and Juliet.

• Anti-hero. This is a character type all on it's own and will get it's own post, but for now you should know that an anti-hero is closer to a villain and often acts with their own self-interest in mind.

• Misfit. Another popular type in modern media. This character doesn't fit in, whether that's due to having something that makes them different or just because. People like this type because many people can relate to them. Percy Jackson or Cinder are great examples of this.

• Reluctant. As you might guess, this character doesn't want to be the hero. They don't want whatever quest or power they've been given. All they want it to go back to the way things were, even though they never can. Bilbo is a great example of this character type as well.

•Epic. Finally, we have the epic hero. He rises from a sort of everyman status to a being of myth. Most ancient tales have heroes like this, such as Beowulf. He's quick thinking and the best of humanity. He'll often go through a rigorous outer and inner journey during the story.

Characteristics

• Likable. Even if your main character isn't super heroic, they need have at least one thing that makes us like them. Maybe they're an assassin, but they refuse to harm children, or something like that. We need a reason to like this character and spend hours of our lives reading their story.

• Relatable. We can't always relate to everything about a hero, but having certain things that we can understand always helps make a character more likable. It can be something like enjoying chocolate or having trouble in school.

• Brave. Most main characters have to have a certain amount of bravery for what they undergo during the story. Whether that's taking down an abusive government or standing up to a bully. People won't root for cowards.

• Kind. Heroes are often kind as well. They look out for the smaller person, help old ladies across the street, that sort of thing. It helps us to like them more if they aren't a cruel person, or if they learn to be kind as the story progresses.

• Flawed. Everyone has flaws. But learning to overcome those flaws is a major part of any story. No one wants a perfect hero. Without a flaw, the character can't have an arc and can't learn to change.

To Avoid

• The Chosen One. This is a classic trope and we've talked about it before. It's been done, and while it can still be done well, it's better to avoid it these days.

• The Special Snowflake. This character is different from everyone else, misunderstood by all, and probably gorgeous while thinking they're plain. YA has a bunch of them and they're just not fun to read.

• Unlikable qualities. Cruelty. Arrogance. Stupidity. While it can make for a good arc, most people won't like your main character if they have traits that people hate. And if they don't like your main character, why would they read your novel?

• Too good. On the flip side, you don't want to make them too good either. They can't be beautiful, good at everything, and a great person without us disliking them (humans are weird, okay?). Your hero needs to be balanced, good and bad, skilled at some things, rubbish at others.

Writing a Hero

The protagonist is the most important part of your novel, so you need to nail them. This needs to be a character you won't mind spending possibly years with, learning everything about them and knowing their voice as good as your own. So chose wisely.

We don't have time to go into all that you need to know to write a hero. That information alone has filled books. Do some research, find some videos, print out some character worksheets. There are tons of resources out there that can help you more than I can.

My parting advice is to make the character someone you love. Add a bit of yourself to them and watch them come alive. All my protagonists have parts of me, whether it's something good or one of my own flaws. This helps bring them to life.

Example Characters

Luke Skywalker- A New Hope

Moana- Moana

The Doctor- Doctor Who

Katniss Everdeen- The Hunger Games

Hazel- Watership Down

What is your favorite type of hero? What tropes and cliches do you like or hate? tell me in the comments.

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Character Breakdown: Percy Jackson