Character tropes are popular patterns used in storytelling to create and develop characters that are restricted by culture and time. Character tropes follow a specific predictable pattern, which is so familiar that it often reduces the level of suspense in a story or gives readers exactly what they are looking for.
Using character tropes in your stories isn’t all bad. As an author, you should understand the different types of character tropes, why they exist, and how to use them well.
Character Tropes Vs Character Archetypes: What’s the Difference?
The terms character tropes and character archetypes are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two. A character archetype is a fundamental, universal character that recurs in stories across different cultures and times. While a character trope is a modern conventional character type that is often used across different stories.
You should understand that before there were character tropes, there were character archetypes. Character archetypes represent the core of character patterns that transcend culture and time. While character tropes can be seen as an iteration of character archetypes that expand on the core of archetypes but are restricted by culture and time.
For example, the hero character archetype is universal and would have been around 30,000 years ago in stories. Since character archetypes are the core of character tropes, the hero is also a character trope.
However, the nerd character trope is not a character archetype, as the school system that we know today, which inspired the nerd character did not exist 30,000 years ago. Nor does the nerd character trope transcend culture, as many native tribes that still exist today do not have a school system.
Popular Types of Character Tropes
Several character types are seen as staples in storytelling due to their popularity. These character tropes include:
1. The Hero
The hero is a fundamental archetype in storytelling. This character represents the protagonist, who embarks on a journey or quest to overcome obstacles and achieve a noble goal. These characters are as courageous, having strong moral integrity, determined, and having a strong sense of justice.
The hero’s journey is a common narrative structure, where through a series of trials and challenges, the protagonist experiences personal growth and transformation.
Some Iconic hero characters include:
Harry Potter (from the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling): A young wizard who battles the dark wizard Voldemort to protect the wizarding world.
Beatrice “Tris” Prior (from the “Divergent” series by Veronica Roth): A young woman who leads the rebellion against the ruling faction system.
Luke Skywalker (from the “Star Wars” franchise): A farm boy who becomes a Jedi Knight and leads the Rebel Alliance in their fight against the evil empire.
2. The Mysterious Stranger
This character is often new to the main characters in the story, to the community, to an organization, or has a reclusive nature. The mysterious stranger’s motives, background, or identity are often unclear to the other characters and the readers of the novel. This character adds an element of intrigue and suspense to the narrative.
Some Iconic mysterious stranger characters include:
Jay Gatsby (from “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald): His background and origins are shrouded in mystery. Gatsby is known for his extravagant parties and lavish lifestyle, yet the source of his wealth remains unclear to many of the characters in the novel. Additionally, he remains reclusive and elusive, rarely attending his parties, but instead observes them from a distance.
Severus Snape (from the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling): His true loyalties and motivations remain mysterious throughout much of the series, which keeps the characters and readers guessing until the final reveal.
3. The Smart Girl
This is a character who is usually highly intelligent, knowledgeable, and socially or emotionally mature beyond her years. In some iterations of the trope, the smart girl may struggle with social skills.
Some Iconic smart girl characters include:
Matilda Wormwood (from “Matilda” by Ronald Dahl): A young girl with an extraordinary intellect and a love for reading, who uses her intelligence and telekinetic powers to stand up for herself and those she cares about.
Meg Murry (from “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle”): A complex girl who struggles with feelings of insecurity and self-doubt but possesses a keen intellect and a strong sense of loyalty.
Hermione Grangers (from the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling): A young lady known for her exceptional intellect, curiosity, problem-solving skills, and resourcefulness. She plays an instrumental role in helping Harry and Ron navigate numerous challenges throughout the series.
4. The Damsel in Distress
You can find a damsel in distress in some fairy tales and romance novels. This character is usually a female in a perilous situation and needs rescuing (usually by a male protagonist). The damsel in distress character symbolizes purity or innocence and is usually vulnerable and fragile.
This trope has received some criticism for perpetuating outdated gender stereotypes and reinforcing the idea of female passivity and helplessness. However, I would love to take a break from being a strong woman and play the role of a damsel in distress now and again.
Some Iconic damsels in distress characters include:
Cinderella (from the “Cinderella” fairy tale): A kind and virtuous young woman who is mistreated and oppressed by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. A prince eventually rescues her.
Bella Swan (from the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer): She frequently finds herself in perilous situations throughout the series, having to be rescued by Edward (her vampire love interest) and other members of his family.
Lucie Manette (from “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens): A lady who is repeatedly placed in danger throughout the novel but is eventually rescued by her husband (Charles Darnay) and his friend.
5. The Billionaire
This character is often one of the lead characters in romance novels. The billionaire character usually has immense wealth, influence, and power. While billionaire characters may initially appear stereotypical, well-developed portrayals often reveal their complexities, vulnerabilities, and contradictions. They may grapple with ethical dilemmas, personal struggles, or the loneliness that comes with their immense wealth.
Some Iconic billionaire characters include:
Christian Grey (from the “Fifty Shades” series by E.L. James): A wealthy businessman with many complexities and a troubled past.
Bruce Wayne (from the “DC Comics”): He uses his wealth to fund his crime-fighting activities as the vigilante superhero, Batman.
6. The Anti-Hero
Unlike traditional heroes who embody noble virtues and strive to uphold justice and morality, anti-heroes are complex and morally ambiguous characters who often operate outside the bounds of conventional morality. They may seek revenge, power, wealth, or personal redemption, often at the expense of others.
Some Iconic anti-hero characters include:
Raskolnikov (from “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky): A deeply conflicted and morally ambiguous man who commits a heinous crime out of a misguided belief in his superiority.
Patrick Bateman (from “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis): A wealthy and narcissistic man who leads a double life as a sadistic serial killer.
7. The Underdog
This character is often initially disadvantaged or underestimated by others, but eventually rises to overcome challenges and achieve success against the odds. The underdog character is usually determined, courageous, and ingenious. These qualities help them defy expectations and emerge as the victor in whichever challenge they face.
Some Iconic underdog characters include:
Harry Potter (from the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling): An orphaned boy who discovers he is a wizard and must navigate the challenges of the magical world, facing off against the dark wizard Voldemort with seemingly insurmountable odds.
Katniss Everdeen (from “The Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzan Collins): A young girl from a poor district is forced to compete in a deadly competition that he has seemingly no hope of winning.
How to Avoid Cookie Cutter Character Tropes
The main difference between a flat and a well-rounded character is how your character differs from or expands upon a common character trope type. Fortunately, there are several precautions you can take to ensure that your characters remain unique and interesting.
Avoid Cliche Scenarios
In many cases, the characters aren’t the issue. Alternatively, the fault lies in the scenario you have created. Without cliche scenarios, you won’t have cliche character tropes. So, try to eliminate them.
The hero rescuing the damsel in distress is quite overplayed, but what if the anti-hero goes on a quest to “rescue” the damsel for the reward money offered by an unscrupulous third party?
Allow Character Growth
Readers want to be able to relate to your characters. This means that your character needs to seem real, experience change, and grow. The anti-hero above could find out that he was not rescuing the damsel as he originally thought but kidnapping her, and this revelation should come just before he makes the exchange.
This is an experience that will certainly cause the anti-hero to experience growth, as it will force him to make a decision; walk away and go back to his normal life with the reward money or correct his mistake.
Create Solid Backstories
A character’s backstory is a crucial aspect of character development. Therefore, creating a solid back story for your character will help you to develop a realistic character personality. One that is influenced by their environment and life experiences. This eliminates the possibility of creating a character that can be boxed into a single trope.
The anti-hero story can have a redemption arc. His backstory can reveal a foster mother who is the only person who ever loved him. This foster mother can now be sick and in need of money for treatment. This backstory can help readers to empathize with his initial course of action.
How to Use Character Tropes
In general, you’ll want to create memorable characters that your readers can relate to. This means generally avoiding cookie-cutter character tropes, but it doesn’t mean not using them entirely. You can make character tropes work for you by utilizing the following approaches.
Combine Character Tropes
Creating your characters from a combination of different character tropes is a great way to develop complex characters that resonate with readers. For instance, Harry Potter’s character fits into several different character tropes such as:
- The Hero
- The Chosen One
- The Underdog
- The Orphan
Harry’s character is multidimensional, he doesn’t fit into any singular box, and this allows him to resonate with readers.
Subvert Character Tropes
A clever way to use character tropes is by subverting them. This approach adds depth and unpredictability to your story. Amy Dunne (from Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn) initial impression is a character that fits the perfect wife trope, but as the story progresses, it’s revealed that she’s manipulative, deceitful, and capable of anything, subverting the typical portrayal of a loving spouse.
Use a Character Trope
There are instances when using a trusted and reliable character trope will prove most useful. One such instance is in romance novels. Romance novels are known to be feel-good stories, and readers don’t expect much suspense. They know that the wealthy arrogant protagonist is going to fall in love with the feisty (even sometimes naïve) woman of lesser means, and that is exactly what they want to see.
In these instances, using the regular character tropes with a few variations is truly the best approach. When readers read romantic novels, they have a decent idea of what to expect and they love that the romantic empathetic billionaire will end up with the regular girl.
Final Thoughts
Character archetypes and by extension character tropes, have been around for a long time primarily because they work. Even the character tropes that are overly saturated can help to create new and complex characters in the hands of the right author. So, instead of dismissing popular character tropes entirely, try to figure out how you can make them work for you.
Photo by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay
Leave a Reply