In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes—”universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He posited that every person is a blend of these 12 basic personalities. Ever since then, authors have been applying this idea to fictional characters, combining the different archetypes to come up with interesting new versions. The result is a sizable pool of character tropes that we see from one story to another.
Archetypes and tropes are popular storytelling elements because of their familiarity. Upon seeing them, readers know immediately who they’re dealing with and what role the nerd, dark lord, femme fatale, or monster hunter will play. As authors, we need to recognize the commonalities for each trope so we can write them in a recognizable way and create a rudimentary sketch for any character we want to create.
But when it comes to characters, no one wants just a sketch; we want a vibrant and striking cast full of color, depth, and contrast. Diving deeper into character creation is especially important when starting with tropes because the blessing of their familiarity is also a curse; without differentiation, the characters begin to look the same from story to story.
But no more. The Character Type and Trope Thesaurus allows you to outline the foundational elements of each trope while also exploring how to individualize them. In this way, you’ll be able to use historically tried-and-true character types to create a cast for your story that is anything but traditional.
DESCRIPTION: This character is driven by a need for stimulation and excitement. The more intense or dangerous the situation is, the more likely they are to participate.
FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible), Han Solo (Star Wars: A New Hope), James Bond (the Ian Fleming series), Odysseus (The Odyssey), Maverick (Top Gun)
COMMON STRENGTHS: Adaptable, Adventurous, Alert, Bold, Confident, Courageous, Creative, Curious, Decisive, Focused, Imaginative, Independent, Industrious, Inspirational, Intelligent, Observant, Passionate, Perceptive, Persistent, Quirky, Resourceful, Spontaneous, Spunky, Uninhibited
COMMON WEAKNESSES: Addictive, Cocky, Impatient, Impulsive, Irresponsible, Macho, Mischievous, Obsessive, Rebellious, Reckless, Self-Destructive, Stubborn
ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Seeking out risky activities
Looking for excitement
Believing anything is possible
Competitiveness
Being highly independent
Underestimating danger
Spontaneity
Believing the rules don’t apply to them—e.g., bad things happen to other people, not them
Impulsivity
Struggling with organization, finances, time management, and other detail-oriented tasks
SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Scenarios where there are many rules to be followed
Situations that require conformity (such as working in the military or a bureaucracy)
Living in suburbia and being stuck in a 9 to 5 desk job
Being forced to work with a group
TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO…
Has an unconventional skill or hobby, such as dancing or studying philosophy
Likes to be part of a group
Has an atypical trait: Inflexible, cooperative, insecure, indecisive, whiny, needy, meticulous, etc.
CLICHÉS TO BE AWARE OF
The thrill-seeker who is the only one in the group who never gets shot or wounded
An adrenaline junkie who’s always on and never needs any downtime
A thrill-seeker who isn’t afraid of anything
Other Type and Trope Thesaurus entries can be found here.
Need More Descriptive Help?
While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.
If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, and then give our Free Trial a spin.
Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.
Ingmar Albizu says
I wonder if the Adrenaline Junkie is like a thrill seeker.