The fairy tale of Snow White can be found all over the world with slight variations, a fact which shows the universal popularity of myths and fairy tales. Carl Jung attributed this vast popularity to their clever use of archetypal characters (e.g. Snow White represents the positive human qualities, whereas, the Queen the negative and harmful: Good-Evil).
Carl Jung beleived that the archetypes are of significant importance in the interpretation of dreams, since dreams are a form of dialogue between the conscious self (ego) and the eternal (the collective unconscious), and archetypes operate as symbols within the dream, facilitating the dialogue.
The archetypes have specific meanings in the context of dreams: the Wise Old Man or Woman may be represented in a dream by a parent, teacher or doctor - it indicates those who offer guidance, direction, wisdom, and, usually, act as mentors or protectors. And lest the ego grow too large, it is kept in check by the appearance of the Trickster, a playful archetype that exposes the dreamer's vulnerabilities and plays jokes, preventing the individual from taking himself and his desires too seriously(Catherine Collin, 2012).
According to Carl Jung (1875-1961), most of what we, generally, attribute to deliberate, reasoned, conscious thinking is, actually, being guided by unconscious activity, especially, the organizing forms of the archetypes. The archetypes exist in our minds before conscious thought, and can, therefore, have a powerful impact on our perception of experience(Philip G. Zimbardo, 1997).
Jung's work on archetypes influenced immensely the fields of psychology and spirituality, and his archetypes are so widespread that can be easily identified in films, literature, pop and rock music, or cultural forms that attempt to portray universal characters.
Bibliographical Sources
Catherine Collin, Voula Grand, Nigel Benson,
Merrin Lazyan, Joannah Ginsburg and Marcus Weeks (2012), The Psychology
Book: Big Ideas Simply explained, London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Philip G. Zimbardo and Ann L. Weber (1997). Psychology, 2nd edition. New York: Longman.
Tim Voridis
Organisational Psychologist/Consultant - Communication and Personality Specialist
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