You know that friend that loves a good prank? They are the ones who celebrate April Fool’s Day like it is every day of the year. Maybe it’s a sibling, spouse, or child. But we all have at least one trickster in our lives.
Carl Jung, Freud’s most famous student of psychology, identified twelve character archetypes. He believed that we each bear parts of all twelve archetypes within our own psyche.
For the purposes of literature, each archetype is often written separately, so that the author can play with the ideas in a way that is easier to understand and experiments with taking that archetype to its extreme. This is why readers can identify with literary characters, because they can see some of themselves in them.
The archetype that just handed you binoculars with grease paint on the eyepieces is the jester or trickster.
The purpose of the court jester in his bright, two-colored regalia with bells and distinctive hat was two-fold. The first, and most well-known, occupation was to bring laughter and entertainment to the court.
However, his second task was to be the only one who could openly question the king. This dichotomy is something that tricksters have been known for throughout the ages.
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What Is the Trickster Archetype?
The trickster archetype is more difficult to explain than many because of its duality. The paradox that this archetype represents can add confusion about what it means to be a trickster.
However, like all the archetypes, there is a sliding scale along the slippery slope which starts at fun loving with light-hearted tendencies, and can go down past mischievous, right into the pit of maliciousness.
Trickster Archetype Definition
Tricksters are intelligent and witty. They use parody and satire to poke holes in the expected behaviors of the status quo in the world around them. Tricksters are also known to be sly or cunning, which they use to pull off their pranks and jokes.
A trickster can be a sacred being that travels between worlds or planes. Or a creator of new worlds and societies. They are associated with boundaries or places of transition.
And tricksters can be shapeshifters who change form between human and animal. The true trickster has a dualism and lacks morality by transcending the polarity of good and evil.
Tricksters destroy our expectations. But force us to question the world around us and look at it and ourselves, as we truly are.
Trickster Characteristics
Here are 25 common characteristics of the trickster archetype:
- Sly
- Cunning
- Travel between planes or worlds
- Boundary crossers
- Found along edges
- Difficulty making relationship connections
- Don’t follow conventions
- Don’t follow rules of societal law or science
- Challenge tradition
- Embodiment of change
- Deceptive
- Lovable rogues
- Against authority
- Always puts themselves first
- Users of comedy and humor
- Chaos bringers
- Reshape thoughts and ideas
- Obnoxious
- Physical shapeshifter
- Inciter
- Adaptable
- Showcases their knowledge and abilities
- Charismatic
- Superficial
- Good at talking
The Trickster Archetype Examples
Wile E. Coyote paints a tunnel in the rock, but Road Runner can pass through it while he can’t. Who is the real trickster here?
Some popular tricksters in stories are often gods, foxes, rabbits, coyotes, ravens, or faeries. Especially in folklore and creation stories.
Here are some examples from literature, both old and new, that contain tricksters. Notice how each trickster embodies a different subset of the trickster qualities making them unique.
Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs (2006-2024)
Mercy Thompson and Coyote act as agents of chaos in the otherwise normally understood rules of magic in this urban fantasy world. Both characters are sources of humor and pranks, breaking the intense life or death situations.
Anansi Boys by Neil Geiman (2005)
In this story two young men discover they are the children of the trickster god Anansi, but only after he is dead. Full of mischief and with a few tricks up their sleeves, the boys go on a journey of discovery and laughs.
Iktomi by Paul Goble (1988-1999)
These books are about various situations that this Iktomi, an Indian trickster god, gets himself into. Each book focuses on one story about how something was created due to the outside-of-the-box thinking and powers of Iktomi.
Peter Pan: The Complete Adventures by J.M. Barrie (1904)
Peter is always getting up to trouble and only thinks about himself during his fun and games. Meanwhile Tinkerbell enjoys playing some nasty jokes on Wendy. It’s a wonder any of their playmates ever survive.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)
Both the Cheshire cat and the mad hatter thoroughly enjoy giving Alice riddles which may or may not be helpful once she figures them out…if she does. And neither would ever mislead her, unless it was for fun.
Matilda by Roald Dahl (1988)
Matilda enjoys using her newfound powers to play some harmless, but rather mischievous, tricks on her school principal. Not only do the pranks make the children laugh, but the entire story is about questioning authority and who should or shouldn’t be in charge of children’s well-being and their education.
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling [1997-2007]
Fred and George Weasley love to use their magic to give people a laugh or help them get out of tricky situations, like class. Unfortunately, they also experiment upon first years to get their spells just right. They also help Harry by giving him the Marauder’s Map, but was that really the help it seemed?
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien (1954)
Apparently, tricksters play well off each other in pairs. Family relationships allow that jester or trickster ability of saying things that no one else can get away with.
Merry and Pippin are always getting Frodo into trouble by acting out or making noise when they should be quiet. The duo bring relief in tense situations, reminding Frodo and the reader how hobbits usually behave. They are loud, silly, and unforgettable.
The Belgariad series by David Eddings (1982-1984)
Silk is a spy who uses his wits and abilities. He is a shape-shifter in the metaphorical sense who can fit himself into any situation.
The Girl with Ghost Eyes by M. H. Boroson (2015)
Li-lin uses her yin eyes and training as a Daoshi exorcist to travel between worlds and survive San Francisco Chinatown’s spiritual war by her wits and abilities. She also questions authority throughout her journey.
A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin (1996-present)
Tyrion Lannister wields words as both weapons, and cunning survival tools to navigate his complex political landscape. He uses his wit and humor to overcome his perceived inadequacies. He is also the most gray of the characters, falling somewhere outside of the spectrum of black and white.
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (1995-1997)
The Fool is a physical shapeshifter because their appearance changes throughout the series and their gender seems fluid, helping The Fool maintain the different characters they portray. And most compellingly, The Fool literally begins the series as the king’s court jester.
The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson (2006-2008)
Breeze interjects with clever and witty conversation. He lives a duality pretending to be a skaa when he is really a nobleman. He is charismatic, a good talker, and tends to put his comforts first. One might call him a lovable rogue. He is anti-authority, even when the authority ends up being him and his friends.
All in Jest series by D.E. King (2020-2024)
Many of the characters in this series are tricksters, as Lani becomes unwittingly involved in a secret society for jesters.
The jesters’ outward job is to entertain the kingdom, but they are really spies involved in the politics between realms. They are also involved in maintaining a barrier between the world they know and a world of the past where magic lives.
Tips For Writing the Trickster Character Archetype
- Tricksters are often used in stories to create obstacles for the protagonist. But though they may give help, that help is often subject to question. Even if it is helpful now, there is often a consequence that may make a situation worse for the character/s.
- They can be dubious allies, silly villains, fun heroes, or underestimated enemies.
- Tricksters represent the foil of change that all characters must go through in their character arcs.
- While tricksters may seem frivolous, they are often used in literature to delve deep into societal conventions and expectations. Consider the theme and what you want the reader to question.
- Tricksters bring humor, especially as a break from the conflict and tension. Or they can add to it by going too far.
- Consider how your trickster is different and unique from those who’ve come before.
- Tricksters are a bit like unreliable narrators. As balls of chaos they can help, hinder, or send your protagonist off in the wrong direction either on purpose or by accident.
As an author, consider that you aren’t just adding jokes for their own sake but because it furthers the plot or the character growth somehow. Humor can also be used to foreshadow.
If you have difficulty writing the trickster as a character archetype, remember that psychoanalyst Carl Jung believed there was a little trickster in all of us. So, look to yourself for inspiration.
And the Fictionary StoryTeller software can help you map your tension, conflict, characters, knowledge gained, and more. Knowing the patterns of these elements in your story will allow you to use your trickster characters to the greatest effect.