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The Archetypes of LOST: An Exploration of The Major Arcana (Part 1) 

By Laura, culture.pagannewswirecollective.com

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I’m not going to discuss here how I felt about the finale, except perhaps to say that I actually liked it. The large ensemble cast, with new characters being introduced even up to the penultimate episode, was perfect for analysis in relation to the Major Arcana in the Tarot. What do you think? Are these the cards you would assign to the characters of LOST? 0. The Fool = Hugo “Hurley” Reyes Choosing Hurley as the Fool is probably the easy way out. Just like the Fool card, however, there is a lot more to Hurley than meets the eye. He has a troubled past, but a complete opposite alternate reality. My interpretation of the Tarot has long been the idea of the Fool’s journey. At the end of LOST, we learn that Hurley’s story comes completely full circle. It was always Hurley. 1. The Magician / The Juggler = Jack Shephard Okay, maybe Hurley wasn’t the only obvious match up. Jack has been the archetype of the magician since the very first episode in spite of the argument that he was a “Man of Science”. He has been tortured – starting out as the strong leader and quickly devolving into a man obsessed with getting off the island, and then getting back on. Alternate Jack is a conflicted family man who balances the pain of his divorce with

the need to connect to his son. Both Jacks are touched by something mystical. And Jack’s choice to become the new Jacob and make the ultimate sacrifice tied his story up in a neat little package.

2. The High Priestess = Kate Austen Kate is probably considered the female lead, if there is such a thing in this diverse cast. She may also be one of the most universally hated characters on television, if the internet is to be believed. But she does play a very specific role. She brings together the diametrically opposed characters of Jack and Sawyer, having very different relationships with both. She also takes on the role of mother to a child who is not her own but feels the need to save. She then embarks on an Inanna like journey back into the underworld to rescue Aaron’s real mother and bring her back to him, even facing her own mortality at the hand of the very woman she is trying to save. 3. The Empress = Juliette Burke A fertility doctor, Juliette represents the lushness of the Empress card. Juliette also develops a relationship with Sawyer, a complex character of his own, and then sacrifices herself to do what they believe is right and will save everyone on the island. Mysteriously, as she dies, Juliette seems to know that it worked, but no one in this time line really understands that. What does the dying Juliette know? 4. The Emperor = James “Sawyer” Ford The mysterious character of Sawyer has been a favorite and his character has gone from con man to lover and back to bad guy several times throughout the seasons. Sawyer is typically seen as having one motivation – to protect Sawyer. In spite of his projected persona, it turns out that Sawyer is a cultured and educated man who enjoys reading classics including Waterhship Down, a story that parallels that of the lostaways. 5. The Hierophant = Richard Alpert Richard begins as an inexplicable figure who never ages. He spans the history of the island, and apparently beyond. His own story shows that he is a simple man who just wanted to save his wife and was willing to do just about anything to bring her back. He is presented with a clear

choice once stranded on the mysterious island; the path of good or evil. He chooses and becomes an advocate for good on the island. 6. The Lovers = Sun and Jin Kwon The reunion scene between Sun and Jin brought me to tears. And their death scene on the submarine affected many people watching the show. They overcame an affair, a controlling relationship, the 3 years separation that spanned decades on the island, and Jin missing the birth of his own daughter. Through all of this they were able to be reunited and then ripped apart again like a Shakespearean tragedy.

7. The Chariot = Sayid Jarrah I found both the Chariot and Sayid difficult to assign until I did more research on the card itself. I’ll say, I have been reading Tarot since I was 18, but for some reason this card has always eluded me. Now, being able to associate it with Sayid will actually enhance my ability to read it. Some interpretations are that it is about conquest – specifically outside of oneself. Sayid has had his share of internal and external conflict. He is a man of contradictions – both a torturer and a lover. Good and Evil. Sayid is not the charioteer, but the black and white steeds (horses or sphinxes) leading the chariot, perhaps each one vying for a different direction. 8. Justice = Rose Henderson Nadler After getting past the first several cards and the first obvious answers, I began to find myself digging deeply into the LOST mythology. That being said, as soon as I started thinking more about the Justice card, I realized that it was Rose. Justice moves around sometimes in the deck, just as Rose has moved around in the series. Just like Justice, Rose is a certain voice of reason. She overcomes major illness and is able to make a Gilligan’s Island-style life with the man she loves with only one rule – just don’t get involved. At the same time, she finds herself unable to adhere to her own rule when the life of someone on the island is being threatened. The alternative Rose is a practical business owner, comfortable with her own mortality, able to give practical advice to alternative Lock. 9. The Hermit = Danielle Rousseau At first I had some hard time with this, but then I realized I was making it far too difficult on myself. Danielle Rousseau is the quintessential

hermit. She dies early on comparatively, but that is after spending years alone on the island unable to comprehend what has happened to her and to her baby, Alex. As the personification of the Hermit, Rousseau is certainly reflective, solitary and isolated. 10. Wheel of Fortune = Charlie Pace So, here is where we start to get interpretive. I chose Charlie as the Wheel of Fortune because of his up and down story line. In the Lostaway storyline, he is a former drug user who finds redemption several times. He nearly dies, and Jack the Magician saves him. However, he seems to know that he is not supposed to live and consistently volunteers for dangerous plans knowing that one of them will be the end. In the alternate time line, he not only nearly dies but he tried to kill himself several times and his reason is because he remembers that he missing something that he has never experienced – he can see the island that never existed in his own time line. He is the first catalyst to seeing both worlds. Call it Fate or Destiny, Charlie shows us all the possibilities. The Archetypes of LOST: An Exploration of The Major Arcana (Part 2) culture, tv Add comments Jun 022010

I attended a pagan festival this past Memorial Day weekend and a dear friend of mine gave a tarot workshop. Truth be told, it was the same workshop she’s presented before, but this time my perception was different. It was interesting to me that exploring the tarot in this way could change my relationship with the cards and I found myself musing on this information during her workshop. I wouldn’t say it was profound or life altering, but just a little something to enhance my understanding. Follow me on my journey through the remaining Major Arcana.

11. Strength / Fortitude = Penny Widmore When we were first introduced to the character of Desmond, we also learned about Penny. She is steadfast beyond all reckoning – she is single-mindedly determined to find her lover at any cost. The same family money that gave her father the ability to dispose of Desmond was able to track him down at great personal expense. And when she sees him again, all is right with the world. 12. The Hanged Man = John Locke Well. Of course. Locke was clearly the choice for this role, but it isn’t just because he is taken over my evil incarnate in the final season. He begins the story as a paraplegic who is miraculously cured by the Island. He is a “man of faith” and gives himself over completely to the mysteries of the new world he is stranded on. He journeys through the story as the voice of destiny, but then we learn that he may in fact be a pawn of The Man in Black to escape from the island. And then he is the Man in Black himself. An alternate title for The Hanged Man is “The Traitor”. After the death of the real John Locke, he still betrays the others on the island in the end. 13. Death = Desmond Hume Boy, Desmond’s character turned out a lot better than I thought he would. I selected him as the Death card because of his mysterious gift. He is able to travel through points in time. He is able to survive a magnetic blast. He is also the first member of the Alternate time line to be able to connect the dots and bring the Lostaways together. Desmond is the constant, just like the cycle of death and rebirth. 14. Temperance = Dogen I have to admit, I was not a big fan of adding new characters in the last half of the last season! In fact, it infuriated me to no end. But when I was determining who should take the place of Temperance, Dogen seemed to fit the position well even during his brief stay in the cast. Dogen shares his story with Jack about how he finds himself on this island. He was a very successful Japanese banker who kills is own son in a drunk driving accident and it was Jacob who offered him redemption. Dogan has become Jacob’s voice for Temperance. 15. The Devil = Ben Linus

Ben Linus is an amazing character. His character is complex, to say the least. He begins the journey as a young boy, digresses into unfathomable evil, and emerges again with a heartbreaking redemption that makes even the most hardened viewer weep. Next thing you know, he is right back where he started. He leaves you guessing about his motivations the entire series. (And he is portrayed flawlessly by Michael Emerson) 16. The Tower / Fire = Flight 815 One of only two non-human characters that I chose for cards, Flight 815 is the very catalyst that sets the whole story in motion. The very first episode begins with the plane and the fiery crash. When the redshirt character gets sucked into the fuselage of the plane, it is an unforgettable moment. The Tower crumbles and lives are destroyed – or are they? 17. The Star = Alexandra Rousseau The star has always represented Hope to me. Danielle Rousseau spends several seasons in search of her stolen daughter, with the hope that she is still alive. Just before she dies, mother and daughter are reunited. Alex is also the ultimate sacrifice – Ben watches her die because he believes a sacrifice is the only way to save the island. But Alex appears again as a bright high school student being tutored by the alternate Ben to make it into an Ivy League college. She is hope incarnate. 18. The Moon = Claire Littleton After the rest of the Lostaways lost track of Claire, she descended quickly into a Danielle Rousseau type of madness, obsessed with finding her son Aaron and given incorrect information by The Man in Black in order to keep her deep in madness. The Rider Waite deck refers to the imagery in the card as “The Fears of the Natural Mind.” Is this reality a nightmare that Claire is unable to wake up from? 19. The Sun = Aaron Aaron has two birth stories in the mythology of LOST. Both times he is brought into the world by the Priestess, Kate. The blond haired blue eyed boy is the very image of the child on the Sun card. He is the only light that illuminates the moon; Claire. 20. Judgment = Miles Straum and Daniel Faraday

I loved the addition of the “science team” from a couple of seasons ago. The reason I placed them both on the Judgment card was their juxtaposition. Miles is the psychic able to speak to the dead and Daniel is the scientist trying to figure out how to save the world. Some key ideas often associated with this card are “Restart”, “Forgiveness”, “Renewal” and “Accepting Past Mistakes”. Together or apart, their actions shape the reset on the island. 21. The World = The Island At the end of the series, Christian Shephard says “Everything that has happened is real.” The island is a microcosm of the outside world. It has been through everything all at once both inside and outside the confines of time and space. It has been experimented on by a group of radical scientists, it has been the cause of countless crashes, and it has been the heart of the world containing the essence of good and evil. You can make any choice on this island, but know that each choice has consequences. Posted by Laura at 11:39 am Tagged with: archetypes, LOST, tarot, television

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http://www.soulcraft.co/essays/the_12_common_archetypes.html

The 12 Common Archetypes By Carl Golden

The term "archetype" has its origins in ancient Greek. The root words are archein, which means "original or old"; and typos, which means "pattern, model or type". The combined meaning is an "original pattern" of which all other similar persons, objects, or concepts are derived, copied, modeled, or emulated. The psychologist, Carl Gustav Jung, used the concept of archetype in his theory of the human psyche. He believed that universal, mythic characters—archetypes—reside within the collective unconscious of people the world over. Archetypes represent fundamental human motifs of our experience as we evolved; consequentially, they evoke deep emotions. Although there are many different archetypes, Jung defined twelve primary types that symbolize basic human motivations. Each type has its own set of values, meanings and personality traits. Also, the twelve types are divided into three sets of four, namely Ego, Soul and Self. The types in each set share a common driving source, for example types within the Ego set are driven to fulfill ego-defined agendas. Most, if not all, people have several archetypes at play in their personality construct; however, one archetype tends to dominate the personality in general. It can be helpful to know which archetypes are at play in oneself and others, especially loved ones, friends and co-workers, in order to gain personal insight into behaviors and motivations.

1. The Innocent Motto: Free to be you and me Core desire: to get to paradise Goal: to be happy Greatest fear: to be punished for doing something bad or wrong Strategy: to do things right Weakness: boring for all their naive innocence Talent: faith and optimism The Innocent is also known as: Utopian, traditionalist, naive, mystic, saint, romantic, dreamer.

2. The Orphan/Regular Guy or Gal Motto: All men and women are created equal Core Desire: connecting with others Goal: to belong Greatest fear: to be left out or to stand out from the crowd Strategy: develop ordinary solid virtues, be down to earth, the common touch Weakness: losing one's own self in an effort to blend in or for the sake of superficial relationships Talent: realism, empathy, lack of pretense The Regular Person is also known as: The good old boy, everyman, the person next door, the realist, the working stiff, the solid citizen, the good neighbor, the silent majority.

3. The Hero Motto: Where there's a will, there's a way Core desire: to prove one's worth through courageous acts Goal: expert mastery in a way that improves the world Greatest fear: weakness, vulnerability, being a "chicken" Strategy: to be as strong and competent as possible Weakness: arrogance, always needing another battle to fight Talent: competence and courage The Hero is also known as: The warrior, crusader, rescuer, superhero, the soldier, dragon slayer, the winner and the team player.

4. The Caregiver Motto: Love your neighbour as yourself Core desire: to protect and care for others Goal: to help others Greatest fear: selfishness and ingratitude Strategy: doing things for others Weakness: martyrdom and being exploited Talent: compassion, generosity The Caregiver is also known as: The saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter.

5. The Explorer Motto: Don't fence me in Core desire: the freedom to find out who you are through exploring the world Goal: to experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling life Biggest fear: getting trapped, conformity, and inner emptiness Strategy: journey, seeking out and experiencing new things, escape from boredom Weakness: aimless wandering, becoming a misfit Talent: autonomy, ambition, being true to one's soul The explorer is also known as: The seeker, iconoclast, wanderer, individualist, pilgrim.

6. The Rebel Motto: Rules are made to be broken Core desire: revenge or revolution Goal: to overturn what isn't working Greatest fear: to be powerless or ineffectual Strategy: disrupt, destroy, or shock Weakness: crossing over to the dark side, crime Talent: outrageousness, radical freedom The Outlaw is also known as: The rebel, revolutionary, wild man, the misfit, or iconoclast.

7. The Lover Motto: You're the only one Core desire: intimacy and experience Goal: being in a relationship with the people, work and surroundings they love Greatest fear: being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, unloved Strategy: to become more and more physically and emotionally attractive Weakness: outward-directed desire to please others at risk of losing own identity Talent: passion, gratitude, appreciation, and commitment The Lover is also known as: The partner, friend, intimate, enthusiast, sensualist, spouse, team-builder.

8. The Creator Motto: If you can imagine it, it can be done Core desire: to create things of enduring value Goal: to realize a vision Greatest fear: mediocre vision or execution Strategy: develop artistic control and skill Task: to create culture, express own vision Weakness: perfectionism, bad solutions Talent: creativity and imagination The Creator is also known as: The artist, inventor, innovator, musician, writer

or dreamer.

9. The Jester Motto: You only live once Core desire: to live in the moment with full enjoyment Goal: to have a great time and lighten up the world Greatest fear: being bored or boring others Strategy: play, make jokes, be funny Weakness: frivolity, wasting time Talent: joy The Jester is also known as: The fool, trickster, joker, practical joker or comedian.

10. The Sage Motto: The truth will set you free Core desire: to find the truth. Goal: to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world. Biggest fear: being duped, misled—or ignorance. Strategy: seeking out information and knowledge; self-reflection and understanding thought processes. Weakness: can study details forever and never act. Talent: wisdom, intelligence. The Sage is also known as: The expert, scholar, detective, advisor, thinker, philosopher, academic, researcher, thinker, planner, professional, mentor, teacher, contemplative.

11. The Magician Motto: I make things happen. Core desire: understanding the fundamental laws of the universe Goal: to make dreams come true Greatest fear: unintended negative consequences Strategy: develop a vision and live by it Weakness: becoming manipulative Talent: finding win-win solutions The Magician is also known as:The visionary, catalyst, inventor, charismatic leader, shaman, healer, medicine man.

12. The Ruler Motto: Power isn't everything, it's the only thing. Core desire: control Goal: create a prosperous, successful family or community Strategy: exercise power Greatest fear: chaos, being overthrown Weakness: being authoritarian, unable to delegate Talent: responsibility, leadership The Ruler is also known as: The boss, leader, aristocrat, king, queen, politician, role model, manager or administrator.