Harry Potter: Loyal Companion Or Sidekick Archetype?

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As I was watching Harry Potter on TBS, I saw how Ron Weasly affected Harry and how he acted and what he did because he knew Ron was there for him. Harry knew that whatever he did Ron was going to be there for him. Then I started to think to myself, Ron is a sidekick. From that idea, I believe the sidekick affects the story more than the main character. Without the sidekick, the main character won't have anyone he can rely on to help him. Therefore, they can't make those bold decisions to take down the enemy. So, what is the loyal companion/sidekick archetype? What exactly is an archetype? Also, how does the loyal companion/sidekick archetype affect the decision/choices the main character makes? All these questions build up to one idea. What …show more content…

The loyal companion is the character in the story that helps out the main character. The loyal companion is there to support the main character so the story can continue. According to Carl Jung, “The loyal companion archetype is the friend that helps the main character in the text. The Loyal Companion is a supporting archetype” (Carl Jung, P1). This is a supporting archetype. His presence is there so that the story can continue. The sidekick/loyal companion archetype is the character that will do anything for the main character. He usually goes out of his way to try and save the main character. For example, in Cinderella, the fairy godmother says,“Her godmother then touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes turned into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got up into her coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her not to stay past midnight, telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and that her clothes would become just as they were before (Perrault, P1). The Fairy Godmother is there to guide her to happiness and love because she knows what Cinderella wants. The loyal Companion is there to help, and help …show more content…

As shown in Batman and Robin, “As Batman goes to fight crime and Robin is left at home, Robin is informed that Batman is captured. Batman specifically told him not to come and get him. As Robin wants to help because he is loyal, he goes and he tries to save Batman" (Bob Kane, P32). As in the older versions of movies the loyal friend and or sidekick tries to risk their life to help the main character. As compared to hunger games, Peta helps Katniss from being attacked and risks his life so that she can win and go be with her family. Shown in Movies and Books over time, the main character is influenced by the sidekick. The main character would not make the bold decisions that he does if the sidekick was not there to help

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