What Archetypal Character Arc Is Right for Gothic Horror?

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Welcome! I'm K.M. Weiland, the award-winning and internationally published author of acclaimed writing guides such as Structuring Your Novel and Creating Character Arcs. I mentor authors on story theory, technique, and all the wild and wonderful highs and lows of the writing life!
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This week's question is from @stellarcalamity7:
"I love these segments! I have gained so much from tuning in. I hope you can help me unravel something I've been thinking about. I'm fascinated by Archetypal Character Arcs, but I need help understanding how they fit in Gothic Horror, which usually features a young wife and a much older husband. I know it must follow an arc, maybe The Maiden Arc, but I'm not sure. Can you please expound upon the arc or arcs related to gothic horror novels like Rebecca or Rosemary's Baby?"
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[@TheZetaKai]

In my mind, the Maiden archetype is defined by innocence, and the arc for the Maiden is how that innocence is lost, as it inevitably must be lost in order for growth and development to take place. It may be difficult, even traumatic for this innocence to be lost, or perhaps a more gradual process can occur in which the Maiden can impart a bit of their childlike wonder to a jaded, bitter character who has grown cynical due to their own innocence being lost long ago. There are many possibilities with the Maiden, but I see their archetype as revolving around the concept of innocence as a starting point for later change.

Always finds your posts interesting. You should consider a better microphone or turning up the gain on the one you are using because your volume is always low.

[@DaltonKevinM]

I am a pantser, to my own detriment. My process doesn't even feel like a process to me. My characters show up, do stuff, and then win or lose. But always seem to do this by about page 10. I'm currently experimenting with outlining, but be that my process for short stories is 100% intuitive, I'm not sure what else I'm missing. It isn't like I have "sagging middles," it's more like my characters can see when the "you know what" is about to hit the fan and circumvent the drama. How on earth am I supposed to get a novel out of this?

[@TheZetaKai]

Your characters aren't being challenged enough. They are either too smart, too strong, too fast, or too good to fail in the face of your story's obstacles to success. In that case, they need to be challenged more, from both outside and inside. A good story is defined by overcoming adversity, so your heroes need to fail, and fail, and maybe even fail again before they can succeed, learning lessons along the way which will show them the path to a hard-won victory. If they can't be challenged by your story, then your story isn't worth telling.

[@andyclark3530]

Nice treatment Katie. It may not be the best approach, but I always think about the type of MC I want to write and look at arcs from there. I have to admit that it's been a long time since I've read a gothic harbor, I don't believe Katie was born, but from what I remember, I can also see an approach using a mage arc as well.

[@stellarcalamity7]

Rebecca sometimes feels like Bertha Mason fanfiction

[@Galganoeyes]

The Maiden archetype applies perfectly to Barbie who encounters the predatory aspects of the Patriarchy (aka the "Real World"). A pastel horror. :) Love your work, K.M.

[@bluenetmarketing]

Why are some females always striving for "empowerment?" A woman is as empowered as a woman, as a man is empowered as a man, from birth. Empowerment doesn't come from the outside or from what other people think or say about you. Empowerment comes from the inside: a personality that has knowledge, confidence, experience gained through trial and error, virtue, hard work, smart work, and an honorable belief system. Don't EVER let anyone else define you or your worth, or tell you that you have to believe or do things that undermine your God given attributes as an equal human on this Earth. The concept of "female empowerment" is a communist construct designed by the left to separate you from reality, control you, and send you down a destructive path. Men and women are created equal is some ways and are created unequal in other ways. They are all blessings to be revered and enjoyed. I love the female characters in this author's books for everything they are. They are outstanding! And ditto for the male characters. Blurred lines is bad business for all of us. I am sure this comment will be deleted.

[@kentjensen4504]

This is what I wanted to say, but you said it better, so I'll just ad my hurrah to your comment. Katy clearly has had some kind of personal awakenign and stepped somewhat (or wholly) away from what I am guessing is a religious heritage, but I do hope our brilliantly talented friend and mentor is not so enthusiastic that she lets herself be pulled into fashionable woke fake fights, because nothing kills story magic like wokeness.

[@jessiehermit9503]

What about a redemption arc? You have a lot of archetypal characters, but you don't talk much about redemption.

[@telzeyamberdon3474]

Have you read "45 Master Characters"? It describes Inanna's Descent, which is a journey that lends itself very well to a redemption arc. I noticed a couple of villains use that arc in different stories. For instance, Asajj Ventress in the Clone Wars cartoon, or Adalind Schade in "Grimm." I believe Prince Zuko does as well in Avatar: the Last Airbender series. Inanna's journey is kicked off by a betrayal, and the Journeyer being forced out into the cold or on the run. Betrayal forces introspection, which obliges even a staunch villain to rethink their choices in life. Then, the Journeyer faces "Gates of Judgement" which compels them to yield up "weapons" (which may not be external, but can be aspects of the Journeyer's belief systems or behavior). In every redemption arc I can think from pop culture -- Xena, Adalind, Asajj, Teal'c (Star Gate), Angel & Spike (both from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) -- the one being redeemed must also face past victims, or the consequences of past crimes. They will often suffer for it. And then they are "tested" to prove they have changed. In Prince Zuko's case, he's a teenager, so you may want to study the book KM recommends, "The Virgin's Promise." Zuko's longing for his father's love and approval is the reason he fails the "False Rescue Test" outlined in that book. It traps him in a new Dependent World at the mercy of his sister, Azula. I think his failure is important, because he *has* to see his homeland with new eyes, and doing so propels him to properly redeem himself.

[@KatAdVictoriam]

Character Archetypes are a different topic from Character Arcs. They are connected to one another, but they aren't the same thing. KM actually has an excellent book/workbook that goes into the details of the Positive Arc/Flat Arc/Negative Arc and the "Redemption" arc is under that umbrella, rather than Archetypes of the characters themselves. Check out her book "Creating Character Arcs".