Archetypes are found in many stories. An archetype is a recurrent symbol, behavior, and even term found in in literature. For example, in the story “Cinderella”, one can relate the helpful fairy godmother to other stories, such as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Pocahontas”. These common ideas are also shown in the story “Ashputtle”. This story was about a young girl whose mother dies and later in the story, her father remarries a woman who had two daughters who treats Ashputtle terribly. Throughout the story of “Ashputtle”, many archetypes can be identified, but two in particular stand out, which are the person who remains good is rewarded and the people who are evil are punished, and some supernatural force that helps the main character achieve their goals. In the beginning of the story, Ashputtle’s dying mother says with her last breath, “Dear child, be good and say your prayers; God will help you, and I shall look down on you from heaven and always be with you” (Grimm and Grimm 853). This displays that Ashputtle obeys her mother’s dying wish and remains good at heart. As the story continues, Ashputtle never showed resentment towards her cruel stepmother and step sisters …show more content…
In particular, the story “Ashputtle”, uses the archetype of a spiritual entity who helps the individual when no one else would. Additionally, the story shows the archetype of evil being punished and the kind souls live happily ever after. So, when Ashputtle’s Stepfamily is cruel to her, she remains benevolent, which grants her a beautiful life while her stepsisters are blinded and bloody. These two archetypes were also presented in the story “Cinderella” by the fairy godmother who helps Cinderella look stunning for the ball so she and the prince can fall in love and have a happy ending. Archetypes are vital to literature because it is a symbol, term, behavior, and other things that are used for storytelling and demonstrate