Parallel Opposites

*Disclaimer: There have been too many people with too many ideas for anything in this presentation to be original. Apologies and regards to all those unnamed students and professors who have written about this theory before me. This theory, steeped heavily in the teachings of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, is meant to deepen one's appreciation for quality story-telling, not just in anime.

Set-Up: There are many ways to read deeper and analyze a work of literature such as the Freudian approach, Jungian philosophy, or social standing. One way to study a piece is by implementing the “parallel opposite” theory to relate a character’s relations with other characters to the larger theme of a piece.

Theory: The Parallel Opposite Theory states that major characters in a literary piece serve to compliment, conflict and complete the protagonist as other parts of his/her psyche in order to develop the theme of said work. A P.O. is recognized as a character that functions in some way similar to the protagonist in skills, bloodline, manners, reputation, goals, or (to a lesser extent) appearance while also holding characteristics that contradict the protagonist’s.

2 Primary Archetypes:

I) Competitor – Those who conflict with the protagonist.

Villain – The most common archetype. In stories like these, the antagonist is somehow linked to the protagonist and stands in the high tower, plotting and awaiting his/her demise. In cases like this, Jungian philosophy is an obvious adjunct analytical tool because of its study of the yin-yang. The villain may represent the hero’s darker side or potential for evil. To conquer this potential for evil, the hero must face his/her “darker side” and destroy it. So long as it exists, it will challenge and conflict the hero; (Just as certain emotions can certainly do when we ignore or hide them.)

Ex: Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader from Star Wars/ Neo and Agent Smith from The Matrix Trilogy

Fellow Student – In this case, the protagonist and the P.O. character have similar reputations and always stand in each other’s way. This often bleeds into the villain archetype. The significant difference between the two is that the Fellow Student’s absence causes a rift and small death within the protagonist. They exist as a peaceful yin-yang and benefit from the competition, but crumble once separated: to lose one’s competition is to lose a piece of one’s self.

Ex: Achilles and Hector from Homer’s The Iliad

II) Companion – Those who assist the protagonist.

Sage – The parallel opposite teaches the protagonist knowledge to complete his/her quest such as a secret trade, skill, or by imparting a key item. Often paired up with the Fellow Student archetype.

Ex: Yoda and Obiwan from Star Wars

Lover – A fairly new trend in literature, this parallel opposite is another embodiment of the yin-yang from Jungian and Chinese philosophy. Their union is often viewed as the anima or animus of the protagonist’s psyche. If a lover P.O. archetype is going to be used in a story, he/she is most likely going to be captured in the beginning, making the entire story a “sacred marriage” quest as described by Joseph Campbell.

Ex: Odysseus and Penelope of Homer’s Odyssey

Helper (Partner) – Most likely the least specific among the companion category, the helper works well to contrast the protagonist and offer readers a different view on the situation. Often the traveling aid on the quest, a helper can be comic relief, an enthusiastic rookie, an honored veteran or even an assigned partner from the office. What separates this sub-type is that the partner often indirectly presents the view of the writer against the protagonist’s views; he/she is rarely an allegorical section of the protagonist as he/she is a tool for opinion or plot.

Ex: Horatio in Hamlet, Han Solo in Star Wars, Samwise in Lord of the Rings

*Twin – Often used in conjunction with the Helper, Fellow Student and Lover archetype, the twin parallel opposite is proof that the story (or that character’s role in the story) cannot function without the other half. For example, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are never separated in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, because, without the other, they lack substance enough to be real characters. When Harry Met Sally, because its plot is about the relationship between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, to film does not happen with just one half of the title. Take away one, and you destroy the piece as a whole.

* In many cases, the Twin and the Helper act as aids to the protagonist, though they may not always be major characters. Such is the case of Merry and Pippin from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings epic.

Use as a Plot Device: Writers may implement a parallel opposite for conflict and depth in the story. It is most effective when archetypes cross over. For example, what happens when the Sage becomes the story’s villain? Or when the Lover is a Fellow Student who refuses to let the protagonist have the last word? Confusing conflict is the key to keeping an audience geared toward a story’s development.

Example of use in To Kill a Mockingbird:

First, identify the story’s protagonist and theme: Scout and racism.

Second, we find supporting characters who move with the plot: Atticus Finch and Calpurnia.

What we can say is that, to Scout, Atticus and Calpurnia serve as the Sage archetypes that give her a full view of racism, how it affects a white family as well as a black family when Atticus takes on his famous case later in the book. Atticus and Calpurnia act as parallel opposites in their relationship, white and black, male and female, the kind of selfless union that Atticus strives for in his standing up against racism. Thus, because of her upbringing in a home without racism, Scout has to potential to rise above it.