This article written by Candice D. Roberts & Susan Stein is a media content study on how character archetypes are represented in films with environmental themes. Documentaries were excluded in order to focus on the depiction of environmental themes in fiction. Using films listed in the Environmental Communication Network’s Filmography of Nature and Environmental Movies and other internet movie databases, the sample set was narrowed down to a total of 44 films.

The researchers focused their analysis of the films with a combination of the archetype theories of Carl Jung as well as the neo-archetype theory developed by Faber and Mayer. The characters in each film were carefully examined to reveal any prominent archetypes present. Limited only to the films selected for sample, the authors were also guided in their study the Framing Theory from Fairhurst and Sarr, the development on Jung’s Archetype Theory done by Campbell, and the analysis techniques of Vogler.

Three predominant archetype patterns came to light as a result of their work. The first archetype pattern is called Protagonist Hero vs. Ruler Villain and puts an individual “hero” with the virtues of good will and determination against a “ruler” villain that has great political influence or other source of power and is to blame for the environmental issue. An example of a film that exhibits this first pattern is Disney and Pixar’s Wall-E with its Buy-N-Large corporation. The second pattern, The Greater Good Versus Self-Serving Narrative pattern involves a protagonist character that may be a ruler villain initially. This character then has experiences that develop them into a more selfless individual that can help solve the environmental issue at hand. An example is the character Chuck Glover from Wild River, who seeks to save the homes of a population of people he was initially employed to move out for development after getting to know them. The third pattern is Dystopia, where the archetypes of hero and ruler villain are even less clear and the consistent theme is one of chaos and violence as an aftermath of some great environmental disaster. Max from the Mad Max films is an example offered by the authors because his motives are not clearly heroic or villainous as framed by the ravaged environment of the post-apocalyptic Australia he inhabits.

This study revealed that in fictional media, there are specific narrative patterns that individuals witness when viewing environmental film. One point made by the authors I found valuable was that in only three of the films sampled the film examined the idea that we all have a role in solving environmental problems. It is less often the case that an environmental issue is caused solely by an easily identified “evil” ruler villain, but rather we are all collectively accountable for the health of the environment and can make decisions to change it for the better. I would offer my support to the writers of films that help to spread this message creatively and effectively.

Candice D. Roberts & Susan Stein. 2015. Eco-Heroes and Eco Villains: An Archetypal Analysis of Environmental Film, 1950-2010. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 14:1, 57-64, DOI: 10.1080/1533015X.2015.1013226