Terrific Tropes

Hello, everyone!

I hope things are going alright for you out there. Today we’re going to be discussing tropes that I like, as an echo/counteractive to the previous post on terrible tropes.

In case you missed that post, here’s the definition we’re using for tropes, as seen in Urban Dictionary:

An overused, nearly meaningless word worn out by pretentious twits, much like paradigm. See hackneyed and vacuous.

Urban Dictionary

The reason I want to talk about this topic is, we do see patterns of certain archetypes or character or plot arcs being used over and over in books, with individual variations. Sometimes there’s a certain trope we’ll like; for example, someone might say, “I love forbidden romance”, or, “I love when the main character has an animal sidekick.” This would be an example of someone liking a trope, even if a trope is, by definition overused.

Here are some examples of tropes that I find terrific (even though some might find them terrible! And that’s alright).

My terrific tropes list

A lot of the books I read and write are fantasy-genre, which is what most people think of as “sword and sorcery”; take Harry Potter and magic wands, Lord of the Rings with Gandalf and his staff, Terry Brooks’ elfstones of Shannara, etc. This genre has always appealed to me ever since I was a kid. Something about fantastical creatures and elements just really intrigues me, moreso than contemporary settings. So a lot of the tropes I like, you’ll see, are fantasy-related; but not all.

• When there is a mystical, sometimes half-animal or half-tree Forest King or Forest Queen that rules over all/some animals or mystical creatures in the land.
  I like this trope because there are so many different takes on it, and I think it would be fun and exciting to meet someone like this. Also, I really enjoy hiking in nature, and I like animals; so the idea of there being secret beings or languages that the animals speak to each other, or that there are humanoid beings in the trees that communicate with each other, makes me happy.

• When the main character has a personal struggle they are already going through, and magic and mentorship helps them to see another angle to the situation. This happens in a lot of different stories, but I like it anyway, because I can relate to the idea of needing help from a benevolent guide. I also think it’s realistic when everything isn’t perfect for the main character even before the story begins.

• When two main characters are at odds with each other, but later gain an understanding. We see in a lot of fantasy, including the ever-epic, masterful Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, where cautious hobbits eventually find a friend in Strider the ranger, and even a dwarf and an elf can be friends. This is one I tend to use in my own writing, too. It’s just fun to write all of that conflict, and heartwarming and exciting to see how it gets resolved into friendship.

• When the hero/heroine survives and lives a good life after the adventure. I like this, even if it is overly used. As a reader, I find it satisfying, and as a writer, I just ask – why does everything have to be so dramatic? Let them have parents! Let them live happily ever after! World knows we have enough depressing stuff these days, and loads of anti-heroes, so I think some happy endings are warranted. (But don’t get me started on “and all was well” in Harry Potter).

Funny Tropes

I’d love to hear what you think of my favorite tropes, and what some of yours are! Here is a funny article I found with a list of 101 fantasy-genre tropes, such as:

1. Your Hero has found the magic item they need to save the world while locked up at the Dark Lord’s Castle.
2. They insist that they steal it before they leave the castle.
3. Conveniently, the Dark Lord, or maybe a dragon, is asleep and they can retrieve it.
4. But, the Dark Lord wakes up just as they are making their escape.

Here is the full link.

For more information on how to turn tropes on their head, check out this article.

Until next time,

Chaitanya