The Trickster Karl Jung's explanation for the archetypes that emerge in cultural and religious literature is that they are the product of what he calls the collective unconscious. That thread of consciousness that connects all human beings and cultures in the world. Yet it is not visible to the naked eye, we must look for its signs by researching cultures that have long disappeared and comparing them with each other and with ours. Studying it reminds us that all humans are bound together by a common source. The "Trickster" is an archetype that emerges in many cultural and religious stories. Each trickster is unique in their own culture, but all tricksters are bound by certain characteristics, regardless of the religion they appear in. Anthropologists argue that each trickster should be evaluated in their own cultural context, but to see their archetypal value they must and can be evaluated as a group. Jung would say it is a manifestation of our collective unconscious. Evidence to support this claim was found by psychologist John Laynard. In his research on schizophrenia he found the qualities of the trickster emerging in the disorder (p.54 Euba). This suggests that the Trickster is within all of us, sitting on the border between the conscious and the unconscious. So who is this Trickster? It has many forms both human and animal. Its physical form seems to be particular to each religion. The best way to see a cheater is by his personality. "[He is] Admired, Beloved, venerated for his merits and virtues, he is represented as a thief, devious, parricide, incestuous and cannibalistic. The mischievous prankster is deceived by practically everyone; the inventor of ingenious stratagems is presented as a idiot; the master of magical power is sometimes unable to extricate himself from dilemmas." (p.67 Hynes and Doty). The Trickster appears to be a comedy of opposites. For every good aspect of his person there is an equal and opposite aspect. In religious stories its role is very varied. He is the one who breaks taboos. It provides comic relief to a religious myth. And he will devise elaborate plans to teach a moral lesson or expose the folly of men. The Trickster shares many attributes with humans. In Native American style... ... middle of paper ......ard to the meeting. This is when they encounter the Borg. The Borg are much stronger than humans and just when it seems like the Borg will destroy the Enterprise, it teleports them back to the end of the universe. Here we see again how the trickster reminds humans that there are many powers greater than them in the universe. Now that we've seen several examples of the trickster and his ways, we have a good way to identify and understand him. In many ways it is a reflection of the human desire to become more than human. It also reminds us that human beings are just that, human beings. The satire and ridicule of the trickster serves both as comic relief and as a reminder of our obvious limitations as human beings. It represents all those parts of our psyche from the desire to fly like a bird to those that desire to rule like a God. It is fascinating to study its characteristics collectively and within ourselves.Bibliography1. “Mythical Trickster Figures,” William J. Hynes and William G. Doty1993 The University of Alabama Press; Tuscaloosa, Alabama2. "Archetypes, cursers and victims of destiny", Femi Euba1989 Greenwood Press; New York, New York