Possesed by the trikster

[hellome]

Hi all,

I am writing a story - a kind of way-out-there fiction thing - in which a character litterally gets possessed by the Trickster. From my limited research I understand the Trickster's function is to shake things up, stir the pot, and basically trick people (and society) out of their complacency and ridgidity.

My questions is, how can my character exorcise this archetypal character? I understand in Jungian terms that people develop complexes if they shy away from these things, and in my story the complex, or the Trickster, who has taken up residence in my character, is causing him a lot of grief. So he wants an end to it. Like I said this is indeed fiction, and odd fiction at that, but I do need a believable scenario whereby an archetypal entity is banished.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

 

[Myrddin]

Yes. The trickster is also very cunning and not easy to fool. Such examples are Loki from Norse myth, Coyote from Native American, and even Hermes from Greek. I would think that your character would have to somehow trick the trickster into leaving his body, maybe for someone "better". And then maybe it would easier for him to take of the demon. It would, of course, depend on the entity of the trickster (what trickster figure you used), but your character could maybe also swear to a higher power than that of the trickster to have the being leave his body -- and never again return? (i.e. If it were Loki, he would swear to Odin.) It really depends on how you want the story to unfold, but if it suits the character, he may sacrifice himself to destroy the trickster (kill himself). Or, going back to the body switch, he could have trickster change bodies into that of the antagonist, assuming there is one of the flesh, sometime just before that character is offed. Whatever you decide to do, I'm interested to know. (I enjoy writing myself.)