Stereotypical or Symbolic?

For years, entertainment has consistently reused the same character profiles for their roles: jock, nerd, “mom” of the group, preppy kid, and so on and so forth. But in recent years, cinema and television have taken this placement of personality further than that.

For instance, Winnie the Pooh, composed of nine main characters, is sometimes viewed with each character resembling a mental illness. Another popular movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, may portray behavioral signs of the personified seven deadly sins/faults. Even the Smurfs, although unanimously blue, all embody distinct, exaggerated personality traits. Many people believe that this is the media's way of not only educating us on real issues people are going through, but also alluding to the fact that if you think about it hard enough, most of the entertainment you consume has some form of ulterior underlying messaging. 

Below are charts with shows/movies and their characters with specific traits, plus the fan theory about that franchise.

Character: Description - Fan-Theory Categorization

Spongebob Squarepants

SpongeBob: Cheerful, energetic, optimistic - ADHD/hyperactivity

Patrick: Loyal, clueless, aloof - Intellectual disability archetype

Squidward: Sarcastic, grumpy, artistic - Depression/burnout

Mr. Krabs: Frugal, fatherly, obsessed with money - OCD and greed fixation

Sandy: Tough, smart, scientific - High-functioning anxiety

Plankton: Scheming, insecure - Narcissistic traits

Gary: Quiet, observant - Genius archetype

Winnie-The-Pooh

Winnie-the-Pooh: Simple-minded, food-obsessed - Eating disorder and impulsivity

Piglet: Shy, nervous - Generalized anxiety disorder

Tigger: Energetic, bouncy - ADHD

Eeyore: Gloomy, pessimistic - Major depressive disorder

Rabbit: Organized, controlling - OCD

Owl: Confident, long-winded - Narcissistic traits

Kanga: Nurturing, protective - Social anxiety/ overprotectiveness

Roo: Curious, playful - Developmental innocence

Christopher Robin: Imaginative, gentle - Dissociation/coping mechanism

Inside Out

Joy: Positive, controlling - Mania/toxic positivity

Sadness: Emotional, empathetic - Depression symptoms

Anger: Intense, blunt - Impulse control issues

Fear: Nervous, protective - Anxiety disorder

Disgust: Sarcastic, picky - Avoidance behavior

Riley: Emotional, growing up - The psyche itself

Bing Bong: Nostalgic, joyful - Fading childhood innocence

The Smurfs

Papa Smurf: Wise leader - Wisdom archetype

Smurfette: Kind, compassionate - Feminine idealization

Brainy Smurf: Know-it-all, nerdy - Intellectual arrogance

Hefty Smurf: Strong, brave - Strength hero archetype

Clumsy Smurf: Accident-prone - Incompetence archetype

Grouchy Smurf: Irritable - Chronic irritability

Jokey Smurf: Prank-loving - Trickster archetype

Gargamel: Obsessive villain - Obsession/inferiority complex

Friends

Rachel Green: Fashionable, dramatic- Identity confusion

Ross Geller: Nerdy, jealous - Obsessive attachment

Monica Geller: Organized, competitive - OCD

Chandler Bing: Sarcastic, anxious - Anxiety and trauma humor

Joey Tribbiani: Simple, charming - Impulsivity/childlike traits

Phoebe Buffay: Quirky, spiritual - Trauma survivor archetype

Alice in Wonderland

Alice: Curious, imaginative - Dissociation

Mad Hatter: Eccentric, chaotic - Psychosis/mania

White Rabbit: Rushed, anxious - Anxiety disorder

Queen of Hearts: Angry, dramatic - Narcissistic rage

Cheshire Cat: Mysterious, cryptic - Reality distortion

Caterpillar: Philosophical, calm - Altered-state consciousness

March Hare: Chaotic, frantic - Mania

Tweedledee & Tweedledum: Childish, argumentative - Split-personality symbolism

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie Bucket: Kind, humble - Purity archetype

Willy Wonka: Strange, brilliant - Eccentric neurosis

Veruca Salt: Spoiled, entitled - Narcissism

Violet Beauregarde: Competitive, proud - Attention-seeking

Augustus Gloop: Gluttonous, greedy - Impulse disorder

Mike Teavee: Tech-obsessed, sarcastic - Tech addiction

Grandpa Joe: Excitable, loyal - Idealism/escapism

The Breakfast Club

Claire (The Princess): Popular, pressured - Identity issues

Andrew (The Athlete): Jock, people-pleaser - Performance anxiety

Bender (The Criminal): Rebellious, troubled - Trauma response

Brian (The Brain): Smart, anxious - Perfectionism

Allison (The Basket Case): Withdrawn, weird - Depression/isolation

Principal Vernon: Strict, authoritative - Control archetype

Carl (Janitor): Observant, grounded - Reality-check archetype