Judgement Tarot Card Meaning for Writers

This post explores the Judgement Tarot card in light of creative writing and what we could glean from it for character, plot, conflict, setting and more. This post will be added to as additional insights come up. 

Let's say I want to flesh out a female character, including her name, occupation and some personality traits. Using the Universal Waite Tarot, I shuffle and draw Judgement.

Character: For a name, I can riff on the card title: Judith? Judy? Last name of Judge? Judd? Or maybe she likes the music of the Judds? Looks like Ashley Judd?

Personality wise, maybe she’s an actual judge. Or judgemental. What kind of occupations could involve criticism or even judgmentalism? A book critic? Headmistress? Mother superior? Minister?

What about looking closer at the imagery. Could she be a mortician? Coffin maker? Trumpet player? Or maybe an exacting conductor or perfectionistic composer? Maybe she’s a no-nonsense head nurse on the battlefield (notice the red cross on the flag)?

Maybe your character is a Joan of Arc type personality, who is “sent” to be a group’s “salvation”. Or perhaps she’s an actual angel…or a woman with a messiah complex.

Trumpets usually announce important people or messages. In fact, in the Greek, angel comes from the word angelos which means “messenger”. Maybe your character is a town crier. Or the town gossip. Or she really does bear an important message that must get delivered…or else.

Conflict:

Plot:

Setting:

What do you see in this card? Feel free to share your insights in the comments section so we can create a Tarot Card Meaning Database for Writers for everyone to use! (Huge thanks to Kerry Dwyer for the inspiration to do this series!)

-- Janet

Comments

[Kerrydwyer]

I see the pied piper. I find the naked children a little disturbing. They look as though they are dead as they are very pale and standing in, what look like, coffins. I wonder what a horror writer would make of that?
I am trying to find significance in the water but it is a little late in the day for me.
Glad to be of service Janet. I look forward to the next card.

[Janet Boyer]

Great points, Kerry! Reminds me of Stephen King's Pet Sematary where they bury the dog, he comes back to life. Then the kid dies and...

Water could mean pool party, location near water, a public baptism, Charon ferrying souls of the dead on the river Styx, etc. In fact, maybe our main character was at a pool party with music by Styx playing...or, even better, they showed up and crashed the party! :o)

[Kerrydwyer]

WOW - when I need something brain storming I will know where to come!

[Janet Boyer]

It appears to be one of my greatest strengths! But it can also be a bane much like the 7 of Cups Tarot card: I have so MANY ideas (especially with writing projects) that it's often hard to pick what's next (or finish what I've started). Unless, of course, a contract is involved. LOL! ;o)