Which term is often used to describe a cultural representation that travels across different narratives over time?

The term that best describes a cultural representation that travels across different narratives over time is archetype. Archetypes are universal symbols, themes, or character types that recur throughout various forms of storytelling, literature, and cultural expressions across different times and places. They embody fundamental human experiences and emotions, making them relevant and recognizable across diverse narratives.

For example, the hero's journey is a classic archetype that appears in countless stories, from ancient myths to modern films, illustrating the struggle and growth of a protagonist. This capacity for archetypes to resonate with various cultures and to adapt to different contexts contributes significantly to their enduring presence in storytelling.

While folklore encompasses traditional beliefs, customs, and stories typically passed down orally within specific cultures, it may not necessarily travel across narratives in the same way that archetypes do. Mythology refers more broadly to a collection of myths that belong to a particular culture, which can certainly share archetypal elements but isn't solely focused on the adaptability or representation across different narratives. Tradition relates to the transmission of customs and ideas over time but doesn't inherently imply movement across different stories or interpretations as archetypes do.