One way is to analyze their backstories. A character with a troubled past and a journey of redemption is likely the reformed bad boy. A character who grew up in a small town and has simple values is probably the small - town girl. And if a character has a high - profile career and a lot of wealth but lacks emotional connection, it may be the wealthy businessman. Another way is to observe how they interact with other characters. A very charming and flirtatious character who eventually settles down is the charming rake.
You can identify them by their relationships. For example, if a male character is constantly rescuing a female character, he could be the knight - in - - shining - armor archetype. If a female character is always independent and not relying on a man, she is the self - reliant woman archetype. Also, their goals play a part. If a character is focused on self - improvement and redemption, it could be the reformed bad boy archetype.