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May 20, 2024 · 1. Protagonist. A protagonist is the main character whose journey we follow throughout the story. To make that journey more interesting, writers add depth and weight to the protagonist’s personality, backstory, and any growth they experience in the story.
Protagonist. The protagonist is the main character of a story. The word comes from the old Greek and means “principal actor,” or the headliner. This is the primary character who will lead your readers through the story. Their decisions and experiences are what instigate the events of the plot.
- Protagonist
- Antagonist
- Deuteragonist
- Tertiary Characters
- Love Interest
- Confidant
- Foil Character
The protagonist is likely a pretty familiar conceptfor most of us: this is the main character, the big cheese, the star of the show. Most of the action centers around them, and they’re the one we’re meant to care about the most. In stories written with a first-person point of view, the protagonist is usually the narrator, but not always. The narrat...
If you’re an antagonist, you antagonize — it’s what you do. Specifically, you undermine, thwart, battle, or otherwise oppose one character: the protagonist. Most of the time, the protagonist is good and the antagonist is evil, and such is the source of their conflict. This isn’t always the case — especially if the protagonist is an anti-hero who la...
Most stories have a primary protagonist and a secondary deuteragonist(or group of deuteragonists). This is the character who’s not exactly in the spotlight, but pretty close to it. The deuteragonist’s comic book equivalent would probably be the sidekick. They’re often seen in the company of the protagonist — giving advice, plotting against their ri...
The reason that tertiary characters aren’t called “tertagonists” is because they’re not important enough to really agonizeanything or anyone. They flit in and out of the MC’s life, perhaps only appearing in one or two scenes throughout the book. However, a well-rounded story still requires a few tertiaries. We all have them in real life, after all ...
Most novels contain romance in one form or another. It might be the main plot, a subplot, or just a blip on the narrative radar — but no matter how it features, there has to be some sort of love interestinvolved. This love interest is typically a deuteragonist, but not exclusively (hence why this separate category). You’ll recognize a love interest...
This one’s even harder to pin down, especially since many stories focus so much on their MC’s love interest that other relationships get left out in the cold. However, the confidantcan still be one of the protagonist's most profound relationships in a novel. Confidants are often best friends, but they may also be a potential love interest or even a...
A foil characteris someone whose personality and values fundamentally clash with the protagonist’s. This clash highlights the MC’s defining attributes, giving us a better picture of who they truly are. Though these two often have an antagonistic relationship, the foil is not usually the primary antagonist. Sometimes the MC and their foil clash at f...
Oct 1, 2023 · Types of Characters in a Story. Protagonist. Deuteragonist. Antagonist. Hero. Anti Hero. Tragic Hero. Tritagonist. Superhero. Anti-Villain. Villain. Foil Character. Character Tropes. Common Character Types. Character Archetypes. Types of Villains. Femme Fatale. Mad Scientist. Mary Sue. Damsel in Distress. Characterization. What is Characterization.
Sep 2, 2021 · A main character should be three dimensional and compelling; they should be the kind of dynamic character that readers and viewers can spend days with and not grow bored. Equally important are supporting characters, from sidekicks to love interests to parental figures to villains and anti-heroes.
May 15, 2024 · The protagonist of a story is the leading or main character in a book, movie, short story, play, or other works of fiction. They are the person the story centers around and the character readers will root for to succeed.
Jan 12, 2024 · When you hear the phrase “main character,” the protagonist is usually the first character who comes to mind. In a story, the protagonist is the character the story is about. Their arc remains in focus throughout the story, and typically their choices, motivations, needs, and/or reactions to their circumstances drive the story’s plot.
