Story Writing Basics – What Is A Protagonist?

A protagonist is one of the essential parts of a story. There are many different characters in most stories that have important roles, but a protagonist helps the story as a whole move along. Without a protagonist, the story cannot develop.

You choose the purpose and role of all of your characters in a story. Depending on your writing style and your intent of the story, your main characters have different roles. Most of the time, the audience either emphasizes or cheers for the protagonist. The catch is that sometimes the audience is cheering for this character’s demise instead of their success. It all depends on the character. This term protagonist comes from ancient Greek stories translating to “one who plays the first part.” Ancient Greek writers like Aeschylus and Sophocles incorporated protagonists in their plays. Plays evolved from simple stories to complicated plots with different characters, all playing a specific purpose.

In story writing, there is no right or wrong way to use a protagonist. Over the years, many storytellers have developed new and interesting ways to use this main character. There are many stories told through the eyes of the protagonist. Sometimes many different characters are describing their perspectives, meaning that there is more than one protagonist. This person or persons does not have to be likable. They don’t need to be the hero of your story. They can be the character that everyone hates on some level. As long as the protagonist is a well-rounded character, they’re well-written.

The protagonist does not have to be the main character of the story. In “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Charlie is the main character. Willy Wonka is actually the protagonist. The protagonist is also not the one against him/her, which is the antagonist. In many stories, this is all about good vs. evil.

There are three main types of protagonists: heroes, anti-heroes and villains. 

1. 1. The hero is the one everyone is rooting for. Rocky Balboa in the “Rocky” movies is a hero. If the hero fails, we fail along with them. 
   2. The anti-hero is the person that is unlikely to us. They don’t seem to have a hero’s qualities, but somehow we fall in love with them. We want them to win by the end of the story. 
   3. The villain protagonist is another ant-hero. They’re driving the plot as the central character, and we love to hate them. We also have a deep feeling for them. 

Many times people get the hero an the protagonist confused. The hero can always be your protagonist because you want to fight for them, but not every story needs an actual hero. In “Clueless,” Cher Horowitz was your protagonist, and we loved her, but she wasn’t saving anyone from anything but spending too much money.

When you’re deep into your story writing and development, you can trick your audience. Sometimes there’s a character appearing to be the protagonist. In “Alien,” the main character of Dallas is the captain of the doomed ship. The aliens take it over. Once that alien is loose, Dallas is killed. This twist shocks the audience into wondering what could happen next. If you kill off the main characters, there is no way this will be your everyday story.

It’s important to understand that the protagonist’s motivation can be clear for the audience, but doesn’t need to be clear-headed for the actual protagonist. The main character might want or need something that isn’t in their best interest. In “Moby Dick,” Captain Ahab wanted to kill the white whale, Moby Dick, because it took his leg. He’s obsessed with these thoughts. He should turn back on this journey because it’s insanely dangerous, yet he pushes forward. The reader connects with him on some level because they understand we’re all in his same boat sometimes. We all push forward, knowing we should turn back. As long as we connect, it’s okay that the protagonist isn’t making sense.

It’s time for some journal writing for character development. This step is where you develop the person or creature that your reader will connect with personally. People need something that can understand. Maybe your character wants to be accepted, maybe they want to go home, or perhaps they want to win. They need a personal motivation that connects them with the reader. In “The Wizard Of Oz,” Dorothy didn’t just want to go home; she wanted a home where she felt accepted and loved as her own person. You’ll need to develop this character as a whole. This person or creature cannot be one dimensional or the audience will feel no connection. One could argue that Regina in “Mean Girls” didn’t have two sides. She was dull and mean. If you wanted her to be your protagonist, you need to create a vulnerable side to her. Make the audience feel for that person.

Once character development is achieved, it’s time to develop the story of that character. The protagonist needs a journey in life. This journey is the meat of your story. Think of Luke Skywalker in “Star Wars.” He was a kind, gentle farmer. Then He was suddenly thrust into a literal other world where he had to harness his Jedi mind powers. This journey is not ordinary, yet he is a totally different person by the end of the film. Though it might seem challenging, journal writing is where you dive into this story. You brainstorm and write all over those pages. This process is where your story bounces to life. From the blank pages, you create a masterpiece using your protagonist as your inspiration.

In the end, a protagonist will be the character with a huge arc in the story. They start somewhere, and they finish somewhere else. You’ll feel as if you’ve lived through the eyes of this character. You’ll feel your story is whole once you’ve found your true protagonist.

Grab your writing journal (see our journals at The Amazing Office), start working on your protagonist and write some stories!

Did you see my recent post Top 10 Writers Productivity Tips For Any Writer? 

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