What is a protagonist?

[Kathryn]

We were discussing a book series last night and realized that we were taught differently about who the protagonist is in a story. When I went to look it up, I found three differing views. So, now I'm wondering what others were taught.

[MinivanMom]

I was always taught that the protagonist is the person who drives the action forward. This is usually (but not always) the main character.

[Georgiana Daniels]

The protagonist is the main character--the one the reader will be "rooting for" throughout the story. The protagonist will change over the course of the story (character arc) and they do drive the action forward because they have a "goal" and must overcome the "conflict" to achieve said goal.

[regentrude]

Main character or character who drives the action forward; in most cases this will be the same.

Character who changes - not a good definition IMO, since other characters change as well.

[Chelli]

I voted the character who drives the action forward.

 

This is probably because I read Deconstructing Penguins and that's how the author defines it. His example is Charlotte's Web. Most people would say that Wilbur is the protagonist, but it's actually Charlotte because she is the one driving the situation ahead. Templeton would be the antagonist because he is trying to stop the situation. Wilbur is a main character in the story, but neither the protagonist or the antagonist.

[Twigs]

… realized that we were taught differently about who the protagonist is in a story. …

 

I voted "other" because I was never taught about a protagonist!

[Crimson Wife]

Figuratively Speaking defines the protagonist as "the central character". The EMC Masterpieces Language Arts and Literature: World Literature textbook similarly defines it as "the central figure in a literary work." Orson Scott Card's The Elements of Fiction Writing: Characters and Viewpoints defines it as "the character whose change is the subject of the story". Those were the 3 definitions I could find in a quick glance-through of my bookshelf.

[Kathryn]

I can't recall what I was taught in school, but I am sure it wasn't "main character" because I remember thinking it was confusing. Then, when I read "Deconstructing Penguins," the definition of protagonist as the one who drives the action forward sounded like it must have been what I was taught vs. the idea of main character. Then, when I was looking last night, I came across this idea of the character who changes, which I'd never before heard.

 

I don't understand how there can be such differences of opinion on what a protagonist is. Although the different thoughts often line up in one character, they sometimes don't, and it seems like it'd be confusing to be working with one definition while others, perhaps a teacher, are working with another.

[PhotoGal]

In school I was taught the protagonist was the "good guy" and the antagonist was the "bad guy." I have since read "Deconstructing Penguins" and find that definition more interesting. I don't know what the official answer would be. :)

[dewdropfairy]

This was covered only very briefly in my PS growing up. We were taught, in essence, that the protagonist was the "good guy" and the antagonist was the "bad guy". An easy summary, but seems a bit incomplete. I like the Charlotte's Web explanation. The idea that they drive the plot forward makes the most sense.

[nansk]

I was never officially taught was a protagonist was, and used to believe it was the main character. But it isn't, either in definition nor etymology.

 

I was thinking along the same lines, so I checked the etymology of 'protagonist' and it does mean the chief character.

[Kathryn]

 

 

I was thinking along the same lines, so I checked the etymology of 'protagonist' and it does mean the chief character.

 

Actually, that page quotes it as "actor who plays the chief or first part," and if we are going to split hairs, we should split the right ones. So, as an actor is one who acts, not one who wallows around waiting for action to happen, it seems that it *could* still be the one who pushes the action forward.

[Lilaclady]

To me, protagonist is the person who is carrying the main action of the book forward. Sometimes its been hard defining as you need to know what the main action is first before finding the person who is driving it forward. We had some interesting discussions with this as I usually ask my dd to find the protagonist and antagonist when we read our lit books for school.