How Writers Use The Protagonist As A Literary Device

What is a protagonist in fiction? Learn how to use the protagonist as a powerful literary device to shape and strengthen your novel.

Look Out For All The Posts In The 4 Main Characters Series:

1. How Writers Use The 4 Main Characters As Literary Devices
2. How Writers Use The Protagonist As A Literary Device
3. How Writers Use The Antagonist As A Literary Device
4. How Writers Use The Confidant As A Literary Device
5. How Writers Use The Love Interest As A Literary Device

Welcome to this series on the four main characters and why they are literary devices. Today I’m going to write about the protagonist and their role in our stories.

How Writers Use The Protagonist As A Literary Device

If we want to create memorable protagonists, we need to understand their purpose in our stories. A strong protagonist gives the narrative direction by wanting something deeply and pursuing it despite conflict, obstacles, and self-doubt. Their choices, struggles, and growth are what keep readers emotionally invested from beginning to end.

As John Gardner famously said: ‘In nearly all good fiction, the basic — all but inescapable — plot form is this: A central character wants something, goes after it despite opposition (perhaps including his own doubts), and so arrives at a win, lose, or draw.’

As A Literary Device: The protagonist exists as a sympathetic force that drives the story from the inciting moment to the ending, and to be effective in this role, they should never be passive.

Story Goal: Their story goal is to find a solution to a problem posed at the beginning of the book.

Five Important Things To Remember About Protagonists

1. A novel without a protagonist is like a movie without a star. A protagonist is the central character or leading figure in any story. Readers often call this character the hero or main character (MC). We need somebody to empathise (note that I did not say sympathise) with in a story – and the protagonist is usually the literary device that facilitates this.
2. Location. Location. Location. We find protagonists in most of the scenes in a novel. The story revolves around them and the author usually uses this character as a viewpoint character. They are the character with the story goal that drives the plot.
3. We are all fatally flawed. Protagonists are not perfect. They are simply people who find themselves in a difficult situation that requires an action or reaction. An antagonist often defines a protagonist. Without an adversary for your hero, there is little reason to write a novel.
4. A little bit of charm goes a long way. Your protagonist is usually likeable, though, because it is difficult to persuade readers to wade through 360 pages, rooting for a person they do not like. Anti-heroes can also be protagonists, but you need to be a skilled author to pull this off. You will have to find ways to make them charming, charismatic, or believable.
5. No man is an island. For your story to work at the most basic level, you will need an antagonist who tries to stop your protagonist, a confidant or friend who is there as support, and a romantic involvement who is there to complicate their life. There will be other characters who make shorter appearances in your book.

How Do You Find Your Protagonist?

List three characters who would realistically have a strong reason to drive your story goal.

The character who has the most ‘yes’ answers would be the best choice.

Now complete this:

• The character who should pursue the story goal is:
• The character I find most interesting is:
• The character I would most enjoy writing about is:
• The character who would be the most believable is:

One of your characters will dominate these answers. This is the character you should consider using as your protagonist. If the second character differs from the character you chose in the lists, you may be giving the leading role to the wrong character.

Character Questionnaires Suitable For A Protagonist

1. Complete this for your protagonist: The Only Character Questionnaire You Need to Complete – 94 Questions For The Characters We Create.
2. If you want a more creative character questionnaire, try using this post to get to know your protagonist better than you know yourself: 127 Prompts To Finish Before You Write About Yourself

The Last Word

In the end, a protagonist is far more than the main character of a story. As a literary device, the protagonist drives the plot, shapes the emotional journey, and gives readers someone to follow, understand, and care about. Whether heroic, flawed, relatable, or unconventional, a strong protagonist keeps the story moving forward and helps turn an idea into a compelling novel.

by Amanda Patterson
© Amanda Patterson

If you enjoyed this blogger’s post, read:

1. 350 Essential Character Traits for Writers
2. How To Outline A Short Story – For Beginners
3. 6 Sub-Plots Every Writer Should Know
4. How To Write Great Dialogue In Fiction
5. What Is An Unreliable Narrator? 9 Types Every Writer Should Know
6. How Writers Use The 4 Main Characters As Literary Devices
7. Mastering Point Of View In Writing
8. 7 Essential Elements Every Writer Must Master
9. 12 Setting Secrets Every Storyteller Needs To Know
10. 17 Ways To Think Like A Writer Every Day

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