TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

What is a Main Protagonist?

Go To

Nikkolas from Texas Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#1: Jul 31st 2013 at 3:03:28 PM

I have just spent hours debating with a guy on another forum about Final Fantasy XII. Obviously that's a video game but his basis for his argument is apparently all literary in nature.

He argues the main character is the one the story is centered on, even if that character isn't as important as others, if he doesn't drive the story or develop or anything like that. H Is analogy is that if he wrote a story about a little girl and Superman, the little girl would be the main character even though Superman gets all the focus and does everything.

...I don't understand this. Can anyone explain it to me?

Ninety Absolutely no relation to NLK from Land of Quakes and Hills Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
Absolutely no relation to NLK
#2: Jul 31st 2013 at 3:28:10 PM

Take a look at The Ishmael and Supporting Protagonist.

Dopants: He meant what he said and he said what he meant, a Ninety is faithful 100%.
lu127 Paper Master from 異界 Since: Sep, 2011 Relationship Status: Crazy Cat Lady
#3: Jul 31st 2013 at 3:38:53 PM

Supporting protagonist is technically a misnomer, as the characters in question aren't usually protagonists (they might be deuteragonists/tritagonists), but rather POV characters.

I remember reading an essay on Jules Verne's The Children Of Captain Grants (the English title is "In Search Of The Castaways"? What?). Anyway, the author claimed that Verne viewed Captain Grant as the main character, even though Grant is not present for most of the novel, and I don't recall reading anything from his POV. However, the plot is centered on leading a rescue mission to find the long-lost captain.

"If you aren't him, then you apparently got your brain from the same discount retailer, so..." - Fighteer
resetlocksley Shut up! from Alone in the dark Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: Only knew I loved her when I let her go
Shut up!
#4: Jul 31st 2013 at 4:19:00 PM

Well, if that hypothetical story about the little girl was more about her than Superman, then yes, she would be the protagonist. Protagonist means "main character", not "most powerful" or "most important." But if the story focused on Superman, he would be the protagonist.

I don't really understand the question.

edited 31st Jul '13 4:20:02 PM by resetlocksley

Fear is a superpower.
Nikkolas from Texas Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#5: Jul 31st 2013 at 4:45:22 PM

It might help more to know about FFXII to be honest.

IN the game, Vaan is the character you control, a sort of everyman. However he has almost zero in the way of development and he doesn't really drive the story at all. As in, he isn't the one leading the group of heroes around.

That person who leads everyone, who's quest dominates a majority of the game and who's decision and character development effects the climax, is Ashe.

I argued Ashe was the main character because pretty much everything in the game's story revolves around her in some way.

resetlocksley Shut up! from Alone in the dark Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: Only knew I loved her when I let her go
Shut up!
#6: Jul 31st 2013 at 4:53:50 PM

Honestly, there's probably no 100% solid answer as it pertains to this particular game. Some might feel the player's character is the protagonist because he's focused on a lot, and some might argue the one the story revolves around is the "real" protagonist. I think both arguments could have merit. But I'm not familiar with the game so I can't really say for sure.

edited 31st Jul '13 4:54:13 PM by resetlocksley

Fear is a superpower.
TheSplendorman Slender Family Reject from Florida with Fear Since: Nov, 2012
Slender Family Reject
#7: Aug 1st 2013 at 1:40:11 AM

Just as someone can have more than one "best friend," I think you can have more than one "main protagonist." Anakin Skywalker is arguably the main protagonist of all six movies, despite being a villain in the last (or first if you want to be touchy, whatever) three, as the story isn't so much about Luke - who you could also see as the main character - as it is about Anakin's redemption.

Similarly, Lord of the Rings is either about Frodo's quest to destroy the ring, Sam's quest to redeem Frodo and keep him sane, Aragorn's quest to reclaim the throne, or Gandalf's quest to fulfill his final purpose (there's a lot of Jesus stuff in Gandalf), or even Gollum's quest for revenge or redemption.

It's all in which protagonist (or even antagonist with the Vader or Gollum examples) you decide to look at.

"Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools" - Napoleon Bonaparte
swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#8: Aug 1st 2013 at 10:44:58 AM

I think a good example for a movie in which the protagonist is (unintentionally) screwed up is "Sleeping Beauty". Because of the title, everyone assumes that Aurora or at least Phillip is the protagonist. But Aurora has barely any screentime and is asleep for the second part of the movie, and Phillip does barely anything on his own volition. If you really pay attention, than the three fairies are the true protagonists, the movie is more about them defeating Maleficent with their scheming than about Aurora's journey. The title character is not necessarily the protagonist of a story so yes, it's entirely possible to make a superman movie in which he isn't the protagonist.

Naturally the word isn't that clear cut, and you can discuss it to no end. I for example would say that the original Star Wars movies are NOT about Anakin's redemption, but about Luke finding and controlling his power, avoiding the mistake his father made. He is clearly the protagonist in my eyes.

edited 1st Aug '13 10:46:21 AM by swanpride

Noaqiyeum we must dissent (it/they) from across the gulf of space (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
we must dissent (it/they)
#9: Dec 8th 2013 at 9:30:43 PM

There are a bunch of terms that get confused with each other a lot here.

  • The "protagonist" is, essentially, the character whose arc takes the entire story to tell. They start with a problem or flaw or desire, struggle with solving or healing or obtaining it over the course of the plot, learn and change as a person as a result, and ultimately either succeed at their goal or make the decision to give up. [points to The Hollywood Formula for more information]
  • "Main character" I don't think I've ever actually seen given a solid definition. I might tentatively describe them as the character(s) who get the most screentime or do the most work in advancing the plot, but it isn't really a formal term as far as I know.
  • The "viewpoint character" (or "narrator") hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet, but it definitely should be - they're the character through whose eyes the audience sees the story. Sometimes it's a vague disembodied entity who doesn't correspond to a specific person, and sometimes it changes over the course of the story. In the example you gave, it sounds like this is the situation - Vaan is the viewpoint character, while Ashe is the protagonist.
  • And, for completeness' sake, the "hero" is whoever the audience wants to succeed (or is supposed to want to succeed). This doesn't have to be the protagonist - sometimes we care about the protagonist but want them to fail because their goals are terrible and we want them to realise that and become a better person.

ERROR: The current state of the world is unacceptable. Save anyway? YES/NO
Add Post

Total posts: 9
Top