This is Story Fanatic, a collection of articles covering story structure and analysis for
creative writers. Published weekly.
This central character is defined as Change because during the moment of crisis, when their Resolve is most tested, they drop their approach to solving the story’s problems and adopt a new one. This change in no way guarantees a success. It simply describes a character who trades their old paradigm for a new one.
When the Main Character of a story also happens to be the one driving the story forward (Protagonist), he or she is considered the Hero of the story. Many story theorists/gurus collapse the concept of MC, Protagonist and Hero all into one. While this works for most stories (particularly Western film), it tends to ignore those stories where the Main Character is “along for the ride.” Separating these concepts allows for greater accuracy in analyzing and developing a story.
The Impact Character within a complete story provides an alternative paradigm that challenges the Main Character to reexamine his or her own point-of-view. This can be, but most often isn’t, the Antagonist of a story. By the end of the story, either the Impact Character’s influence will have won out and the Main Character will alter their paradigm, or their influence will have strengthened the Main Character’s resolve and the Impact Character will alter their paradigm. Thus, this character is essential for a story to have meaning.
The Main Character of a story represents the audience’s personal perspective into the story. Through this perspective, we the audience get to experience what it would be like personally to experience the story’s problems. The Main Character may or may not be the Protagonist. Protagonist describes a function, whereas the Main Character describes a perspective or point-of-view.
At the end of every complete story, the Main Character will be faced with an important decision: either continue to solve problems the way he or she always has, or change their approach and attempt to solve the problem differently. The Main Character Resolve determines what their answer will be. If they maintain their approach they are said to be Steadfast. If they adopt a new paradigm, they are said to be Change.
This is the character driving the story forward; the one leading the charge towards the Story Goal. This character may or may not be the Main Character of the story. Either way, the main function of the Protagonist is to Pursue.
This central character is defined as Steadfast because during the moment of crisis, when their Resolve is most tested, they stick with their approach to solving the story’s problem. This perseverance in no way guarantees a successful outcome. It simply describes a character who maintains their tried and tested paradigm.