Main Character Vs Main Protagonist

Main Character vs Protagonist: Understanding Character Differences

If you are a movie buff, bibliophile, or studying film studies, you might be familiar with the terms protagonist, antagonist, and main character. While many movies and novels feature stories about the protagonist vs main character, people often confuse the two and use those interchangeably. As a writer or movie enthusiast, it’s essential to understand the difference between the main character and the protagonist to develop a deeper understanding of character development.

Thinking that you can learn the difference by searching the terms online? Even if you search the term protagonist, you will get the main character as an answer. In this blog, we will dive into the roles of the story’s characters to understand the main character and protagonist. We will also dive into the examples to learn about the differences between the two characters.  

Who is the Main Character?

The main character in literary work is the person who gets the most attention and screen time. Another characteristic of the main characters is that the story often unfolds through their eyes. 

The main character is often the central character in literature who drives the plot and unfolds the story. In Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories, Dr Watson is the best main character example, regardless of Holmes, who is the hero solving the mysteries. However, the story we follow is through Dr Watson, making him a main character. 

Who is Protagonist

Who is Protagonist

A protagonist is the person who is the catalyst for change, evolves throughout the story, faces challenges, and makes choices. A protagonist can be referred to as the character the audience roots for and emotionally invests in their journey. 
If you want to learn how to identify the protagonist, you must understand the story, identify the character who faces central conflict, and navigate through those to save the day. The best examples of protagonists are Sherlock Holmes and Superman in their respective stories. Audiences vouch for them and are emotionally involved in their characters. 

Difference Between the Main Character and Protagonist

While the story has many characters and roles, the debate of the main character vs protagonist often arises. However, who is the central figure in a story is typically defined by the character whose journey and growth define the narrative. If you ask what defines a protagonist, it is their active role in overcoming obstacles to achieve a specific goal.

If the question arises, is the main character always a protagonist? The answer is no. Although the main character and protagonist are the same in most movies, this is not always the case. 

Examples of Movies with Main Characters as Protagonists

Here are the best examples of movies where protagonists and main characters are the same.

In the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the main character is Frodo Baggins, who explores the story regardless of other characters. He is also the protagonist who overcomes obstacles and destroys the ring. 

The main character in The Dark Knight is Batman/Bruce Wayne, who is the story’s focal character, playing Gotham’s protector and a protagonist who strives to maintain peace in Gotham. 

The Matrix is another example of a movie in which Neo is the main character and protagonist, who plays the central character and defeats machines to save humanity. 

Examples of Movies with Different Main Character and Protagonist

There are many movies with different main characters and protagonists, which is why the main character is not always the protagonist. Here are some examples of movies with different protagonists and main characters. 

The Godfather: In this movie, Michael Corleone is the main character, the central character whose journey is explored throughout the film. Vito Corleone is the protagonist at the beginning of the story, Michael’s father, who has risen to power and influences Michael. 

The Great Gatsby: The main character in this movie is Nick Carraway, who unfolds the story from his perspective, while Jay Gatsby is the protagonist around whom the story revolves. 

Now the question arises, can there be more than one protagonist in a movie?

Answering this question requires understanding how to identify the protagonist. While the lead character in a narrative is often the primary character in fiction, driving the plot forward and facing the main conflicts, like Batman, protagonists can be one or many characters who serve the main goal in the storyline. 

Examples of Movies with Multiple Protagonists

While there are movies with different protagonists and main characters, there are also movies with more than one protagonist. Here are some examples.

  • The best examples are Frodo, Gandalf, and Aragon, among other Fellowship members in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 
  • Another good example of multiple protagonists is from the Pulp Fiction movie, which features Jules Winnfield, Vincent Vega, Butch Coolidge, and Mia Wallace as protagonists.
  • Superhero movies like Justice League and The Avengers also have multiple protagonists who save humanity and the planet, contributing to a single goal.

You must shape the story around the main character in story writing and script writing for movies. While there can be many supporting characters and multiple protagonists, your story will only become worth reading when it’s flawless and deeply engaging, with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. Once you have finished writing, seek professional editing and proofreading services from expert storytellers and novelists to help you make your mark with a bestseller.

Wrapping Up

In the boundless universe of storytelling, the main character unfolds the story, and we see and experience the story through it. The protagonist is the one who weaves the story by navigating conflicts. While many movies have the main character and protagonist as the same character, this is not always the case. The blog highlights many examples of the main character vs protagonist and that there can be more protagonists in a movie.

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