Opposing Forces Moving the Story Forward

PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST

PROTAG

ONIST

Definition: The character the story revolves around. The one pursuing the Story Goal.

• Generally the Hero or Good Guy.

• Generally the Main Character.

• Can be a Bad Guy or Villain (if the story revolves around them).

ANTAGO

NIST

Definition: A character or force that opposes the protagonist.

• Many times it is the Villain or Bad Guy.

• If the protagonist is the villain or bad guy, then it can be the Good Guy, Police, or the Law.

• It isn’t always a character, it can be a force, an idea, a universal law, internal struggle, or any other thing that opposes the protagonist.

• It propels the story forward – it requires the protagonist to act or react and to make choices.

PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONISTTHINK OPPOSITES

In literature, it won’t always be this easy to identify (Oh, if life could be as simple as Elmo).

Many times, the reader needs to think to really figure out what is in opposition.

LET’S LOOK AT SOME STORIES YOU ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH.

LET’S CONSIDER THE PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST

HARRY POTTER SERIES

Protagonist – Harry Potter Antagonist – Voldemort

TWILIGHT SERIES

Protagonist – Bella Antagonist – Volturi

STAR WARS

Protagonist – Luke Skywalker Antagonist – Darth Vader

STAR WARS

Protagonist – Anakin Skywalker Antagonist – Darth Sidious

LORD OF THE RINGS

Protagonist – FrodoAntagonist – SauronThis character is a spirit–no physical body

CAST AWAY

Protagonist – Chuck Noland Antagonist – The Island, being stranded.

HUNGER GAMES

Protagonist – Katniss Everdeen Antagonist – The Society

OCEAN’S ELEVENProtagonist – Danny Ocean

Expert Thief and Crime MastermindAntagonist – Terry BenedictCasino Owner in Las Vegas

THE GODFATHER SERIESProtagonist – Michael CorleoneCrime Boss–great example of bad guy.

Antagonist – The Family, the mob business, other mob families.

NOW YOU TRY

WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST?WHO / WHAT IS THE ANTAGONIST?

GROUP PROJECT1 sheet of paper for the group, put everyone’s name on the top. (scribe and spokesperson)

In your group, choose a different story (not the same one you worked on when we covered themes).

• Identify a Theme

• Identify the Protagonist

• Identify the Antagonist

• List 2 character traits (not physical) for your protagonist and if the antagonist is a character, 2 for that character as well.

Support all of your claims and ideas from the text!!