In the last few years, I’ve read several manuscripts where the writers have misunderstood that the role of their protagonist is split between two characters: the main character and the hero.
The role of the protagonist
Typically the protagonist in a story is the character who:
- the reader experiences the story through
- whose choices/actions drive the plot and have the greatest affect on the climax of the story.
Occasionally the story is told through the eyes of a more passive character who is swept up into the world of a more interesting and enigmatic character.