Writing Help 129 | - ☆ Freelance Writer
Apr 05, 2013 | #1
Terms You Need for Writing about the Novel
Although many consider plot the most important aspect of any story, it can be argued that character is a contender for this coveted place as the most important aspect of the novel. Aristotle believed that character development occurred as the result of the unfolding of the interwoven plot, but it is possible to reverse this scenario, and see plot as unfolding as the result of the interactions of various characters. Just as it is impossible to have a story without a plot, so too is it impossible to have a story without any characters, and while they do not have to be human beings, or even intelligent entities, there must be subjective loci around which the events of the story can be structured. The alternative would constitute descriptions of landscapes, and these would not a novel make.
Three character terms that are most widely employed in the study of the novel are protagonist, antagonist, and foil, all of which are usually present in some form in a given novel. It should be noted that each of these character roles, while most often applied to single characters, are also frequently broadened to include groups of people or even larger entities like corporations or nations. Despite this flexibility, the role described by a given term is generally consistent and definable in any given novel, and locating the specific character or characters who occupy these roles is a good way to begin the analysis of any novel.
Protagonist is the oldest and most important of the trio of terms listed above, and it is also the most essential; it is possible to have a story without an antagonist (though some would dispute this), and a foil is also not necessary (despite being very common). However, a story without some kind of protagonist is really not fathomable. The protagonist, from early Greek theater to the present day, is the most important figure of a story, the one around whom the action of the story revolves. He protagonist is often simply referred to as the main character, and it is his or her quests, goals, and experiences that comprise the action of the story, and which we follow as we read the novel. It is important to note that the protagonist is not necessarily the narrator of the story; the character who tells the story is usually the protagonist, but this is certainly not always the case, as we will explore in a future article on point of view and levels of narration. Most simply, the protagonist is often known as the "good guy," and while this is too simplistic, it conveys the right idea, especially in a certain popular genre of action novels and films.
As you might expect, the antagonist of a novel is the character or group who most strongly opposes the goals of the protagonist, and who attempts to prevent his or her success in every way possible. It is often, though certainly not always, the case that the antagonist's goal is the destruction of the protagonist, and the reverse is also often true as well, where the destruction of the antagonist is the protagonist's primary objective. In the novels where we are presented with a hero and a villain, the villain is inevitably the antagonist, also known as the "bad guy," though again it must be stated that this is often far too simplistic a description.
Finally, we come to the foil, an optional character role in the novel but one which we see very often. The foil is a secondary character, neither protagonist nor antagonist, but one which can operate on the side of either, or one which takes no side at all. This character resembles the protagonist in a broad way, sharing very general characteristics with him or her, such as age, social status, and life circumstances. Despite these similarities, the foil is very different from the protagonist, especially with regard to personality and behavior. As a result, certain personality traits of the protagonist are highlighted through contrast, and this is precisely what the foil is designed to do.
Character Roles
Although many consider plot the most important aspect of any story, it can be argued that character is a contender for this coveted place as the most important aspect of the novel. Aristotle believed that character development occurred as the result of the unfolding of the interwoven plot, but it is possible to reverse this scenario, and see plot as unfolding as the result of the interactions of various characters. Just as it is impossible to have a story without a plot, so too is it impossible to have a story without any characters, and while they do not have to be human beings, or even intelligent entities, there must be subjective loci around which the events of the story can be structured. The alternative would constitute descriptions of landscapes, and these would not a novel make.
Three character terms that are most widely employed in the study of the novel are protagonist, antagonist, and foil, all of which are usually present in some form in a given novel. It should be noted that each of these character roles, while most often applied to single characters, are also frequently broadened to include groups of people or even larger entities like corporations or nations. Despite this flexibility, the role described by a given term is generally consistent and definable in any given novel, and locating the specific character or characters who occupy these roles is a good way to begin the analysis of any novel.Protagonist is the oldest and most important of the trio of terms listed above, and it is also the most essential; it is possible to have a story without an antagonist (though some would dispute this), and a foil is also not necessary (despite being very common). However, a story without some kind of protagonist is really not fathomable. The protagonist, from early Greek theater to the present day, is the most important figure of a story, the one around whom the action of the story revolves. He protagonist is often simply referred to as the main character, and it is his or her quests, goals, and experiences that comprise the action of the story, and which we follow as we read the novel. It is important to note that the protagonist is not necessarily the narrator of the story; the character who tells the story is usually the protagonist, but this is certainly not always the case, as we will explore in a future article on point of view and levels of narration. Most simply, the protagonist is often known as the "good guy," and while this is too simplistic, it conveys the right idea, especially in a certain popular genre of action novels and films.
As you might expect, the antagonist of a novel is the character or group who most strongly opposes the goals of the protagonist, and who attempts to prevent his or her success in every way possible. It is often, though certainly not always, the case that the antagonist's goal is the destruction of the protagonist, and the reverse is also often true as well, where the destruction of the antagonist is the protagonist's primary objective. In the novels where we are presented with a hero and a villain, the villain is inevitably the antagonist, also known as the "bad guy," though again it must be stated that this is often far too simplistic a description.
Finally, we come to the foil, an optional character role in the novel but one which we see very often. The foil is a secondary character, neither protagonist nor antagonist, but one which can operate on the side of either, or one which takes no side at all. This character resembles the protagonist in a broad way, sharing very general characteristics with him or her, such as age, social status, and life circumstances. Despite these similarities, the foil is very different from the protagonist, especially with regard to personality and behavior. As a result, certain personality traits of the protagonist are highlighted through contrast, and this is precisely what the foil is designed to do.