1. 8 Common Character Roles!

2. Character roles  Character roles describe what FUNCTION each character has in a story  Characters in stories fill certain “jobs” that are critical to the story’s plot, theme, and moral lesson  Some character roles overlap meaning one character can have more than one role in the story.

3. Protagonist  Responsible for handling the main conflict in the story.  This character is the one MOST in need of change, emotionally  Primarily is a “good guy”

4. Protagonist Examples

5. Antagonist  Primarily a ‘bad guy’  Character that opposes the protagonist on all counts (emotionally and physically)  Antagonist can also be a group of people, or a non-human force of some kind

6. Antagonist Examples

7. MENTOR  The protagonist’s conscience  This character usually embodies (carries) the thematic message.  Voices or represents the lesson that the protagonist must learn in order to change and achieve his/her goals  Mentors aren’t perfect, can still be flawed

8. MENTOR examples

9. Tempter  Like the antagonist, the tempter tries to stand in the way of the protagonist achieving their goals  Tempter might try to manipulate or convince protagonist to join the “dark side”  In the end, the tempter can change his mind and realize the value of the “good side”

10. Tempter Examples

11. Sidekick!  The protagonist’s unconditionally loving friend  May get frustrated with the protagonist, but will always stand by them  Usually embodies the thematic message of the story without even realising it  (The mentor can EXPLAIN the theme, while the sidekick just does it without even thinking about it)

12. SIDEkick Examples

13. Skeptic  The lone objector to the theme/plot/plan  Does not believe in the theme OR in the importance of the protagonist reaching his goal  May like the protagonist and want them to succeed, but they are too skeptical to be loyal or help make this happen  Can have a change of heart by end of story

14. Skeptic Examples

15. Emotional  Acts according to their gut, lets emotions fuel their decisions  Impulsive and reactive  Might run into trouble by acting on impulses before thinking/planning them out  Acts with their heart, not their head

16. Emotional Examples

17. Logical  The rational thinker; plans things out  Shoots for logical solutions and gives reasonable suggestions/answers  Serves as a “voice of reason” or a cautionary voice when someone is about to act impulsively

18. Logical Examples