Find my Antagonist
by Emma
(The Netherlands)
Hi! First I would like to thank you for this brilliant website. It is really a great help!
I'm having some trouble finding my Antagonist and I’m hoping you would be so kind to help me :). A brief description of my story:
A young woman struggles with picking up her life after a traumatic accident two years ago and she finds life meaningless. When she had the accident she made a choice to live in a near-death experience but now she feels that she may have made the wrong choice and she would be better off dead. So she is unhappy. Then she is asked to sing a lead role in a music event on the other part of the country by a friend of the family. At first she wants to refuse but her mother tries to persuade her because she thinks it's time for her daughter to leave the past behind and start looking to the future. This marks also my story goal / story problem: how to deal with a traumatic event in your life and to overcome it. All my other characters will have something in their past or present that was/is traumatic for them. So eventually the young woman accepts the role but only under the condition that her past remains a secret. Off course this will create problems. The
I can’t seem to find out who my antagonist is. Is it the driver that causes the accident? Is it her past away best friend that prevents her from being happy because she feels guilty? Or is it the accident itself?
Hopefully you can help me. You would make me very happy if you could answer my question. Thank you in advance for all your efforts.
Emma
Answer: It sounds to me as though the young woman herself, as well as being the main character, is actually the antagonist.
The protagonist could well be the mother who has the goal of helping your main character find purpose in her life.
Consider that functions of the antagonist are to avoid the goal (external) and reconsider (internal). Certainly, the young woman is reconsidering her decision to live, and avoiding the mother's goal.
This configuration is often missed because we are used to thinking of the protagonist and main character as the same, but not all stories work that way. The antagonist can be the main character.
The love interest still works as impact character, possibly someone who can show the main character a different way of assessing or responding to the situation she finds herself in.
Best of luck.
- Home
- Plot Questions
- Find my Antagonist
Search this site...
|
||
| site search by freefind |
100% Human Generated Content!
All
articles on this website were written by a human being -- one possessed of flaws and limitations, but also with a personal perspective and a desire to help fellow
writers. No article on this site was written by or with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI).
Popular Articles
Mini-Course
Never be stuck for a great story idea again! This online mini-course will show you how to create simple ideas for original characters and build a plot around each character that contains the essential elements needed for a compelling story.
Recent Postings
-
Trauma And Superpowers: How Do They Connect?
Question: I'm currently writing a story where MC1 can control darkness, MC2 can control plants, and MC3 can control machines. I want them to experience -
Using the actual names of people and places in memoir...
Question: I am writing a memoir of my years as a teacher. If I want to use real names, what is the protocol/requirement for getting permission? (Changing -
How to Write a Thriller
See how to write a thriller story -- the essential traits and plot structure.
"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards
"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus
"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.
"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman
"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of
knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I
truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me
successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins
"I
can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful.
You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and
with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write
these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash
"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero