Goal and Purpose

by Marisa
(Indonesia)

Hello, the kind hearted Mr. Strathy

First of all I would like to wish you a happy new year :)

I'm so glad I found your website here, it helps me so much (I read your articles how to write a novel over and over again to understand since English is not my native language)
Thanks a lot for that
I'm confuse whether there is a difference between goal and purpose? or is it the same ?

Next one,
If I have the Guardian as the main character, does it mean that his story will be the main character's throughline and the overall story is about the protagonist pursuing goal ?

Thank you for your attention.

Response: Goal and purpose mean the same thing in English. That said, there are times when the words are used to refer to different things.

For instance, I often use "goal" to mean the Story Goal, which is a special goal pursued by the protagonist that is part of the overall throughline. It is the big goal of the story, often involving or affecting the majority of characters.

On the other hand, every character will have their own individual purposes, things they want to achieve.

Second, you are correct. The main character throughline concerns the main character's inner conflict and growth, no matter which of the archetypal character functions he performs.

So while your protagonist pursues the goal, the reader will be experiencing the story from the perspective of the main character (in this case the Guardian). The main character's decision at the climax will still be key to the story's overall message, particularly as it determines whether the main character resolves his inner conflict and is is left better off in the end.

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