Protagonist vs Hero: What’s The Difference?

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“If the reader is rooting for the protagonist, they’ll forgive you just about everything else.”

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Everyone loves a hero, right? From Achilles to Arya Stark, stories have consistently relied on heroic protagonists as a way of progressing the plot and giving readers a vested interest in the stakes at play. The terms ‘main character’, and ‘protagonist’ have both also been used as a way of describing this type of figure, but what you might not realise is that all three have subtle differences that make them all unique. Join us here at What We Reading as we run you through all the major main character vs protagonist vs hero differences! 

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What Is A Protagonist?

The term ‘protagonist’ comes from Ancient Greek dramas and was used to refer to the ‘chief actor or player of the first part’. 

In modern society, protagonists are characters that are used to drive the plot forward usually through the pursuit of overarching goals. They tend to go through development arcs and will have to overcome various challenges and obstacles. An example of a protagonist in books includes a character like Harry Potter, who grows from an orphan with no knowledge of magic to a powerful wizard capable of overcoming Voldemort. 

Types Of Protagonists

Protagonists come in all shapes and sizes. There are three different types of protagonists you can find in the world of literature: 

• Hero: the good guy of the story, and the character the reader will want to succeed. They will usually be relatable or the type of personality a reader will aspire to be like.
• Unlikely Hero / Anti-Hero: characters who do not appear as typical heroes, but do have the ability to act heroically if opportunities or motivations allow.
• Villain: the bad guy and villain of the story who will act selfishly and nefariously. They can still drive the plot forward through their perspectives, however.

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Check out the Best Villain Perspective Books 

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What Is The Difference Between A Protagonist And A Hero?

In short, a hero is a type of protagonist. All stories must have a protagonist to tell the plot, but not every story needs a hero. 

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Check Out All You Need To Know About Tragic Heroes

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What Is A Main Character?

As well as protagonists, books and stories can also have main characters. This is where most people get confused, and it certainly is a bit like splitting hairs, but stick with us. 

In books, the main character is someone who the readers see the story through. Acting effectively as a vessel for the audience, the main characters are involved with the plot, are directly impacted by the events that unfold and will interact with secondary and other minor characters. Typically, the protagonist and main character will be the same individuals but this doesn’t have to be the case. 

What Is The Difference Between A Main Character And A Protagonist?

Main characters, also sometimes referred to as ‘principal characters’ and protagonists are both the most significant players in a story. However, whilst a protagonist drives a plot forward a main character will be impacted by it. 

How To Separate Main Characters And Protagonists

Still confused over the differences between main characters and protagonists? We get it. For writers looking to keep their main characters and protagonists separate, there are a few tips we can recommend to help make their differences stand out. 

• Plot devices: Main characters can be a great way of throwing extra dimensions and layers on a protagonist. A good example of this comes in The Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is the story’s protagonist, however, it is only through the main character Nick Carraway that readers are shown his true greed and dishonesty.
• Irony: Separate main characters can be used to explore ironies and juxtapositions across a story. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the adult themes surrounding protagonist Atticus and his trial are shown to be flawed through the perspective of his young daughter, Scout.
• Unrelatable Protagonist: Sometimes a protagonist can be too difficult for a reader to relate to. An example of this is Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Charlie is the main character and the most relatable perspective to tell the story from, however, it is Willy Wonka as the protagonist who goes through the redemptive arc.

Is A Narrator A Protagonist Or A Main Character?

Finally, what is a narrator? A narrator is a character who tells the events of the story, either in real-time or in the past tense, through their own voice. They do not have to meet any specific criteria as a protagonist or main character. For example, Lemony Snicket acts as the narrator in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series.

However, a narrator can be the main character. Take The Great Gatsby again with Nick Carraway being both a main character and the narrator, for example.