Final answer:
The statement is false; the protagonist, not the antagonist, is the central character of a story, and they can have any type of nature, including a dark and hostile one.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about a character who is central to the story but displays a dark and hostile nature being called an antagonist is false. In literary terms, the antagonist is the character, group, concept, or force that stands in opposition to the protagonist. The protagonist is the main character around whom the story revolves, regardless of their moral attributes. They are central to the story's plot and conflict. Furthermore, the antagonist is not necessarily a single person with dark characteristics; it can be anything that presents an obstacle to the protagonist, such as society, nature, a disease, or an ideology.