Final answer:
The protagonist is the main character in a story, who carries the conflict but is not always the conventional hero; they have complexity beyond just being the 'good guy.' Stories can have multiple protagonists, each facing their own conflicts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The protagonist is the main character in a story, and is often thought of as the hero. However, protagonists aren't always 'heroes' in the conventional sense.
They have more complexity and depth to their characters, which add to the richness of storytelling. For instance, in John Milton's Paradise Lost, the protagonist is Satan, who most would not consider a heroic figure.
Understanding the protagonist is essential in analyzing literature. In any given story, the protagonist is the focal point of the conflict, making all the action revolve around this character.
A story isn't limited to one protagonist; stories that contain a series of conflicts can have multiple protagonists. The antagonist stands in opposition to the protagonist and is considered the other half of the conflict, which doesn't necessarily have to be a person—it could be an idea, a nation, or a group.
A protagonist is more than just a character with the most spoken lines or the center of attention; it is the character that undergoes significant change, faces the main conflict, and needs to overcome the central challenge.
Secondary or minor characters also play a role in the story. They may support or oppose the protagonist or antagonist, and sometimes they may have little direct interaction with the main characters but still contribute to the narrative.