Characters

1. The dreaded review PowerPoint Characters

2. Define protagonist A protagonist is considered to be the main character or lead figure in a novel, play, story, or poem.  It may also be referred to as the "hero" of a work. Over a period of time the meaning of the term protagonist has changed. The word protagonist originated in ancient Greek drama and referred to the leader of a chorus. Soon the definition was changed to represent the first actor onstage. In some literature today it may be difficult to decide who is playing the role of the protagonist. For instance, in Othello, we could say that Iago is the protagonist because he was at the center of all of the play's controversy. But even if he was a main character, was he the lead character? This ambiguity can lead to multiple interpretations of the same work and different ways of appreciating a single piece of literature.

3. Define antagonist a character in a story or poem who deceives, frustrates, or works against the main character, or protagonist, in some way. The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be an person. It could be death, the devil, an illness, or any challenge that prevents the main character from living “happily ever after." In fact, the antagonist could be a character of virtue in a literary work where the protagonist represents evil. An antagonist in the story of Genesis is the serpent. He convinces Eve to disobey God, setting off a chain of events that leads to Adam and Eve being banished from paradise.

4. Define helper/helpmate someone who helps and supports another person, especially a husband or wife

5. Define catalyst A catalyst character (also referred to as an agent for change) often does not participate directly in any of the action, but instead fulfills the role of inspiring the lead character to take up a cause or quest he might otherwise not have pursued.

6. Challenge • Roll a single die. • 1=Shinji, 2=Hatsue, 3=Yasuo Kawamoto, 4=Ryuji, 5=Chiyoko, 6=Jukichi • Write a brief paper analyzing a character as a specific character type. • Make clear references to the original text. • Edit your paper to ensure it is succinct and grammatically correct. • Format your paper using MLA format. • Print your paper. • Submit your paper at the beginning of class Monday, August 27.