A Winning Antagonist
Tips for Creating and Writing About a Good Opposing Character
Feb 12, 2009 Michelle Pannecoucke
While the protagonist of a story may most likely determine the success of the story built around him, the antagonist will help carry that success. Just as the protagonist should be well-developed and purposeful, so should the antagonist. Readers should be interested in the protagonist, and in some cases, more so in the antagonist.
The Character Should Be Round, Not Flat:
The antagonist is one of the major characters of the story, and as such, should be a round character. Like other round characters, the antagonist needs a well-established background and recognizable personality traits. Round characters can develop and change throughout the story.
A flat character has not much character development and is more like white noise in the round character’s world. It is better for the antagonist to be about as well-developed as the protagonist. An antagonist as a flat character is like a villain without a motive.
Developing an Antagonist
An important question to ask when developing an antagonist is: Does this character have a motive?
Creating a thought web or a chart to help develop the protagonist is a good first step to character development. It may also help to create another thought web or chart to help develop an antagonist. Write down all the desired elements of the character and keep it handy when writing.
Beyond a personality that makes this character the opposition to the protagonist, the antagonist needs a motive that makes him the opposition to the main character. The motive is simply whatever makes this character act the way he does with regards to the protagonist. You may want to include this in the thought web or chart and bear it in mind while writing about the antagonist.
The Character Needs a Purpose:
The antagonist’s purpose is almost more important than the protagonist’s purpose. The antagonist helps the protagonist carry the story, as they can both be main characters. The antagonist should present a challenge to the protagonist. He should present an obstacle or a stumbling block that actually allows the protagonist to develop throughout the story. Antagonists are often also considered the villain of the story. As such, the antagonist should complement the protagonist while being the opposing force.
The challenge that the antagonist presents to the protagonist is due mostly to the antagonist’s motive. As both are major characters in the story, the antagonist has as much potential for change and development throughout the story as the protagonist. This is something to consider for antagonists. For more on protagonists, A Winning Protagonist.
The success of a story that is built around a protagonist does not depend only on the success of that character, but on the antagonist as well. The antagonist is important for the development of the protagonist and can experience that development himself. A good antagonist will be a round character with a steady motive, who can change throughout the story and gain the sympathy of readers.
A Good Antagonist
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