Trust & Obey

What makes you love a protagonist? It’s probably their personality since you can’t see what they look like. What goes into that personality that makes them so endearing? Today, I have four qualities that make a character loving or fascinating to readers!

In a novel, I need a character that has a level of cleverness or intelligence. If they are a dense person I struggle to get behind them. Instead, I usually get behind the secondary characters because they can get the job done. The protagonist needs to be capable to some extent otherwise it’s not reasonable for them to succeed in the end. The characters who just stumble into success are the worst. I thought that Thomas from The Maze Runner series was definitely a character who stumbled into success. Without his allies, Thomas would have absolutely failed.

Strength is another one people frequently admire in a protagonist. Now, the trick to this one is that there is a double meaning to “strength”. Some people appreciate physical strength like The Incredible Hulk in Marvel Comics. These protagonists are just unstoppable in battle which can be fun to cheer for in an action novel. The other side of the coin is mental strength. I’m talking like endurance through trials. Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games is a fantastic example of that mental strength. She withstands so much hardship throughout her story that part of you wonders how on earth she is still standing.

For some, charm is crucial. Charm is one of those traits that have different definitions for different people. For this article, I’ll label charm as being skilled with people. I do care about charm. It matters greatly for a leading character because not only do they won over the other characters, they win me over too. Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice is someone I consider full of charm. What makes her so likable is that she is herself around others. For some that’s repulsive, but for most characters, it’s very endearing.

The final attribute is adaptability. The character needs to be able to change with what’s happening around them. Besides that, changing as a person is critical too. I would like to see character development either for better or worse. It creates a realness and depth to the protagonist. Frodo Baggins of Lord of The Rings really isn’t charming, intelligent, or strong. However, you watch his character constantly change and shift to become the little hobbit who triumphs in the end.

There are so many characteristics that people care about in a main character but I think these four are at the forefront of the list. Without at least two of these traits, the character isn’t lifelike or somewhat capable. Even weak characters usually have one of these. We have to be able to root for them somehow!

I love all four of these traits because they all create a unique story. Whether a character has one, two, or all of these traits, they make the story interesting. These attributes bring something to the table for a protagonist. So the next time you read a book, see if you spot these or find a trait you appreciate even more than the four I mentioned! If you have a trait you like even more than these four, tell me about it in the comments!