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Expert: Vincent M. Wales - 6/16/2009


Question
The new show nurse Jackie makes me ask this question. Can a single character or lead character be both Protagonist&Antagonist?

Answer
Sure.  Since you mentioned TV shows, I'll point to another one: Frasier.  Frasier Crane is the lead character in the show, and he's his own worst enemy (just as many of us are).  Quite frequently, when something good is about to happen to him, he himself is the one who screws it up... due to his own neuroses.

Of course, it's also possible to do it in other ways.  To go to an extreme, you could have a character with a split-personality, one of whom is doing things to mess with the other.  Maybe not the best idea, but it could work.  

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Vincent M. Wales

Expertise

I am a writer, specializing in novels (fantasy, science fiction and others) and poetry. While I may be able to answer questions on non-fiction, my specialty is fiction. Please keep that in mind when asking questions.

Experience

For four years, I taught a series of fiction writing classes in Sacramento, CA. I've written literally hundreds of essays that are online. My latest novel, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, won BEST FICTION in Fresh Voices 2006, BEST FICTION and BEST YA FICTION in the NCPA Book Awards, and placed as a finalist in BEST BOOKS 2005 (losing to Amy Tan's newest). In 2002, my novel WISH YOU WERE HERE won awards for Best Fantasy and Best Fiction/Drama in the 8th Annual SPA Awards.

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