Pan and the Observer

Many books feature a fascinating, enigmatic, larger-than-life hero. Think Huckleberry Finn, John Galt, or Atticus Finch. But stories are rarely told through these characters' eyes. They are so larger-than-life, so unrelatable, that the story must be told by a secondary character, someone emotionally conflicted, sensibly grounded, someone "normal," with more in common with the reader. Think Tom Sawyer, Dagny Taggart, or Scout. Taken too far, a poor enough writer can create a blank protagonist, totally void of personality or characteristics, on which the reader can imprint herself in order to follow the book's action.

Consider for a moment the following protagonists compared to their book's heroes:

Tom Sawyer to Huck Finn (Adventures of Tom Sawyer)
Dagny Taggart to John Galt (Atlas Shrugged)
Scout to Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Narrator to Tyler Durden (Fight Club)
Jack Burden to Willie Stark (All the King's Men)
Nick to Peter Pan (The Child Thief)
Jack & Mabel to Faina (The Snow Child)
Lily to the Boatright Sisters (Secret Life of Bees)


Read on...