Role of the antagonist... help!

RKen1

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Okay, QSN re the antagonist...

I've realised that in my WIP (for 9+ age children), I don't really have a single antagonist in the archetypal manner. I don't have that 'protagonist duking it out with the antagonist' action dynamic and template, so much as a protagonist battling with his own choices/decisions, which in turn is inspired by his parents actions.

So, the protagonist himself is in one sense the antagonist (i.e., he is causing his own problems/conflicts). However, there are two characters who definitely provide more typical traits and story functions of an antagonist (one being a teacher and the other being an annoying school-mate.) But, indeed, I wouldn't say the story revolves around the protagonist battling out with any antagonist per se. As I said, it's more himself, galvanised by the actions of an adult world that he doesn't understand.

Is this okay?!

Does the antagonist HAVE to follow the template of a single 'adversary' who for the duration of the story is locking horns and in continual conflict with the protagonist?

My story isn't like an action narrative or whatever, it's more internal/emotional/realistic/contemporary/parents splitting up and the effects of this on the child as the parents forge new individual lives...

Urgh!

Any feedback and advice REALLY gratefully received! Thank you.
 
kuwisdelu

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RKen1 said:
Is this okay?!
Click to expand...

Yes.

Does the antagonist HAVE to follow the template of a single 'adversary' who for the duration of the story is locking horns and in continual conflict with the protagonist?
Click to expand...

No.

Any feedback and advice REALLY gratefully received! Thank you.
Click to expand...

You're fine. Just keep writing.

Abstract antagonists are perfectly cool.
 

what?

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(a) See kuwisdelu's answer.

(b) You can always imagine a perfect world for any person. For example, the ideal world for a sadistic killer would be one where sadistically killing random people would be endorsed by society and he would get paid for his murders. Now turn this around. If you have any kind of problem, this problem is a consequence of a misfit between you and your world. So always that aspect of the world which causes you unhappiness is your antagonist.

Now, a fight with an antagonist can go two ways: You win, or the antagonist wins. If you win, you essentially change the world to better fit you. For example, you overthrow the tyranny that forbids that you marry the person you're in love with. If the antagonist wins, you are being changed to better fit the world. For example, you understand that a relationship with that person wouldn't work anyway, and you accept the spouse the tyrant has chosen for you in his wisdom. The important thing to note is that both lead to a better fit between you and your environment, and ultimately to your happiness. Either you stay the same and change the world; or the world stays the same and you grow.

This of course is a view that doesn't comply with traditional drama theory either ;-) But it gives you a perspective on stories without a person as antagonist.
 
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Sage

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Completely unrelated, but age 9+ is probably MG, unless that plus is really several ages higher
 
RKen1

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Sage said:
Completely unrelated, but age 9+ is probably MG, unless that plus is really several ages higher
Click to expand...

Well, protagonist turns 11 a quarter (or less) of the way through story. I think the age group this would appeal to is about 9-13. Upper MG territory, I believe.

Incidentally, I always post in the YA category here on AWWC, as I find the threads seem to appeal and apply more to what I'm doing than the MG category. Perhaps I should look in on there again?
 
Debbie V

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There are three common groupings for novels: Man vs. Man, Man vs, Nature, Man vs. Self. All three work for producing viable plots.

(I was going to make the MG comment too, but I've been beaten to it.)
 
Sage

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RKen1 said:
Well, protagonist turns 11 a quarter (or less) of the way through story. I think the age group this would appeal to is about 9-13. Upper MG territory, I believe.

Incidentally, I always post in the YA category here on AWWC, as I find the threads seem to appeal and apply more to what I'm doing than the MG category. Perhaps I should look in on there again?
Click to expand...

There are lots of upper MG writers in Writing for Kids, and that is where MG questions go. While there is overlap between answers for the YA market and the MG market, if you're searching to find out if what you're doing works in the upper MG market, you will receive more accurate answers there.

And for that reason, I am moving it to WfK.
 
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RKen1

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^^^ Thanks Sage. I'll have a good mosey around this section for upper MG-related material.
 

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I write upper MG too. In my DC series (sig) the antagonist is death. Not in the grim reaper sense, just in the sense that someone's going to die, and he has to save them.

I generally say that series is a MG/YA crossover suitable or 9 and over.
 
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