By Sarah (Sally) Hamer

Stories are more than plots, twists, and climaxes. They are living, breathing organisms that thrive on the pulse of their characters. At the center of every great narrative lies our protagonists -- the figures through whom readers experience both the fictional and the real world, wrestle with conflict, and ultimately discover meaning.

What makes a protagonist truly unforgettable? Is it their actions? Clever dialogue? GMC? (Goal, motivation, and conflict for those who don’t know.) I don’t think so. I think it’s their beating heart.

Of course, characters don’t truly have beating hearts, right? But remember, we ALWAYS base our characters on humans. We have to – it’s our human experiences that make characters real to the reader.

How do we uncover this heart? I believe we must explore the protagonist through three dimensions: body, mind, and soul. Together, these elements form the essence of character and ensure that our story resonates deeply with the audience. We must create something believable, but also something that will connect at a deep level with people who really want to read our books.

Body:

First, we have to ground the protagonist in reality. The body is the vessel through which the protagonist interacts with the world. It is the tangible, physical aspect of character that anchors them in reality and makes them relatable. The aspects are physicality, body language, and action.

• Physicality
  A protagonist’s face and body tells us who they are before they speak. The weary soldier with scars etched across his skin, or the child with tears on her face, tell us who they are at a glance, narrative cues that reveal history, struggle, and potential. It’s technically the superficial level we’re working with here, but it’s the first level of intimacy and we start to get to know them.
• Body Language
  The next level of intimacy is how a character can tell their story without actual motion. This is an outward expression of how we HOLD our bodies. Crossed arms, raised eyebrows, a tilt of the head, the palette of underlying emotions conveyed by tiny clues of unrealized  illustration, these all help us to determine character.
• Action/Motion
  The body also tells us other things. Every gesture, every stumble, every triumph is communicated through physicality. When Katniss Everdeen raises her bow, her body becomes the language of rebellion. When Frodo collapses under the weight of the Ring, his frailty conveys the crushing burden of destiny. The body externalizes the internal, allowing readers to witness the protagonist’s journey in motion.

Mind:

If the body is the vessel, the mind is the compass. It shapes and directs the protagonist’s perspective and choices, interprets the world, and shapes the narrative’s moral and intellectual core.

• Thoughts as Windows
  A protagonist’s mind opens a window into their worldview. Through their thoughts, doubts, and rationalizations, readers gain insight into how they perceive conflict and opportunity. As we see in Hamlet’s endless soliloquies, for example, they reveal a mind caught in paralysis, torn between action and contemplation. His heart is found not in his sword but in his ceaseless questioning.
• Conflict as Mental Terrain
  The mind is also the battlefield of internal conflict. A protagonist may wrestle with fear, guilt, or ambition long before these emotions manifest in action. This mental struggle often defines the story’s tension more than external obstacles. In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston Smith’s rebellion begins in thought — his mind daring to imagine freedom even as his body remains trapped.
• The Necessity of Intellect
  To find the heart of a protagonist, writers must explore their mental landscape. What do they believe? What do they fear? What truths do they cling to, and which lies do they tell themselves? The mind provides the scaffolding for the protagonist’s decisions, ensuring that their journey is not random but deeply rooted in their inner logic.

The Soul:

Beyond body and mind lies the soul—the ineffable core that defines the protagonist’s humanity. The soul is where values, emotions, and purpose converge. It is the heart in its purest form.

• Emotion as Resonance
  The soul is the seat of emotion, and emotion is the bridge between character and reader. When a protagonist grieves, we grieve. When they love, we love. This resonance is what transforms a story from entertainment into catharsis. Think of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird: his soul radiates integrity and compassion, and it is this moral heartbeat that makes him unforgettable.
• Purpose as Destiny
  The soul also defines the protagonist’s purpose. It is the “why” behind their journey. Without soul, a character may act and think, but they lack meaning. The soul answers the question: what is at stake? Why does this story matter? In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo’s soul is bound to the idea of sacrifice — his willingness to bear suffering for the greater good. That purpose elevates his journey beyond survival into transcendence. Instead, the character’s experiences may break them, body, mind, and soul, as Winston Smith was broken. Even though his intent was to find a way out of the torture, it finally became too much and he gave up the fight.
• The Necessity of Essence
  To find the heart of a protagonist, writers must uncover their soul. This requires peeling back layers of action and thought to reveal the values that define them. What do they stand for? What would they die for? What truth do they carry into the world? The soul is the heartbeat that sustains the narrative, ensuring that the protagonist is not just a character but a symbol of human experience.

The Interplay of Body, Mind, and Soul

The true heart of a protagonist emerges not from one dimension alone but from the interplay of body, mind, and soul. These elements are inseparable, each informing and enriching the other.

• The body expresses the protagonist’s struggles and triumphs in tangible form.
• The mind interprets these experiences, shaping decisions and conflicts.
• The soul imbues them with meaning, ensuring that the journey resonates beyond the page.

When these dimensions align, the protagonist becomes whole. They cease to be a construct and instead become a living presence in the reader’s imagination. This wholeness is what makes characters like Elizabeth Bennet, Harry Potter, or Jane Eyre endure across generations. Their bodies act, their minds question, and their souls inspire.

Conclusion: Writing with Heart

To write a protagonist is to breathe life into a story. To find their heart is to ensure that life is not mechanical but meaningful. By exploring the body, mind, and soul of a character, writers uncover the essence that makes them unforgettable. The body grounds them, the mind guides them, and the soul elevates them. Together, these dimensions create a protagonist whose journey resonates with readers long after the final page is turned.

In the end, the heart of a protagonist is not just necessary — it is the story itself. For without heart, there is no connection, no catharsis, no truth. And without truth, are stories worth telling?

About Sarah

Sarah (Sally) Hamer, B.S., MLA, is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories and has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals.

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com and for the No Stress Writing Academy at https://www.worldanvil.com/w/classes-deleyna/a/no-stress-writing-academy.  Sally is a free-lance editor and book coach, with many of her students and clients becoming successful, award-winning authors.

You can find her at in**@***********al.org

Header Photo by Aung Soe Min on Unsplash