Friends are an important part of our lives. I’m sure we all
look forward to long conversations with our close friends. We confide in them
and cry over their shoulders. They are the reason we smile even in the midst
of trouble. Our friends understand us better than anyone else.
The same rule applies when we write our stories. Our main
characters too need a clutch of friends. Here is my take on few types of
friends we can give our protagonists:
1. The Sacrificing Martyr – who will
sacrifice his or her comfort to help the protagonist. Just like Hermione
and Ron who almost always put Harry’s interest before their own. This was
visible especially in the last book when they left the comforts of
Hogwarts to be with Harry.
2. The Fair Weather Friends – who will
desert the ship when troubled times loom large. The support of this kind of
friends is only for the good times. These friends are selfish.
3. The Voice of Caution – a lot like
Hermione in the Potter Series. This type of friend also doubles as a guardian
and conscience rolled into one, giving warning about the repercussions of
certain actions the protagonist undertakes. This type of friend can put up a
fight if they feel that the protagonist is acting foolish or taking unnecessary
risks.
4. The Idiot – who provides the lighter
moments and is the butt of all the jokes like Neville Longbottom and Luna
Lovegood in the Potter series. These friends are harmless and can rise to the
occasion if the need arises.
5. The Turn Coat – who doesn’t think
twice before betraying the protagonist when it suits them to serve other
interests that clash with the protagonist’s.
6. The Fool Hardy One – this type
of friend leads the protagonist into all kinds of trouble.
7. The Wise Ones – who have the answer to
most puzzles bugging the protagonist. These friends can be a great source
of help to the protagonist.
8. The Dependable Ones – these friends
can and will almost always help the protagonist and will stick with
him or her through troubled times, through thick and thin. Hermione comes
to mind when I think of this kind of a friend.
9. The Jealous Friend – this kind of
friend is fiercely competitive and sees the protagonist more as a rival than a
friend. These friends are extremely prone to jealousy and may even harm in a fit
of jealousy.
10. The Silent One – who seldom
offers an opinion, but can be extremely loyal and protective of the MC.
11. The Defender – who gets into all kind
of trouble trying to protect the hero/heroine. This type of friend picks up
fights on behalf of the MC.
12. The Lackeys – who hang around the MC as it’s prestigious to be
seen in their company. They are like leeches, they can never be depended upon
for help.
What kind of friend/s have you given your protagonist?
Did you ponder over the type of friend you wanted to give the Main
Character, or did it just happen as a part of the story? Do you take time to
create the perfect friend for your hero/heroine? Please share. We all can learn
lots from your process.
