Character type and function

Vladimir Propp

In 1928 Propp suggested that in any story there are only ever a limited number of character types, each of which have their own purpose in the narrative.

Propp's main character types

Hero - The central protagonist off the narrative who drives it forward and has some kind of quest or mission to undertake in return for a reward. Traditionally male, e.g. Fireman Sam, but can be female in modern narratives.

Heroine/Princess - Acts as a reward for the hero succeeding in the quest. In older, more stereotypical narratives the heroine is a passive princess and female, e.g. Daphne in Scooby-Doo. In modern narratives the heroine can be more active and feisty.

Villain - Seeks riches, glory and/or power, and also seeks to stop the hero from succeeding in the quest or mission, while presenting a genuine threat. They can be male (e.g. Scar in Disney's The Lion King) or female (e.g Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmations).



Donor/Mentor - Gives the hero important information or equipment to help him (or her) in the quest. They are often represented as wise or as having special powers, but are not able to do the quest without the hero.



Helper - Accompanies the hero for some or most of the journey of the quest, and can even help the hero to succeed, but cannot by themselves complete the quest.