What is the term for the main character of a story?

The main character of a story is called the protagonist.

A protagonist is the character whose choices, goals, conflicts, and fate receive the story’s central attention. In many narratives, the protagonist drives the plot by making decisions and responding to obstacles. A story can have more than one protagonist, especially when it uses an ensemble cast or follows several connected viewpoints. A subplot may also have its own protagonist.

The protagonist is often opposed by an antagonist, the character, group, or force that creates major obstacles. These terms describe narrative roles, not moral qualities. A protagonist does not have to be heroic or virtuous: a villain, antihero, or morally compromised character can still be the story’s protagonist if the narrative primarily follows them. Likewise, the narrator is the voice telling the story and may be different from the protagonist, as in “The Great Gatsby,” where Nick Carraway narrates while Jay Gatsby is the central figure.

The term comes from Ancient Greek prōtagōnistēs, meaning “first actor” or “principal competitor.” Greek drama later developed related terms such as deuteragonist for the second actor and tritagonist for the third. “Hero” and “protagonist” overlap sometimes, but they are not exact synonyms.