Protagonist
The central character whose choices and struggles drive the story.
The protagonist is the figure whose goals, conflicts, and changes anchor the narrative. Writers build sympathy or interest around this character, even when the protagonist is flawed or unlikable. The protagonist’s pursuit usually generates the main conflict.
Example
The unnamed narrator is the protagonist, and her descent into obsession with the wallpaper forms the emotional and psychological core of the story.
The Yellow Wallpaper · Charlotte Perkins Gilman