In earlier posts, I’ve talked about [protagonists and heroes](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2005/whats-the-difference-between-hero-main-character-and-protagonist) at length. Yesterday [Michael Goldenberg](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325533/) offered a a new description that I love:
**The protagonist is the character that suffers the most.**
In one sentence, both definition and practical advice. Perfect.