- Definition
An antagonist is the character in a story who works against the main character, often creating problems for them.
In the story of the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf is the antagonist because he tries to blow their houses down.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The antagonist is like the 'bad guy' or the final boss in a video game who tries to stop the hero.
Ask your child: Who is trying to stop the main character from winning?
Common mix-up: Kids often think the antagonist must be an evil villain. The antagonist is simply the character who creates conflict for the main character, even if they aren't 'bad'.
Examples
- In a superhero movie, the supervillain who tries to defeat the hero is the antagonist.
- In a sports story, the star player on the rival team could be the antagonist.
antagonist is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
