Actant

An actant is a term used in narrative analysis to describe the role or function that a character or element plays within a story. Think of it as the part a character or object has in driving the plot forward or contributing to the story's development. For example, a hero, villain, helper, or object can all be considered actants because they have specific roles and influence how events unfold. Identifying actants helps in understanding the structure of stories, how characters interact, and how the narrative's dynamics are organized.