Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Ed

Wait a second… isn't Ed the protagonist? Yes, but he's also his own antagonist in some ways. Say what? Stick with us for a moment to let us convince you. Most of the time, Ed can be found playing cards and driving cabs, but not doing much else—even he admits that he's got "no real career. No respect in the community. Nothing" (1.2.14). But though he admits it, he doesn't try to change things around for himself in any way, shape, or form. Ed lets his fears and laziness get in the way of what he wants to do, and that's why he's an antagonist to himself.

Life

Ed isn't the only thing working against his own happiness though, and life (or the bad people and situations in life) is against Ed too. Sure he's a downer sometimes, but he meets up with people in some seriously tough times—a woman who is raped every night; a family without the money to buy new Christmas lights; a kid whose brother beats on him; a tired mom who just wants to relax… the list could go on and on.

Did you notice that none of the people Ed is sent to help have it all together? They're in dire straights. So we might think about their tough breaks in life as being against Ed too. He's only out there delivering messages to people because others have let them down, so whether he's overcoming life on the wrong side of the tracks of the doozies life's thrown other people's ways, life is a force to be reckoned with on Ed's journey.