Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Louise Sawyer and Thelma Dickinson

Of the two leads, Louise certainly has a bit more gusto than Thelma. She's older, more confident, more street-smart, and it's her decision to shoot Harlan that propels the action of the film. We see more of her private life than we do Thelma's: phone calls with Jimmy, details of her immaculate apartment, and her conversations with Hal the detective are for the audience's eyes and ears only, so we feel closer to her as a character.

Thelma, however, is the most dynamic character in the film. A dynamic character is one who undergoes a major transformation. Thelma starts out looking like Little Bo Peep, nervous about making her husband angry and pretty naïve about the big bad world. By the end of the film, Thelma has dominated and can't imagine ever going back to the life she once led.