A protagonist is the main character, hero, or good guy faced with a problem or struggle. Anvil is the protagonist in "The White Circle" because he is a main character faced with the struggles of finding food, shelter, and a sense of belonging.

The first struggle Anvil faced making him the protagonist is a lack of food. Anvil's need for food was the reason Anvil was up in Tucker's tree eating Tucker's apples. Anvil was not in the tree eating the apples because he hated Tucker or was getting back at him. Anvil was eating the apples in order to survive. Tucker said, "There perched Anvil, callously munching one of my thirteen apples and stowing the rest inside his ragged shirt until it bulged out in ugly lumps." (31) This shows how much Anvil needed food because he was putting the rest of the apples in his "ragged shirt" for later. Therefore Anvil had to deal with hunger so he is the protagonist. In addition to Anvil not having food, he also did not have any permanent place or home.

Having no home was Anvil's next struggle making him the protagonist. Anvil's father was, "A dirty, half crazy, itinerant, knickknack peddler."(34) Itinerant means not having a permanent place or home so if Anvils dad does not have a home, Anvil does not have a home either. Therefore, every day Anvil had to find a place to live which is a problem that he had to face making him the protagonist. By Anvil not having a place to go home to every day leads to Anvils next and most important struggle, his need to fit in and have a friend.

Finally, Anvils last struggle making him the protagonist is a need for a sense of belonging. Having no place to go home to after school shows that Anvil did not have a sense of belonging at home, and since he didn't have any friends at school, he would take what ever friend or friends he could get. When Anvil said, "They hate me because my old man's crazy."(35) This shows how no one liked Anvil in school and how he didn't have a sense of belonging at school making him the protagonist.

In conclusion, Anvil had many troubles in "The White Circle." He is the protagonist because he is a main character faced with the struggles of finding food shelter, and a sense of belonging.