Secondary Characters in Fiction

Today I'm taking part in the Girly Book Blog Hop. Don't let the cute name fool you- we're talking about something I find very interesting and I hope you will too, Secondary Characters. I decided to go with some of my favorites rather than from my own fiction.


As a bonus, if you comment at the end and tell me your five favorite secondary characters by October 1 and you'll be entered to win an Amazon e-book of your choice! (up to $5)

Can you imagine the Harry Potter series without Hermione and Ron? Would Frodo have made it to Mt. Doom without Sam?  How would Sherlock Holmes really shine without Watson?


Secondary characters serve many purposes in fiction, whether they are a sharp contrast to the protagonist or a symbolic figure, a teacher or a nemesis. They often give depth and add tension, fleshing out the story-line to make us care for them nearly as much as the hero.

I've brought together a list of some of my favorite secondary characters to show you their importance and inspire you to take great care at painting these characters in real and believable ways.

1. Captain Jack Randall- Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon 

Throughout the first few Outlander books, Jack Randall is weaved into the story as Jamie's nemesis, the    reasons being revealed slowly as the rest of the story unfolds. He is the driving force behind many of Jamie's quirks and the monster that keeps him awake at night. Through Jack, we see both the good and bad sides of Jamie and we feel pain for him, but we also root for him with a fiery passion.

2. America- Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Abby's best friend America is a link to her past, but also is firmly grounded in her present. By witnessing their friendship, we learn who Abby was and that she's trying to put her past behind her. But, she also helps demonstrate the Abby that is trying to do the right thing in the present situation. Without America's gentle, and at times not so gentle, reminders, Abby might not have made the choices she did.

3. Samwise Gamgee- Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Sam is a classic sidekick character. He is Frodo's companion on the journey to destroy the Ring, but he also takes on many other roles throughout the trilogy. He guards Frodo when Frodo is ill and his mind is warped by the ring. Sam rescues him when the Orcs capture Frodo. When Frodo wanted to give up, it was Sam who pushed him up and eventually carried him to the heart of Mt Doom.

4. Dr. John Watson- The Sherlock Holmes Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Watson is the legendary sidekick for Sherlock Holmes, the sounding board for his ideas and theories. It is through Watson's eyes that we see Holmes, through a lens of respect and admiration. In most of the stories I've read, Watson doesn't do much to solve the cases, but by just being present, he shows us the nature of Sherlock Holmes and his one minute brooding self-absorption to the next minute agitated whirlwind of activity.

5. Ron and Hermione- Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

At first I was just going to talk about Hermione because she is such a major player in Harry's defeat of Voldemort. She is smart and determined, never letting Harry get away with sitting on his laurels for too long. But, then I couldn't possibly leave out Ron who, while Hermione is the brains of the operation Ron is the heart. He is utterly loyal to Harry, if a bit jealous at times. They both give Harry the family he longs for, but has been missing since the death of his parents.

Even though these characters aren't the main protagonists, they have a major impact on the way the story plays out. Through their interactions with the head honchos, we become more aware of the story as a whole and are more firmly invested in the final outcome.

Who are some of your favorite secondary characters in fiction?