Becoming The Main Character

Jameson Olsen
  • 5.0 (155)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Biweekly

We're going to discover the world's greatest stories and the important lessons they hold. Each episode will take you on a journey, transforming how you see life through literature's most powerful narratives. Hamlet will teach you why you shouldn't put off making that big move. Jo March exemplifies committing to your business idea when no one believes in you. Captain Ahab’s struggle with Moby Dick is a warning to not let future relationships be ruined by the memories of your exes. Fiction for your non-fiction life. Tune in, be changed.

  1. 2d ago

    The Call of Cthulhu \\ The Story That Spawned a Horror Universe

    “Lovecraft opened the way for me. It is his shadow, so long and gaunt, and his eyes, so dark and puritanical, which overlie almost all of the important horror fiction that has come since.” -Stephen King In 1926, H.P. Lovecraft wrote a horror story that would not only define his own career 100 years later, but also set a foundation for a horror mythos that writers have used in thousands of books, shows, and video games.  The Call of Cthulhu follows a narrator who is desperate to explain away the evidence he keeps discovering because the truth it all points to is scarier than any world war, epidemic, or climate event. A century later, "The Call of Cthulhu" is still one of the most influential horror stories ever written, and it's the one that asks the most uncomfortable question a show like this can ask: what if you were never the main character? ________________________________________ Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes, access to all the Character Analysis episodes, and early access to the next book. Sign-up link below: Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMain FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  2. Sep 29

    The Regret of Achilles

    Achilles, the greatest warrior in Greek mythology, knew his fate: stay and fight at Troy and die young with eternal glory, or go home and live a long, forgotten life. He ended up with the glory and the early grave. Then, in the land of the dead, he told Odysseus it wasn't worth it. It's one of the most powerful scenes in Homer's Odyssey, and Christopher Nolan left it out of his film. This episode goes back to the Iliad and the Trojan War to find out why Achilles ended up there. He thought he was making reasoned choices, but his passions were deciding for him the whole time. Most of us live the same way: sure of what we want in theory, hedging in practice, and letting our worst days settle the questions we never answered. Achilles shows what that costs, and what it takes to make a choice that's truly your own. --------------------------------- Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes, access to all the Character Analysis episodes, and early access to the next book. Sign-up link below: Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMain FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  3. Aug 11

    Why A Nation Creates Its Own Mythology (Pt. 2)

    In a continuation of our series on why mythologies and folklore are useful to the identity of a culture, we continue diving into the stories that have cemented themselves in the American mind. Even if these particular stories are unfamiliar, their essence will resonate with the stories you think of as foundational to what it is to be "An American", the same way the stories of Hercules or Perseus defined what it was to be "Greek". This episode is fascinating as you realize how much the idea of the frontier was a building block to our identity as a country even now, when the frontier wilderness has all been mapped and populated. ------------------------------------- Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes, access to all the Character Analysis episodes, and early access to the next book. Sign-up link below: Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMain FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  4. Jul 16

    Huckleberry Finn (pt 2) \\ Making the Hard Choice

    We've been floating down the river having a pretty good time so far, but the events of the last chapter have sobered Huckleberry Finn up a bit to the uglier side of life. But we're back on the raft with Jim, with more people to meet, more life lessons to be experienced, and more dangers to be faced. Let's settle in to the rest of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn------------------------ Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes, access to all the Character Analysis episodes, and early access to the next book. Sign-up link below: Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMain FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  5. Jul 8

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (pt 1)

    What happens when you take a story that is controversial enough to be frequently banned from libraries and mix it with an author who doesn’t care what you think about his writing?You get Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. But why is a story about a boy floating down a river so scrutinized?Some reasons are obvious, but others are less so. All I know is I found the character of Huck to be a great study in choosing what matters to you. So come on in, the water is fine...for now. DONATE TO BEN'S FIGHT AGAINST CANCER:https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ben-fight-cancer-support-his-treatment Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes, access to all the Character Analysis episodes, and early access to the next book. Sign-up link below: Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMain FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  6. Jul 3

    Why a Nation Creates Its Own Mythology (Pt. 1)

    Why does a culture need its own stories? Can't it just borrow someone else's? The USA is too young to have formulated a mythology like classic civilizations did, and yet from our early years we still ended up creating fictional stories that are inherently ours. Why? In this special episode to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation I grew up in, I explore a couple of reasons for this, and I share examples of stories so baked into our belief system of what it is to be "American" that we largely consider them to be true.Because, as I'm discovering, it's not enough to have a belief system...it needs to be ours. ---------------------------------- Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes to take you even deeper into the story with more scenes, more lessons, and more of everything that makes the show what it is, as well as access to all of the Character Analysis episodes. Sign up link below: --------------------------- Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM" Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------- Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  7. Jun 3

    The Scarlet Pimpernel (pt 2)

    In Part 2 of our coverage of The Scarlet Pimpernel we are waiting to see what Chauvelin will discover in the dining room. Marguerite feels sick for being a spy for the villain, but it was the Pimpernel, or her brother Armand, and she has made her choice. How will this play out? Will the Pimpernel escape? Will Marguerite be able to live with her choice? Let's find out together. ---------------------------------- Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes to take you even deeper into the story with more scenes, more lessons, and more of everything that makes the show what it is, as well as access to all of the Character Analysis episodes. Sign up link below: --------------------------- Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM" Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/ FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------- Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

  8. May 26

    The Scarlet Pimpernel (pt 1)

    Before the acronyms MCU or DCEU ever existed, superheroes were illustrations on the page of comic books. But before comic books came to be, there was another story that first gave us a hero with a secret identity. The original superhero who risked it all to save others, while wearing a 'mask' in his day-to-day life to protect himself and those he loved. In this episode, we begin coverage of Baroness Orczy's adventurous historical drama, "The Scarlet Pimpernel". A novel that set the foundation for a genre. ---------------------------------- BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMain ---------------------------------- Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes to take you even deeper into the story with more scenes, more lessons, and more of everything that makes the show what it is, as well as access to all of the Character Analysis episodes. Sign up link below: --------------------------- Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/ GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM" Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/---------------------------------- FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------- Becoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves? Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated. Subscribe and follow along!

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We're going to discover the world's greatest stories and the important lessons they hold. Each episode will take you on a journey, transforming how you see life through literature's most powerful narratives. Hamlet will teach you why you shouldn't put off making that big move. Jo March exemplifies committing to your business idea when no one believes in you. Captain Ahab’s struggle with Moby Dick is a warning to not let future relationships be ruined by the memories of your exes. Fiction for your non-fiction life. Tune in, be changed.

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