--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main question in drama, the way I was…" description: "\"The main question in drama, the way I was taught, is always, 'What does the protagonist want?' That's what drama is. It comes down to that. It's not ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fd/david-mamet-1178_always_the-main-question-in-drama-the-way-i-was_2912334.jpg" --- # The main question in drama, the way I was taught, is… ![“The main question in drama, the way I was taught, is always, 'What does the protagonist want?' That's what drama is. It comes down to that. It's not about theme, it's not about ideas, it's not about setting, but what the protagonist wants.” quote by David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fd/david-mamet-1178_always_the-main-question-in-drama-the-way-i-was_2912334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fd/david-mamet-1178_always_the-main-question-in-drama-the-way-i-was_2912334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fd/david-mamet-1178_always_the-main-question-in-drama-the-way-i-was_2912334.jpg) > “The main question in drama, the way I was taught, is always, 'What does the protagonist want?' That's what drama is. It comes down to that. It's not about theme, it's not about ideas, it's not about setting, but what the protagonist wants.” [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Drama centers on the protagonist’s desire; that drive defines conflict and narrative purpose. **In simple terms:** Stories focus on what the main character wants. Key Takeaway Identify the core desire to shape plot. Themes storytelling character conflict purpose drama Mood analytical focused Type instructional theoretical When to use this quote - scriptwriting - theater production - character development - audience engagement Key Concepts psychology motivation narrative structure Questions to Reflect On - What does your protagonist truly need? - How does desire shape their choices? A Different Perspective Themes alone cannot sustain a story without clear character goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Protagonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-protagonist-1505444/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Drama Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama-way-3954875/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Protagonist Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonist-want-4200878/) [Protagonist Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonist-wants-4200877/) [Protagonists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonists/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Theme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theme/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-drama-368738/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [As long as the protagonist wants something, the audience will want something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/as-long-as-the-protagonist-wants-something-the-audience-will-want/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [There is always drama and there will always be drama, but its the way its presented in my head that makes it so interesting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-schwartz/there-is-always-drama-and-there-will-always-be-drama-but-its-the-way/) [Josh Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-schwartz/) > [“Does the protagonist deny the irreconcilable conflict? Does she lie about it- to herself and others? Does she make a choice between two irreconcilable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mura/does-the-protagonist-deny-the-irreconcilable-conflict-does-she-lie/) [David Mura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mura/) > [“And here, of course, we come to the one occupation of a female protagonist in literature, the one thing she can do, and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/and-here-of-course-we-come-to-the-one-occupation-of-a-female/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) > [It is the objective of the protagonist that keeps us in our seats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/it-is-the-objective-of-the-protagonist-that-keeps-us-in-our-seats/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [The great movie can be as free of being a record of the progress of the protagonist as is a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-great-movie-can-be-as-free-of-being-a-record-of-the-progress-of/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Make the audience wonder what's going on by putting them in the same position as the protagonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/make-the-audience-wonder-what-s-going-on-by-putting-them-in-the-same/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Any claim to actual identification as a drama must rest upon the construction of a plot independent of the assignment of affliction to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/any-claim-to-actual-identification-as-a-drama-must-rest-upon-the/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [I'm an actor. I want to do drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/i-m-an-actor-i-want-to-do-drama/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [Stop planning your life & let it plan itself Quit trying to find the perfect boy & let him find you If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/stop-planning-your-life-let-it-plan-itself-quit-trying-to-find-the/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [People don't want drama 365 days a year. I'm a sense of relief; it's my job to take your mind off what's bad for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/people-don-t-want-drama-365-days-a-year-i-m-a-sense-of-relief-it-s-my/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [If you want to see great mixed martial arts, tune in when I fight. If you want to see drama and all of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetrious-johnson/if-you-want-to-see-great-mixed-martial-arts-tune-in-when-i-fight-if/) [Demetrious Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetrious-johnson/) > [I understand you always want drama leading up to the fight. You want whatever publicity you can get for it. It's more appealing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carmouche/i-understand-you-always-want-drama-leading-up-to-the-fight-you-want/) [Liz Carmouche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carmouche/) > [I don't chalk out my career thinking that I want to first do serious drama, then a comedy or an action. I take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-don-t-chalk-out-my-career-thinking-that-i-want-to-first-do-serious/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [I want to show that drama doesn't lie only in blood and destroyed buildings but in daily life, in ordinary human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmila-zbanic/i-want-to-show-that-drama-doesn-t-lie-only-in-blood-and-destroyed/) [Jasmila Zbanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmila-zbanic/) ## More by David Mamet > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Culture exists and evolves to relegate to habit categories of interactions the constant conscious reference to which would make human interaction impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/culture-exists-and-evolves-to-relegate-to-habit-categories-of/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [When I started out I was a failed actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/when-i-started-out-i-was-a-failed-actor/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/we-must-have-a-pie-stress-cannot-exist-in-the-presence-of-a-pie/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“We cannot live in peace without Law. And though law cannot be perfect, it may be just if it is written in ignorance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/we-cannot-live-in-peace-without-law-and-though-law-cannot-be-perfect/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Films have degenerated to their original operation as carnival amusement - they offer not drama but thrills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/films-have-degenerated-to-their-original-operation-as-carnival/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [The Oscars demonstrate the will of the people to control and judge those they have elected to stand above them (much, perhaps, as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-oscars-demonstrate-the-will-of-the-people-to-control-and-judge/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [I know very well what it is to be out of work and to be cheated by employers and I know what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/i-know-very-well-what-it-is-to-be-out-of-work-and-to-be-cheated-by/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Hitchcock denigrated American films, saying they were all 'pictures of people talking' - as, indeed, most of them are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/hitchcock-denigrated-american-films-saying-they-were-all-pictures-of/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“Life in the movie business is like the beginning of a new love affair: it's full of surprises, and you're constantly getting fucked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/life-in-the-movie-business-is-like-the-beginning-of-a-new-love-affair/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“How was her crumbcake? oh.. from the store... …”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/how-was-her-crumbcake-oh-from-the-store/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [A dramatic experience concerned with the mundane may inform but it cannot release; and one concerned essentially with the aesthetic politics of its creators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/a-dramatic-experience-concerned-with-the-mundane-may-inform-but-it/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [The product of the artist has become less important than the fact of the artist. We wish to absorb this person. We wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-product-of-the-artist-has-become-less-important-than-the-fact-of/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [In a world we find terrifying, we ratify that which doesn't threaten us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/in-a-world-we-find-terrifying-we-ratify-that-which-doesn-t-threaten-us/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“As a youth I enjoyed — indeed, like most of my contemporaries, revered — the agitprop plays of Brecht, and his indictments of Capitalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/as-a-youth-i-enjoyed-indeed-like-most-of-my-contemporaries-revered/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) [Explore all 278 David Mamet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The main question in drama, the way I was taught, is always, 'What does the protagonist want?' 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