Fragmented Protagonism: Collective Character Structure in Savi Sharma’s Everyone Has a Story

Abstract

Recent trends in Indian popular fiction reveal a gradual movement away from single-hero narratives toward stories structured around multiple central figures who share narrative attention. In Everyone Has a Story, the progression of events unfolds through four interconnected yet independently sustained character arcs, none of which dominates the textual space. This balanced distribution of narrative focus enables parallel development and creates structural symmetry within the novel. Such an arrangement enhances reader engagement by offering varied points of identification and sustaining momentum through alternating perspectives. The organization of chapters, the proportional presence of dialogue, and the careful transitions between character trajectories collectively contribute to a sense of equilibrium that binds the text together. Rather than privileging individual heroism, the novel advances through shared narrative authority, reflecting a contemporary storytelling tendency within Indian mass-market fiction. By decentralizing protagonism and maintaining structural coherence across multiple arcs, the text demonstrates how collective character design can function as an effective narrative strategy in shaping modern popular narratives.