Kinds Of Novels

Some novels have a single central character, like Poul Anderson's Ensign Flandry, whereas others have multiple characters, like Anderson's The People Of The Wind or CS Lewis' That Hideous Strength. However, does even a multiple character novel have one main character whom we follow through the narrative and, if so, the how do we identify that character? 

That Hideous Strength opens and closes with Jane Studdock but I think that this novel can be accurately characterized as the story of the salvation of the soul of Jane's husband, Mark. The People Of The Wind opens with Daniel Holm addressing his son, Christopher, and ends with Christopher's Ythrian friend, Eyath. I think that Christopher/Chris/Arinnian is the main character who Learns Better and, at the end, is able to marry Tabitha Falkayn.

In Anderson's The Man Who Counts, the title character is Nicholas van Rijn whereas the main viewpoint character is Eric Wace who Learns Better about Who Counts.

Novels do not fit into precise categories. As an Aesthetics lecturer who had proposed a definition of art replied when asked, "What would you say about the borderline case where...?," "Why should I say anything about it? It is a borderline case."