I'm wondering if you could point me to examples of a stories where the Impact Character is also the Protagonist?
In order to determine the protagonist, one must determine the Story Goal. The protagonist is the character leading the charge toward that goal. Here are some examples that come to mind:
Road to Perdition: The story goal is to protect Sullivan's son from the organized crime families. Father (Tom Hanks) is the Impact Character and protagonist. His son is the Main Character.
Sherlock Holmes novels, generally: The story goal is to solve the case. Holmes is the protagonist/Impact Character. Watson is the Main Character. NOTE: This is NOT true for the Robert Downey Jr. version of Sherlock Holmes, which has an MC Protagonist.
The Terminator: The story goal is to protect Sarah Connor. Kyle Reese is the protagonist/Impact Character. Sarah Connor is the Main Character.
The Great Gatsby: The story goal is to win the love of Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby is the protagonist/Impact Character. The writer Nick Carraway is the Main Character.
All About Eve: The story goal is to become a star and be famous. Though these are complex characters, Eve Harrington is the IC/Pursue character. Margo Channing is the Main Character.
The Shawshank Redemption: The story goal is to escape prison. Red is the Main Character. Andy is the protagonist/Impact Character.
