Mentors are a great tool for telling your protagonist what to do, without telling you protagonist what to do.
The Mentor is one of the more common character archetypes in storytelling, because protagonists need someone to talk to and guide them as they struggle through the plot. The Mentor offers insight, wisdom, and even tools to solve the protagonist’s problems in the novel and helps them grow as the story unfolds.
While often portrayed as the "wise old man" type, the Mentor can be any age, sex, or race (or even species).
- Yoda mentors Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back
- Polgara mentors Garion in The Belariad series
- Charlotte mentors Wilbur in Charlotte's Web