"Great Expectations" protagonist (3)
I believe the answer is:
pip
'great expectations protagonist' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for pip that I've seen before include "Dickensian hero" , "Great Expectations hero" , "Just beat, often at the post" , "'Seed, of an apple say (3)'" , "Palindromic fruit seed" .)