The main character is probably the hanging man. But there could be other characters too. For instance, there might be a prison guard who has some sort of interaction with him. Maybe there's also a family member or a friend who is either trying to save him or has given up on him. These characters would help to flesh out the story and show different perspectives related to the hanging man's situation.
The central character would be the hanging man, no doubt. However, in a short story, there could be other important characters as well. There might be a priest who comes to offer him last rites and has some deep conversations with him about life, death, and redemption. There could also be a fellow prisoner who has some sort of connection with the hanging man, perhaps they share a common past or have some unfulfilled plans together. And then, there could be the executioner, who is a key figure in the story as he is the one who will carry out the hanging. His character could be explored in terms of his feelings about his job, whether he has any moral qualms, or if he just sees it as a job to be done.
Most likely, the hanging man is one of the main characters. There might also be those involved in his sentencing, like a judge or a prosecutor.
I don't know for sure as I haven't read it, but it could have the typical Oz characters like Dorothy. And of course, the hanging man would be a main character as the story is named after him.
If it's a more complex 'the hanging man story', there could be a group of people involved. There might be a mob that demands the hanging, thinking the man is guilty of a heinous crime. Then there could be a lone defender, like a lawyer or a friend, who tries to stop the hanging. These characters would interact and create a web of relationships and conflicts within the story.
The main character is likely the person who discovers the hanging stranger. There may not be a lot of other fully developed characters, but there could be some bystanders or people related to the situation in the background.
The main plot might involve a man who is about to be hanged. Maybe it shows his final moments, his thoughts, or the events that led to his hanging. Without reading it specifically, this is a general guess.
I'm not entirely sure as I haven't read it specifically. But generally in Oz - related stories, there could be elements of magic, strange characters, and some sort of adventure. Maybe the hanging man is a mysterious or menacing figure in the story and the plot could revolve around dealing with him or uncovering his secrets.
Mr. Hawkins is another important character. He is Dave's employer. His relationship with Dave shows the power dynamics between an employer and a young, inexperienced worker. Dave wants to prove himself to Mr. Hawkins as part of his journey to manhood.
I don't know who the author of 'the hanging short story' is. There are many authors out there and without more context, it's difficult to determine.
The Hanging Man in Little Nightmares is a character that embodies the horror within the game's world. His appearance, likely hanging in a desolate area, is a visual cue for the players that something is very wrong. He may be related to the power structure or the dark secrets of the place. He might have been a person who was caught up in the malevolent forces at work in the game's universe and is now a macabre reminder of the perils that exist there.
Not having read 'the man on the train short story', it's difficult to determine the main characters precisely. The man on the train is surely a central figure. There could be a mysterious stranger sitting next to him, who is also a main character and whose actions or words drive the plot forward. Additionally, there might be a family on the train that the man interacts with, and they play an important role in the story as well.
I don't know the story, so I can't say for sure. But I assume the smiling man is one of the main characters.