Protest is a form of democratic, public or private demonstration, which demonstrates discontent over something. People who protest against something are usually not in agreement or satisfied with certain attitude or action. When the word "protest" appears in a literary work, it provides a negative connotation of the word "assert" because it gives a sense of discomfort to the reader.
1. They help the setting become more realistic. 2. They could even help the main character on stage feel less anxious, since they're not the only one up there.
