Names and POV

[TheIT]

I'm working on a story in third person limited POV with two different viewpoint characters. Each character has a different relationship with other characters, and therefore might refer to the same person with a different name. For example, character A might refer to "Uncle Fred", but character B calls the same man "Skipper" because of a working relationship. I understand from POV rules that each character should be consistent in what name they use so as not to confuse the reader. Internally, character A should always refer to "Uncle Fred" rather than "Skipper" since that's how A thinks about the man.

So, questions:

1) Any suggestions on techniques to make sure the reader understands that "Uncle Fred" and "Skipper" are the same person?

2) What if I want to introduce a different POV? For example, setting a scene using third person omniscient then shifting into one of the viewpoint character's POV? What name should be used for Fred during the "omniscient" section? The name the about-to-be viewpoint character would use?

[Bufty]

1) I don't really follow your problem here. It's the same as Joe calling his father Dad while his mother calls Joe's Dad Peter, and Joe's friend calls Joe's Dad Mr Brown, and at the same time Joe's Dad calls Joe 'Son' and......

2) Best to stay in one POV throughout a scene, but how you describe Fred depends upon how you are writing the scene. If the reader knows him as Fred, call him Fred. If you use a special name used by the 'about to be POV character' then surely you are already in that character's POV - no?

I suspect a real pet name would only be used in narrative if you were in First Person POV. I just spotted this link which you may find helpful. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums...ead.php?t=23237 (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23237)

[Kiva Wolfe]

No problem. You can use conversation as a means to introduce the affectionate term Character A uses for Character B.

Character A: He cleared the constricted lump in his throat and eyed his Uncle Fred with a degree of uncertainty. "What do you think the black feather means, Skipper?"

[Draelynkhar]

No problem. You can use conversation as a means to introduce the affectionate term Character A uses for Character B.

Character A: He cleared the constricted lump in his throat and eyed his Uncle Fred with a degree of uncertainty. "What do you think the black feather means, Skipper?"

But, if I'm reading the problem correctly, the nephew character doesn't refer his uncle as both "Uncle Fred" and "Skipper." Instead, the problem seems to be having one character addressed by different names by different characters (i.e. Billy might refer to Fred as "Uncle Fred" since Billy is Fred's nephew, but John might refer to Fred as "Skipper" since they are co-workers).

Further, if I understand correctly, the story is written from the POV of two characters -- Billy and John, for the sake of example. Therefore, the concern is likely relative to confusion possibly created if Billy is talking about "Uncle Fred" while John is talking about "Skipper" without any clues to the reader that "Uncle Fred" and "Skipper" are the same person. (Why do I feel like this is clear as mud?)

Having never written myself into this particular predicament, the only solution I can think of off the top of my head is to provide one or two clues.

For instance: "Billy watched his Uncle Fred closely and, in doing so, realized why other people had dubbed him Skipper."

Or: Billy turned to John and asked, "Have you seen Uncle Fred." The only reply was a gruff, "Skipper's not back yet."

[Bufty]

In other words, there is no problem. It happens constantly.

[TheIT]

Thanks for the replies. I might be seeing a problem which doesn't exist. It just looks very obvious to me when I reread sections because the names my POV characters are calling this particular character are so different. I don't want to end up with the reader needing a scorecard to keep track of who's who.

[Bufty]

Good Luck, TheIT, you'll crack it, I'm sure. As long as the character is big enough to be recognised whenever he appears I don't think you'll have a problem.
Thanks for the replies. I might be seeing a problem which doesn't exist. It just looks very obvious to me when I reread sections because the names my POV characters are calling this particular character are so different. I don't want to end up with the reader needing a scorecard to keep track of who's who.

[reph]

If your narrator is present enough as a voice, you can say "Billy would never have thought of calling his uncle Skipper, as the men at the shipyard did. His folks frowned on using nicknames for older people. It'd be like calling a teacher by her first name or saying 'Giovanni' at Sunday school instead of 'Father Lucchesi.'"

If you can work it in, of course, and have it contribute to characterization as well as solve the mistaken-identity problem.