Is This Possible?

Jakalyn · Mar 22, 2005

I have a strange question, and anyone who can offer some thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Okay, so I am halfway through my first draft of a novel, and this is one of those stories I did a rough outline of and am just sort of letting the rest of it flow. Unlike all my other stories, I have not done detailed outlines, and detailed character sketches, etc. Instead, I am letting it do what it will and filling in the blanks later. The book is written in first person, in a tone like the character is recounting their version of an experience. In my opinion, it really sounds as if the person is sitting there with you telling you how the whole thing went.

Here's the issue: I just realized, after nearly 40,000 words, that my character has no name.

It has never been spoken, and to be honest, I have yet to think of one. She says things like, "He called my name and when I turned around, yada yada" but her name isn't mentioned even once.
So, I am wondering, is it feasibly possible to simply never name her? Or possibly name her in the end, or maybe as part of the summary on the back, but still leave her name out of the actual story? Do you think a reader can connect to a character without knowing their name? Would it possibly be a distraction to some readers, and halfway through they end up torturing themselves wondering what her name is? Or is it possible for it to be opposite, and have a goal that the reader is so engrossed in the story that they don't even realize that their storyteller has no name?

Can anyone think of a book where this has been done before? Do you think it's a possiblity for people to like it, or is the first agent I send it to going to instantly tell me to name her and change a whole lot of the book?

Any advice, thoughts, info, etc. would be very very helpful.
Thanks in advance!

zornhau · Mar 22, 2005

Think a little further ahead: if you want to benefit from word of mouth, then you might be wise to make it easy for people to talk about your book.

For example. my mates and I all love the Robin Hobbs Fitz books, all told in 1st person, from the perpecitve of Fitz, Fitz being a cool, tormented assassin with a troubled past. Very hard for us to chat about Fitz without using his name.

Get the idea?

Julie Worth · Mar 22, 2005

Perhaps you have a subconscious reason. I don’t plot out my novels in advance, and I generally have no conscious idea where they are going. In one of them I didn’t describe the lead character until the very end. And it worked perfectly.

Dancre · Mar 22, 2005

have you ever read the book "The book of Ruth" by Jane Hamilton? it's all done in first person, but it isn't until almost in the middle of the book that the MC's name (Ruth) is actually mentioned.
kim

victoriastrauss · Mar 22, 2005

Jakalyn said:
Can anyone think of a book where this has been done before?

In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, I think, the heroine is never named. I remember finding it irritating.

- Victoria

HConn · Mar 22, 2005

I believe that Dashiell Hammett never named the protagonist in Red Harvest. This was the same unnamed narrator of many of his most famous short stories.

Anything can work. Don't worry about the reader's reaction. Just write a story that forces people to react the way you want them to.

sgtsdaughter · Mar 22, 2005

i think that whole idea of "hiding" the MC's name until later is the book is rather intertesting. it adds a bit of mystery and deceptive humor.

MarkEsq · Mar 22, 2005

twisted...

Depending on what kind of book you are writing, maybe you could make it a little mystery, or even add a twist. For example, the reader THOUGHT Susie McGruber was narrating but all the time it was Alan McGoober, something like that.
But then I write mysteries and spend all day thinking of plot twists.

Good luck!

Mark

Twisted to the max.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 22, 2005

Name

Jakalyn said:
I have a strange question, and anyone who can offer some thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Okay, so I am halfway through my first draft of a novel, and this is one of those stories I did a rough outline of and am just sort of letting the rest of it flow. Unlike all my other stories, I have not done detailed outlines, and detailed character sketches, etc. Instead, I am letting it do what it will and filling in the blanks later. The book is written in first person, in a tone like the character is recounting their version of an experience. In my opinion, it really sounds as if the person is sitting there with you telling you how the whole thing went.

Here's the issue: I just realized, after nearly 40,000 words, that my character has no name.

It has never been spoken, and to be honest, I have yet to think of one. She says things like, "He called my name and when I turned around, yada yada" but her name isn't mentioned even once.
So, I am wondering, is it feasibly possible to simply never name her? Or possibly name her in the end, or maybe as part of the summary on the back, but still leave her name out of the actual story? Do you think a reader can connect to a character without knowing their name? Would it possibly be a distraction to some readers, and halfway through they end up torturing themselves wondering what her name is? Or is it possible for it to be opposite, and have a goal that the reader is so engrossed in the story that they don't even realize that their storyteller has no name?

Can anyone think of a book where this has been done before? Do you think it's a possiblity for people to like it, or is the first agent I send it to going to instantly tell me to name her and change a whole lot of the book?

Any advice, thoughts, info, etc. would be very very helpful.
Thanks in advance!

I've encountered it two or three times, though except for Rebecca, I'm darned if I can remember where. But I know I've enountered it a couple of other times. Like Victoria, I found it irritating. To be honest, I see no reason at all for not naming the POV character, but if you can make it work, you can get by with pretty much anything.

katiemac · Mar 22, 2005

Chuck P. never mentions his protag's name in Fight Club. And maybe a few of his other novels -- can't remember now.

However, in Fight Club's case, there was a specific reason for it. And you never noticed, you never asked. (At least, I didn't.) When you finish the book (or movie, whichever floats your boat) and you think back on the issue, it just adds a little extra. I find it interesting.

I've toyed with the aspect of not giving one of my MC a name, but in the end it just came down to the fact that she really needed one.

In your case, after you finish the book, you might need some beta readers to let you know if it works. (By the way, please don't tell them your MC doesn't have a name until after they've finished reading.) If you have a legitimate reason, it can add volume and level to your story, if you're simpy avoiding writing one in because you don't like "Lois" or "Janie," then you might need to rethink the situation.

jdkiggins · Mar 22, 2005

victoriastrauss said:
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, I think, the heroine is never named. I remember finding it irritating.

- Victoria

You must have missed it. Chapter two mentioned it. The line read: "What must I have seemed like after Rebecca?" The name Rebecca is used several times after that as well.

Sorry, you mean the new Mrs. de Winter. That's also mentioned in chapter two.

jdkiggins · Mar 22, 2005

I do believe that Mrs. Danvers was a creepy vicious housekeeper. To the point where the new Mrs. de Winter wouldn't ask too many questions for fear Danvers may say, "There were never any complaints when Mrs. de Winter was alive."

It was a very subtle way du Maurier slipped in how he wanted readers to address his heroine.

Joanne

Lenora Rose · Mar 22, 2005

MarkEsq said:
Depending on what kind of book you are writing, maybe you could make it a little mystery, or even add a twist. For example, the reader THOUGHT Susie McGruber was narrating but all the time it was Alan McGoober, something like that.

Hiding the gender of a character who darn well knows their own gender is more likely to result in a "Throw across the room" reaction in me. IMNSHO, the only person who got away with a concealment about her character THAT big was Emma Bull. (Lest you think I'm giving something huge away... it's 1. not what you think, and 2. *won't* ruin the story to know ahead of time.) And even in that case, the revelation is not a shocking main-plot twist that changes everytthing you've read to that point. Nor is it announced in big huge letters as THE REVELATION in the book, or cause any characters to reel in shock. It comes out when it needs to, fairly naturally, at the moment the narrator is willing to talk about it.

It might also cause me to throw a book across the room if the character's name is kept hidden *only* so we can learn it at the end, as if it were a big revelation.

If, however, it doesn't come out because the narrator just doesn't refer to herself in the natural course of things, that's another matter. I'd still suggest throwing it in once, somewhere near the beginning (Probably in dialogue), even if nobody ever uses it again - just so people don't get that "Book-chuck" reaction.

jdkiggins · Mar 22, 2005

Jakalyn,

Rather than try to come up with a name and then go back through to add it here and there, maybe you could slip a subtle mention of a hint of a name as du Maurier did.

I don't know if would work with your WIP, but I think it worked great in Rebecca. The poor new wife was haunted by the memory of everything the dead wife did and said, living in the same house, etc., so to be referred to as Mrs. de Winter was simply another constant reminder.

I can't think of a single book I've read that didn't name the character in some way. But that's not saying it can't be done.

Good luck with your story. When you complete it, and if you get to the end without naming the main character, I'd love to read it. I think it's an interesting concept.

Joanne

Dru · Mar 22, 2005

Only if you're really, really, really good.

If you can get away with it, then you can do it.

However, if this is the normal world and this protag is around people who know the protag, then you're skating into 'throw book against wall' territory.

I don't get through a single hour without someone saying my name, let alone a day. Even if the name is "Bub" or "buddy" or "pal". People use names in conversation to make sure you're listening.

This sounds a whole lot like you're trying to force a gimmick, at least that would be my reaction as a reader.

Withholding the name won't keep me as a reader interested, it will only make me quickly irritated. Captivating writing will keep me reading.

Please don't be coy or clever, be captivating.

my .02 USD

CACTUSWENDY · Mar 22, 2005

You know, I think that is cool. No name. Why not wait until the last couple of lines and make some comment like..."Time for me to take Sue to the house. It's been interesting talking to you." And she walks away. (or what ever) I wonder how many folks would never realize until the end that no name was ever mentioned? Interesting concept.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 22, 2005

CACTUSWENDY said:
You know, I think that is cool. No name. Why not wait until the last couple of lines and make some comment like..."Time for me to take Sue to the house. It's been interesting talking to you." And she walks away. (or what ever) I wonder how many folks would never realize until the end that no name was ever mentioned? Interesting concept.

In a first person novel, I'd notice long before chapter one was finished. You really have to play fast and loose with the way people talk to avoid naming a primary character.

Better, I think, to worry about writing a good story. It's been my experience that most who try their hand at first person novel fail to mention the character's name simply because it never occurs to them to do so.

But, really, how often do you hear someone else use your name? I'd be willling to bet not very many people who know you say "Hey, you" all the time.

I can understand a character being called only by his last name, or even by a nickname, but unless there's a very good reason for not naming a main character, I think it's just going to annoy far more readers than it pleases.

James D. Macdonald · Mar 22, 2005

Dashiell Hammett's Continental Op is never named. Len Deighton's British spy is never named.

It's been done. Whether it's done well, or done poorly, is up to the author. The master test is: Does it work?

The next question is: Does it matter? Is your story better, or worse, or does it make no difference, if the character's name isn't mentioned?

SRHowen · Mar 22, 2005

Readers even get annoyed when a writer doesn't name a minor character. At work, hmm, just today my name was said--what 30 or 40 times? My boss said, "Shawn, are you brain dead today?" A customer said, "Have a good day, Shawn." a co-worked said, whispered, "Shawn, did you see that guy?"

And so on. I'd think you'd have to work pretty hard to not use your MC's name.

Shawn

Sandinista · Mar 22, 2005

Did the narrator in Anthem, by Ann Rynd, have a name? Can't remember, but don't think so...

Fight Club is an excellent example. Also note that the city F.C. takes place in is never named.

reph · Mar 22, 2005

There's also Bill Pronzini's "nameless detective" series.

scullars · Mar 22, 2005

I remember reading a movie review of a movie where none of the characters were mentioned by name. Although, it was one of those intimate conversation type movie with a restaurant as the venue. Not exactly My Conversation with Andre, but along that premise. Can't remember the title though.

Jakalyn · Mar 23, 2005

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts on this!

There's not really a specific reason that I hadn't named her, there just hadn't been any reason to.

I haven't been trying to use it as a gimmick or anything, she just hasn't been named, and I don't foresee it happening unless I specifically make a spot for it. For the first three chapters she is alone, so no one spoke her name. Is this a case where she should formally introduce herself?

In answer to Uncle Jim's question:
I am hoping that it really makes no difference that her name isn't mentioned. That was sort of what made me ask the question: so far, she hasn't needed a name, even while being around other people.
I was just wondering, if it keeps going this way and her name is never mentioned, would that in itself be enough to make a reader unhappy?

If her name was only mentioned once, just to let the reader know what her name is, would it be better to stick it in the beginning, with her basically introducing herself, or at the very end, where she sort of signs off? Not making it a big revelation there, but just nonchalantly throwing it in? Or is it possible to title the book with her name and still not say her name throughout? Would that let the reader know her name, but then I wouldn't have to try to pepper her name in just because?

I am going to get a few of the books mentioned, I'm glad there are some that have done it.

I do know that if her name doesn't show up anywhere, I will have several people read it, not telling them, and see what their thoughts are on it.
I really want to avoid the book against the wall situation.

Thanks everyone! You have been a huge help.

Alphabeter · Mar 23, 2005

If you don't want to go through the desert on a horse with no-name, think of The Seven Year Itch. In both the play and screen versions, the main female character is never named. In fact her official title is The Girl.

(For reference Marilyn Monroe played her in the screen version.)

In that case, I never found it distracting at all but then again plays and movies are visual mediums. However, if you do it write, the name will never be missed. After all, it took you halfway through writing it to notice!

I have an opinion in here somewhere...

maestrowork · Mar 23, 2005

If you have a solid reason why you don't want to name your characters (including the protagonist), go for it -- but do it well, because sooner or later your readers are going to think: What the bleep is his/her name? The fact that the protagonist is nameless better serves the story well.

Otherwise it's annoying (at least to me).

Also, you might not think it matters. But do test it with your betas. I think if you don't name her, then somewhere in the novel, she says something like "He turned around and whispered my name" or "Nobody knew my name" -- you might yank your readers out of the story and have them scratching their heads or yelling, "OK, so what the bleep is her name?" Some people might not notice, but some people might think that's really annoying.

Now, if you don't even mention the name or the fact that this character doesn't have a name, it might work. Because the name simply does not matter at all.

I probably have less problem with a nameless character than with a genderless character. Worse, I think if the "revelation" is based on the fact that the author deliberately hides the gender from me, I'd feel really, really manipulated and I don't like to be manipulated like that. That said, if the story is riveting enough, I might overlook the fact that I am being manipulated.

Yeah, do what works. But you'd better do it for a darn good reason, and not just for yucks.

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