The African-American narrator of Ellison's postwar novel considers himself invisible, and the withholding of his name is a sign that he has no social identity.
Simply so, why do some characters not have names?
Or, in a work that is based on allegory, an unnamed character can be identified by a number, letter, job, or common trait to symbolize a hidden meaning. By using a nameless character, an author can prevent readers from unconsciously attaching the identity of another person, ethnic group, or social background.
Secondly, how do you reference a nameless character? As @DoWhileNot suggests, if you can give the character a brief description, use that. Like, "the husband", "the traveler", "the soldier", etc. Some writers give him a letter. I've read papers that say things like, "The character is not given a name in the story, so I shall refer to him as 'M'".
One may also ask, what should I name my book character?
12 tips on how to name your characters
- Keep the time period of your story and your character's age in mind.
- Make sure your characters' names fit their ethnic background.
- Pick a name that fits the character's personality.
- If you want, pay attention to a name's meaning.
- Avoid giving several characters similar names.
Which Malayalam novels are nameless?
Benyamin
