Examples of how names can say something about the character.

1.  Willy Loman from Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.  Loman says a lot about Willy be a low man.  It provides the reader an opportunity to analyze the name and character. 

• Would a man with the last name of Loman be more likely to be a powerful business man or one whose career is over?

2.  Fortunato from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado."  Fortunato has the word fortunate in it, but he is quite unfortunate. 

• Why, then, does Poe name this character Fortunato?  This is a question that provides a chance for analysis.

3.  The Misfit from Flannery O'Conner's "A Good Man is Hard to Find."  Misfit has two definitions.  You would have to read the story to see how both definitions seem to work.  And you can analyze why The Misfit has chosen this name. 

• What does it say about his character?  Is a character named The Misfit more likely to help a family after their car car crash or murder the family?

4.  Arnold Friend from Joyce Carol Oates's "Where are You Going, Where have You Been."  Say the name quickly and you have something that sounds like "an old friend."  Or at the very least you have the word "friend" in the name. 

• What does this name add to the characteristics of the character?  Why does he have the name Friend?

NOTE:  Although there are plenty of examples of names having symbolic or other significance in literature, it is not terribly common.  Don't try to make sense out of every character's name.  It is not going to work.  But it is a good place to look.

HOME           LITERATURE        LITERARY TERMS        CHARACTER ANALYSIS