Re: (ReacTor) Five SFF Works Featuring Nameless Protagonists

On 2024-06-27, Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:

On 26/06/2024 11.34, Tony Nance wrote:

On 6/26/24 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:

Five SFF Works Featuring Nameless Protagonists
>
What's in a name?
>
https://reactormag.com/five-sff-works-featuring-nameless-protagonists/

 
Oh spiffy - very interesting essay - thanks.
 
Of the very few that came to mind, one is in your essay (A Nameless Witch[1]), and one is in the comments (Zelazny's My Name is Legion).
 
The other definite one that came to mind is Annihilation[2] by Jeff Vandermeer.

>
Did the protagonist in Delany's _Babel-17_ have a name? As I recall it, he
didn't even have the concept of "I".

_Babel-17- is a strong Favorite, even with its flaws. I couldn't remember
for certain, so I had to re-read it. Thanks for the question!

I would say the protagonist is actually the female lead, Rydra Wong. But the
male lead indeed didn't even have the concept of "I". Very well developed
and fascinating musings on language, thought, and communication.

It turns out the male lead did have a name, though nobody knew it for
the vast majority of the book (and it's probably a spoiler to say it.)

Chris