Acts of Naming

This insightful literary analysis examines how the simple act of naming—whether through bestowing, protecting, or slandering identities—forms the core narrative engine driving fiction from the eighteenth century onward. Michael Ragussis presents a compelling framework for re-reading the novelistic tradition, arguing that these acts of naming are not just background details but central plot mechanisms that shape character development and social conflict. The book explores how names function as sites of power, inheritance, and rebellion across centuries of literature, offering readers a new lens through which to understand familiar stories. Ragussis demonstrates that what characters are called often determines their fate, their social standing, and their very sense of self within the fictional world.

What makes this study particularly valuable is its ability to connect seemingly disparate works through this unifying theme, revealing patterns that span from early novels to contemporary fiction. Literature students and serious readers will find their understanding of character motivation and plot structure transformed by recognizing how naming conventions drive narrative tension and resolution. The analysis doesn't just catalog examples but builds a persuasive argument about why naming remains fundamental to how stories work across historical periods. Readers will emerge with a heightened awareness of how the power to name—or to rename—can constitute both liberation and oppression within the pages of their favorite novels.