How to refer to a character

[Deleted member 4265]

I'm struggling with how to refer to one of my characters. Because this character is a noble and my MC is lower class, it wouldn't be acceptable for my MC to call him by his first name, but this character is also a POV character and I feel like it would be equally out of place to refer to him by his last name in those sections, especially because there are other members of his family in the story (although they can be easily differentiated because children inherit both both their mother and father's last names, it would just sound very odd and stuffy in text)

Would it be acceptable to switch between the two depending on what POV I'm in, so when its his POV I refer to him by his first name, but in my MC's POV I refer to him by his last name or would that be confusing?

 

[misprinted]

What about giving him a special title (especially since he's a noble)? In the book Uprooted (one of my recent favorites), there's a wizard named "the Dragon." Something like that might work?

 

[Russ]

I'm struggling with how to refer to one of my characters. Because this character is a noble and my MC is lower class, it wouldn't be acceptable for my MC to call him by his first name, but this character is also a POV character and I feel like it would be equally out of place to refer to him by his last name in those sections, especially because there are other members of his family in the story (although they can be easily differentiated because children inherit both both their mother and father's last names, it would just sound very odd and stuffy in text)

Would it be acceptable to switch between the two depending on what POV I'm in, so when its his POV I refer to him by his first name, but in my MC's POV I refer to him by his last name or would that be confusing?

i think your solution is the correct one. It will help build both the MC and the world.

 

[ChasingSuns]

i think your solution is the correct one. It will help build both the MC and the world.

I agree as well. It will also help to establish a voice for each character, which will help make both them and the world more believable.

 

[FatCat]

This kind of character is crucial, they are opposed to whatever corruption alienates cognitive thought. Dare to oppose the wave

 

[idknull]

If it's in your character's POV (which I would assume to be first person), referring to him by his first name would be acceptable - especially if your character has a negative opinion of him.

If, however, your character is directly speaking to him, you should refer to him by his last name or whatever is proper for them in the story.

 

[bradford177]

idknull is correct imo.

If the character is talking about or thinking about the noble, all kinds of names could be used. But when actually having dialog, then come up with the proper name: My Lord, Sir, last name, etc.