Real Characters

Abstract

This chapter attempts to develop for the case of characters in novels the kind of Real-Likeness view developed for painted things in Chapter Two. It does this by developing a new view in the philosophy of language. First, it introduces the idea of non-transactional uses of language, which are not designed to get some everyday kind of task done. It is argued that this kind of use is found both in philosophy and in stage plays. Secondly, it develops a Real-Likeness view of the characters in stage plays, and argues that novels have narrators who are like such characters. And thirdly, it introduces the idea of verbal mimes, which are ways of using words to imitate real-world things. It is then argued that novels create real likenesses by means of verbal mimes. Finally, it is suggested that even proper names may be given a role in verbal mimes.