Pynchon & Fictional names...

[David Nevin Friedman]

I know a lot of people on this list have a fascination with a lot of the
names Pynchon assigns his characters in various novels...has anyone
noticed that Jack Kerouac has the same effect?  That his characters begin
to personify the names they've been given?  For example, Dean Moriarty in
_On the Road_ _is_ the protagonist; he could have no other name...

So, is the hallmark of a great writer the ability to come up with names
that are strangely appropriate for the character's characterization?  If
this makes any sense to anyone, let me know...

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than have a frontal lobotomy..."
		--Unknown

"You have to forget about what other people say, when you're supposed to 
die, or when you're supposed to be loving.  You have to forget about all 
these things.  You have to go on and be crazy.  Craziness is heaven."
		--Jimi Hendrix