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Help[Opinions] Re: Fictional twins
in reply to a message by Anneza
And the werewolf who bit him was named Fenrir Greyback. Remus Lupin seems mild in comparison...he could have been Wolfgang Wilde or something, yikes... and the divination teacher could have been Crystal Ball instead of Sybil...
I think Harry Potter gets a pass for transparent (to adults) mythological/linguistic references because it's supposed to be a snarky and whimsical kid's book; word play and learning the references is part of the fun. Like it's not a coincidence that Harry's petty aunt is Petunia (and those symbolize resentment), that the house named after Godric Gryffindor is portrayed as self-righteous, that Dumbledore's name has dumb in it, that Cornelius Fudge is corny and fudges truth, that Malfoy means bad faith...it'd be less entertaining if they were Rose, George Smith, Professor Elliott...I can imagine that being true in a cheap romance novel, too - probably depends on the character and tone - but I do feel like Brenda and Barbara deserve romance.
I have read a book summary before and been completely put off by the names, though (in Cutting the Stone, with the title itself being a medical reference to pain and problem solving: the protagonist's surname is Stone, and he, as an abandoned child, is born in a mission hospital called Missing then named Marion after a famous surgeon and becomes a surgeon...meanwhile his twin is named Shiva, after a god who happens to be frequently symbolized with linga/stones which signify a transcendental concept of reality, because why not...and their father who they never knew and didn't name them is a surgeon with a name that means twin...yeah right).
I think Harry Potter gets a pass for transparent (to adults) mythological/linguistic references because it's supposed to be a snarky and whimsical kid's book; word play and learning the references is part of the fun. Like it's not a coincidence that Harry's petty aunt is Petunia (and those symbolize resentment), that the house named after Godric Gryffindor is portrayed as self-righteous, that Dumbledore's name has dumb in it, that Cornelius Fudge is corny and fudges truth, that Malfoy means bad faith...it'd be less entertaining if they were Rose, George Smith, Professor Elliott...I can imagine that being true in a cheap romance novel, too - probably depends on the character and tone - but I do feel like Brenda and Barbara deserve romance.
I have read a book summary before and been completely put off by the names, though (in Cutting the Stone, with the title itself being a medical reference to pain and problem solving: the protagonist's surname is Stone, and he, as an abandoned child, is born in a mission hospital called Missing then named Marion after a famous surgeon and becomes a surgeon...meanwhile his twin is named Shiva, after a god who happens to be frequently symbolized with linga/stones which signify a transcendental concept of reality, because why not...and their father who they never knew and didn't name them is a surgeon with a name that means twin...yeah right).
This message was edited 8/30/2023, 11:21 AM
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