Alexei
asked:
What's so special about the name Polly? There's a character in the book, Polly, who set herself on fire. Kaysen writes: "Her name was Polly. This name must have seemed ridiculous to her in the days-- or months--when she was planning to set herself on fire, but it suited her well in her slipcovered, survivor life." Why would this name seem ridiculous prior to the self-immolation incident and suit her afterwards?
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Girl, Interrupted,
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An Aki
When I read that part, I took that Polly is a cheerful name, as it sounding close to jolly
Jon
I suspect the answer is just projection by Kaysen. Kaysen herself felt very much mismatched to handle reality, and that comment may just be her way to explain her own feelings going into and then getting settled in that new life.
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