Bridge To Terabithia
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Is there a reason behind the unisex names?
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I don't know any reason behind the names chosen. I never thought about them being unisex.
Stephen wrote: "It's clear in the story that the friends are boy and girl, yet the names are unisex. Both Leslie and Jess could be either boy's names or girl's names. Does anyone know of a reason behind those na..."
I'm not sure, but that was an excellent observation that I have never thought of. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were friends despite being of opposite genders, and they could easily communicate or something totally cheesy like that.
never thought of it that way
Leah wrote: "I'm not sure, but that was an excellent observation that I have never thought of. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were friends despite being of..."That's a great idea. I never thought of them having unisex names (and while having one myself - Madison), but that is a good explanation and I'm wondering if it was intentional?
I don't think they're that unisex. Sure, Jesse's nickname could go either way, and sure, there have been men named Leslie (probably not so many today), but I don't think it's that ambiguous.
Scott wrote: "I don't think they're that unisex. Sure, Jesse's nickname could go either way, and sure, there have been men named Leslie (probably not so many today), but I don't think it's that ambiguous."Jesse itself could go either way.
I've never heard of a girl named Jesse. Jessie, short for Jessica, yes.
Perhaps it's because the author wanted the readers to be able to relate to both of the characters, no matter their gender.
Stephen wrote: "It's clear in the story that the friends are boy and girl, yet the names are unisex. Both Leslie and Jess could be either boy's names or girl's names. Does anyone know of a reason behind those na..."
i agree ,i belive it could be a boy or a girl.
I wondered about this too when I read the book. Especially when Jesse was trying to figure out if Leslie was a boy or a girl. For those who say they are not unisex names-I know two girls/women with the name Jesse. It is actually fairly common. I also know a man named Leslie. And what about Leslie Nielsen, the comedian. Or Leslie Howard, who played Ashley (also a unisex name) in Gone With The Wind. Leslie was an extremely popular name for boys until the last few decades.
Okay, so I just found the sparknotes on this book: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/terabit...I think the unisex names ties into two main themes in the novel: conformity/individuality and gender roles. Jesse is encouraged to give up his “girly” hobbies, such as painting, for something more “manly” like sports. Leslie dresses like a boy and is good at things like running, typically seen as a masculine pursuit. In other words, they are both encouraged to conform to society's views on how they should act, rather than being individuals.
Jess is also forced to do the chores that are seen as “men's work” while his sisters are excused from these chores. I like this explanation from sparknotes: “Jess is expected to be responsible, stoic, and strong, and to be ready to shoulder the burden of responsibility for the family that his father has carried all these years. Leslie meets with the family's disapproval because she doesn't fit easily into a feminine category, with her short hair and athletic ability. However, this is part of what draws Jess to her. She has a liberating force that she exerts over all his cramped confinement. Leslie shows him that he does not need to fulfill a peculiarly masculine role, and that he is free to be himself without reference to gender stereotypes.”
So I believe that they have unisex names to further demonstrate that they do not fit into society's rules/expectations for boys and girls, but instead fall somewhere in between.
Emma wrote: "Okay, so I just found the sparknotes on this book: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/terabit...I think the unisex names ties into two main themes in the novel: conformity/individuality an..."
Yeah....that makes sense
Emma, your answer is extremely enlightening and one I hadn't even considered - but it makes me like the book even more!! Great insight.
When they meet, Jess does not know whether Leslie is male or female.
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Does anyone know of a reason behind those names being chosen?