Assignment 3:5 – Naming Allusion

Hello again! For Assignment 3:2 I have decided to answer question six, which I will paste here as I always do:

“6. Find three examples of names that need to be spoken aloud in order to catch the allusion. Discuss the examples as well as the reading technique that requires you to read aloud in order to make connections. Why does King want us to read aloud?”

I chose this question because the idea of names meaning something when spoken orally rather than read on a page intrigued me. It reminded me of those episodes from The Simpsons, where Bart would prank call Moe and make up names that would only be funny if said out loud (here is a reference for those interested, it’s pretty funny to read through and say on your own.)

The first name I want to talk about is Alberta Franklin. The reason this name stuck out to me is, honestly, because of the absolute queen and legend Aretha Franklin. I am a huge Aretha fan, and while it may seem far-fetched to some, I am able to make a few connections between Miss Aretha and Alberta Franklin: this thought process sent me down a train of thought so prepare yourself. One of Aretha Franklin’s most famous songs is “Respect,” you all know the famous line (and if you don’t know the words, you must click here now) “R-E-S-P-E-C-T/Find out what it means to me,” (Franklin). Another very clear association with Alberta Franklin’s name is the location of Frank, Alberta. Upon further research, I came upon some information about the Frank Slide of 1903; this is still the deadliest landslide in Canadian history. The Railway system and a coal mine were obliterated by this landslide and that is where I start to see some connections between Alberta Franklin and respect as a concept.
Alberta Franklin is an Indigenous character that is the leader of a classroom; while they don’t always get it, teachers demand and deserve respect. Furthermore, her name being associated with the Frank Slide that took out a coal mine has me believing that there are some implications of respect and her Indigenous roots. The coal mine was an invention by colonizers trying to create an economy off of Indigenous land. The Frank Slide took that opportunity to exploit nature away, which in essence promoted the respect of nature. I believe that it is firm within Indigenous culture to respect nature, and I think that, in a way, Alberta Franklin was a way to allude to the resilience of Indigenous people when it comes to protecting and respecting their land. I’m not sure if King intentionally alluded to Aretha Franklin or if that was just where my mind went, but I’m not mad about it either way!

The second name I noticed when  I spoke out loud was a more cut-and-dry connection for me. Dr. Joseph Hovaugh’s name shortened is Dr. J Hovaugh – this sounds eerily similar to the biblical character Jehovah. This is a fitting allusion when you consider the superiority, or even God-like, tendencies that Dr. Hovaugh exudes in the story. I believe this allusion shows the ideals of colonizers that were trying to settle/colonize the lands of Indigenous people.

Through this exploration I have grown an appreciation for King and the allusions that he has made with many of his characters, especially the two I chose to highlight. Whether I took it upon myself to read into these characters more or not, King has gotten me to think about important issues in a very intriguing, investigative, and fun way.

Works Cited

Franklin, Aretha. “Respect.” Youtube. Web. 9 Mar. 2020.