Posted by Peter Ceresole on May 18, 2003 at 22:16:36 from 80.177.22.49 user PeterC.
In Reply to: Re: 'Frequently' Asked Questions . . . posted by Woll on May 18, 2003 at 22:06:29:
"Why is Ruth called Nancy?" (i.e. why did Ruth pick the name Nancy). I know the purported reason for her choosing another name (which always sounds a bit like Captain Flint's joke to me rather than the real reason), but why did she choose Nancy?
As Captain Flint is fairly clearly an alter ego of A.R, I'd have thought that it was an author's joke. They've always been allowed- it's one of the privileges of being an author. Not to be denied.
And Nancy? At the time, the "Saucy Nancy" was one of the most popular names for a boat- a kind of seaside postcard name that children would have known well. It would be a perfect fit.