The Power of a Nickname (Brownies)

A specific element in the text that I think is important is the use of nicknames. The text presents this content by using the narrator’s nickname, “Snot”, when her actions are changed by others, and the narrator’s first name, “Laurel”, when her actions stay true to her original intention.

The Brownie troop was getting ready to head out to the group restroom to fight Troop 909. At Laurel’s mentioning that she would go to the restroom later, Arnetta approached Laurel saying, “‘No, Snot. If we get in trouble, you’re going to get in trouble with the rest of us'” (p.21), creating a tension. The next sentence after Arnetta’s command is the narrator describing their journey to the restroom. This shows that Arnetta was able to influence Laurel to come with the rest of the troop (minus Daphne) to fight troop 909. Throughout the story, similar comments were made using the nickname “Snot”, causing a change in whatever Laurel was previously set on doing. As contrast to when the nickname “Snot” is used, the narrator is only called by her first name once in the whole story. On the ride back from camping, Laurel began to tell a story until Octavia told her “Oh shut up, Snot,”(28)– once again influencing Laurel to do the opposite of what she intended (talk). It was not until Daphne prompted “‘Go on, Laurel,'”(29) that Laurel continued her story.

The textual element of name/nickname usage helps differentiate between the narrator’s actions. This matters because this differentiation illustrates the power of nicknames, not only as a way to influence others, but also in finding a sense of belonging.

I arrived at this claim by noticing a pattern while annotating that the narrator being called “Snot” causes her to do the opposite of what she was originally doing or saying. This element shapes the impact of the text by drawing attention to how often and easily we are influenced by others. This caused me to think about how sometimes people find themselves living under a facade to please others (like an assigned nickname), keeping them from sharing their thoughts. Yet when people feel accepted, they do not have someone’s influence looming over them.