Readers are cautioned not to judge a book by its cover, but what about its title?
In some instances, a naming convention or title within a narrative can tell readers a lot without the author having to explain much.
This can be especially helpful when crafting satire because the author needs readers to understand something and then immediately interrogate it from more than one side. Having to add cultural context or many layers of explanation can kill a joke or confuse readers.
One author who is an absolute wizard at crafting just slightly elaborate fictitious titles that feel as though they could be plucked from real life (so quickly it may help readers spot the satire) is George Saunders.
He uses this technique not only within his satirical short story “Sea Oak” but also in its title.
“Sea Oak”
The story is about a family living in a dangerous neighborhood called Sea Oak. The saintly aunt of the family dies during a home invasion, is buried, and comes back to life. She spends the second and third acts deteriorating, complaining about her former life, and encouraging the family members to scheme and make enough money to move to a safer neighborhood.
Overall, it’s about waiting until you’re already dead to do something about changing your life and also the difficulties of rising above one’s station. The misleading naming conventions deal with the latter.
Saunders uses realistic and familiar-sounding names and titles to illustrate the gloss that society uses to paint over the fact that people with little means are kept down, creating an effective satire.
Misleading Names: Accurate Satire
As mentioned above, the first instance of a disingenuous name is in the title (and subtitle) of the story.
The story’s title is “Seak Oak,” and directly underneath is the subtitle, which reads: “Where there’s no sea and no oak.”
This is brilliant because before the story even begins, it orients readers to be on the lookout for titles and naming conventions that might not be what they seem.
Within the story, Saunders turns to names and titles a lot to illustrate the way society turns a blind eye to people facing financial hardships.
For instance, he utilizes satirical naming conventions when it comes time for the family member in the story to bury their beloved aunt. Below, they are speaking to “Lobton,” the man who owns the funeral home in which the aunt is being prepared for burial.
“What price range were you considering?” says Lobton, cracking his knuckles. We tell him and his eyebrows go up and he leads us to something that looks like a moving box.
“Prior to usage we’ll moisture-proof this with a spray lacquer,” he says. “Make it look quite woodlike.”
“That’s all we get?” says Jade. “Cardboard?”
“I’m actually offering you a slight break already,” he says, and does a kind of pushup against the wall. “On account of the tragic circumstances. This is Sierra Sunset. Not exactly cardboard. More of a fibreboard.”
Saunders is brilliant for using the term “Sierra Sunset” to describe a cardboard box that these people feel forced to bury their beloved aunt in. “Sierra Sunset” illustrates the insincerity of embellished titles society uses to disguise the plight of people with little resources.
Also, to Saunders’ credit, it’s believable.
“Sierra Sunset” sounds exactly like the name of a cardboard box being passed off by a shady funeral home director as something it’s not.
The author’s attempt at using misleading naming conventions as fuel for satire becomes clear when the family members want more casket options after the narrator notices, “Down at the foot, there’s some writing about folding Tab A into Slot B.”
We got zip in savings. We sit at a desk and Lobton does what he calls a Credit Calc. If we pay it out monthly for seven years we can afford the Amber Mist, which includes a double-thick balsa box and two caots of lacquer and a one-hour wake.
“But seven years, jeez,” says Jade.
Now, these characters might have to be saddled with a bill for seven years just to give their dead aunt’s remains a slightly upgraded experience, also known as “Amber Mist.” This highlights how people with little means get separated from those means because they feel obligated, bullied, and confused by misleading terms. By using such terms, Saunders is clearly attempting to address the latter using gallows humor.
Overall, misleading terms like “Sea Oak,” “Sierra Sunset,” and “Amber Mist” are meant to demonstrate the willful ignorance and predatory behavior many have toward those facing financial hardships. And titles such as these are so universally understood that they require little explanation. That makes it easier for readers to comprehend what’s happening in the story and interrogate the names without having to stop and consciously think about the social critique at play.