OT: What's In A Name? DW characters

[Calamity Coyote ()]

For anyone who's ever read a single book on story or fiction writing,
you've no doubt come across a chapter on choosing names for
characters. Names ideally reflect qualities in the character, whether
directly (as many names do in DW) or indirectly by the sheer softness
or hard quality of the name itself.

I found some of the names in Deadwood interesting, and maybe even more
so b/c some of them are real and were not assigned by the writers. As
for Al, I believe he *is* a character -- Trixie too AFAIK. But Seth
and Sol are real names...

Al Swearengen -- is a no-brainer. "I'll [Al] Swear!" indeed!

Trixie -- turns tricks for a living. But is she also tricky? She can
pull one over on Al as well as Eddie can pull one over on Cy, though
she's not as cocky about it.

Seth Bullock -- the last name certainly sounds stubborn like a bull.
Maybe even bull-headed. Yet Seth is a name that invokes a certain
spiritual ideal or higher mind. Again, his strongest traits -- fair
but bullheaded and likely to stampede if you wave a red flag. This
name is real, though we have no idea if the real Seth was anything
like the character we see in DW. IAC they may have been partially
inspired by the name they were forced to use, in designing the
character.

Sol Star -- does sound like a moneymaker. <g> And someone who's true
blue. Sol being the Sun, representing warmth, steadfastness, and
energy. A hard worker and a shining light. (The sun never sleeps.) And
Star being something that shines at night, encompassing the full
nature of life, night and day. IOW, Sol's inner nature is no different
than his outer nature. WYSIWYG. True blue. Star also sounds like
money. Gold Stars. Reaching for the stars. Stars are associated with
jewels. Diamonds shine like stars... and visa versa. Again this is the
real name of Seth's real friend, but we have no idea of the Sol we
know is like the one we see in DW. Whether he is or not, the name fits
his character perfectly.

It's just kinda cool... :)

"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel to
deal with her disability so well and still find time and patience to
be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless belittling of her.
(When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's it was really hard to
watch!)

"Anyways..." It's always kinda neat to look at names and characters
and correlate them.

Calamity Coyote

[Tulgey Wood]

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
For anyone who's ever read a single book on story or fiction writing,
you've no doubt come across a chapter on choosing names for
characters. Names ideally reflect qualities in the character, whether
directly (as many names do in DW) or indirectly by the sheer softness
or hard quality of the name itself.
I found some of the names in Deadwood interesting, and maybe even more
so b/c some of them are real and were not assigned by the writers. As
for Al, I believe he *is* a character -- Trixie too AFAIK. But Seth
and Sol are real names...
Al Swearengen -- is a no-brainer. "I'll [Al] Swear!" indeed!

Al Swear Engine, as ya know.

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Trixie -- turns tricks for a living. But is she also tricky? She can
pull one over on Al as well as Eddie can pull one over on Cy, though
she's not as cocky about it.

Which is precisely what will get Eddie killed (pride being a character
flaw and all, and the thing that goes before the proverbial fall).

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Seth Bullock -- the last name certainly sounds stubborn like a bull.

"Bullock" has two denotations that I know of: a young bull, and a steer
(ie, a castrated bull, fer benefit of those unfamiliar with
cattleology). :-)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Maybe even bull-headed.

Definitely bull-headed. Anytime he's stimulated in a red sort of way,
he just can't stop himself charging. (Red stimuli = Hickok's killer,
killer of the squareheads, Alma's daddie, Alma.)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Yet Seth is a name that invokes a certain spiritual ideal or higher
mind.

...and in Hebrew means "determined."

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Again, his strongest traits -- fair but bullheaded and likely to
stampede if you wave a red flag. This name is real, though we have no
idea if the real Seth was anything like the character we see in DW.
IAC they may have been partially inspired by the name they were
forced to use, in designing the character.
Sol Star -- does sound like a moneymaker. <g> And someone who's true
blue. Sol being the Sun,

...which is also a star (his name is a redundancy)...

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
representing warmth, steadfastness, and energy. A hard worker and a
shining light. (The sun never sleeps.) And Star being something that
shines at night, encompassing the full nature of life, night and day.
IOW, Sol's inner nature is no different than his outer nature.
WYSIWYG. True blue.

If Sol is short for Solomon, then his name in Hebrew means peace and
well-being.

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Star also sounds like money. Gold Stars. Reaching for the stars. Stars
are associated with jewels.

So it was Sol who knocked up Jewel.... ;-D

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Diamonds shine like stars... and visa versa. Again this is the real
name of Seth's real friend, but we have no idea of the Sol we know is
like the one we see in DW. Whether he is or not, the name fits his
character perfectly.
It's just kinda cool... :)
"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel to
deal with her disability so well and still find time and patience to
be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless belittling of her.
(When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's it was really hard to
watch!)

Yeah. But Trixie saw, and Al would have seen if he'd been at his usual
bird's-eye post. When Jewel was floundering about in the mud and left
to right herself, Trixie was watching, and I thought that whole scene
was the human condition in microcosm. If Al had been watching from his
perch, he'd have said, "Enough said," and that would have effectively
ended the ep (or the season, for that matter).

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
"Anyways..." It's always kinda neat to look at names and characters
and correlate them.

Yep. Good post.

[l***@large.com]

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Al Swearengen -- is a no-brainer. "I'll [Al] Swear!" indeed!

Al Swear Engine, as ya know.

Good catch!

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Trixie -- turns tricks for a living. But is she also tricky? She can
pull one over on Al as well as Eddie can pull one over on Cy, though
she's not as cocky about it.

Which is precisely what will get Eddie killed (pride being a character
flaw and all, and the thing that goes before the proverbial fall).

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Seth Bullock -- the last name certainly sounds stubborn like a bull.

"Bullock" has two denotations that I know of: a young bull, and a steer
(ie, a castrated bull, fer benefit of those unfamiliar with
cattleology). :-)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Maybe even bull-headed.

Definitely bull-headed. Anytime he's stimulated in a red sort of way,
he just can't stop himself charging. (Red stimuli = Hickok's killer,
killer of the squareheads, Alma's daddie, Alma.)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Yet Seth is a name that invokes a certain spiritual ideal or higher
mind.

...and in Hebrew means "determined."

(Then his name's a redundancy too!)

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Again, his strongest traits -- fair but bullheaded and likely to
stampede if you wave a red flag. This name is real, though we have no
idea if the real Seth was anything like the character we see in DW.
IAC they may have been partially inspired by the name they were
forced to use, in designing the character.
Sol Star -- does sound like a moneymaker. <g> And someone who's true
blue. Sol being the Sun,

...which is also a star (his name is a redundancy)...

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
representing warmth, steadfastness, and energy. A hard worker and a
shining light. (The sun never sleeps.) And Star being something that
shines at night, encompassing the full nature of life, night and day.
IOW, Sol's inner nature is no different than his outer nature.
WYSIWYG. True blue.

If Sol is short for Solomon, then his name in Hebrew means peace and
well-being.

Cool.

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Star also sounds like money. Gold Stars. Reaching for the stars. Stars
are associated with jewels.

So it was Sol who knocked up Jewel.... ;-D

"Jew bastard!" :-D

NOT.

Very fucking funny, Woody! :D

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel to
deal with her disability so well and still find time and patience to
be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless belittling of her.
(When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's it was really hard to
watch!)

Yeah. But Trixie saw, and Al would have seen if he'd been at his usual
bird's-eye post. When Jewel was floundering about in the mud and left
to right herself, Trixie was watching, and I thought that whole scene
was the human condition in microcosm.

I did not get the idea Trixie was watching when Jewel fell. Jewel was
already way down the street by the time she fell. Trixie simply saw her
leave the gym and walk a bit down the way.

By the way it's cool how Trixie is always looking out the window... a
bird trapped in a cage. It's her "tag." (Remember Al asked her once what
she looks at. "Whatever I can see," she answered.)

Post by Tulgey Wood
If Al had been watching from his
perch, he'd have said, "Enough said," and that would have effectively
ended the ep (or the season, for that matter).

Well we can be glad THAT didn't happen then!

Calamity Coyote

[Tulgey Wood]

Post by l***@large.com

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Seth Bullock -- the last name certainly sounds stubborn like a bull.

"Bullock" has two denotations that I know of: a young bull, and a
steer (ie, a castrated bull, fer benefit of those unfamiliar with
cattleology). :-)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Maybe even bull-headed.

Definitely bull-headed. Anytime he's stimulated in a red sort of
way, he just can't stop himself charging. (Red stimuli = Hickok's
killer, killer of the squareheads, Alma's daddie, Alma.)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Yet Seth is a name that invokes a certain spiritual ideal or higher
mind.

...and in Hebrew means "determined."

(Then his name's a redundancy too!)

Yeah! Good one.

Post by l***@large.com

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
Again, his strongest traits -- fair but bullheaded and likely to
stampede if you wave a red flag. This name is real, though we have
no idea if the real Seth was anything like the character we see in
DW. IAC they may have been partially inspired by the name they were
forced to use, in designing the character.
Sol Star -- does sound like a moneymaker. <g> And someone who's true
blue. Sol being the Sun,

...which is also a star (his name is a redundancy)...

[snip]

Post by l***@large.com

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel to
deal with her disability so well and still find time and patience
to be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless belittling of
her. (When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's it was really
hard to watch!)

Yeah. But Trixie saw, and Al would have seen if he'd been at his
usual bird's-eye post. When Jewel was floundering about in the mud
and left to right herself, Trixie was watching, and I thought that
whole scene was the human condition in microcosm.

I did not get the idea Trixie was watching when Jewel fell. Jewel was
already way down the street by the time she fell. Trixie simply saw
her leave the gym and walk a bit down the way.

How long was the street? I had the idea she was still within Trixie's
POV, but that could have just been my interpretation of distance, not
having taken time edits into account. I'll see if I get another
impression on rewatch.

Post by l***@large.com
By the way it's cool how Trixie is always looking out the window... a
bird trapped in a cage. It's her "tag." (Remember Al asked her once
what she looks at. "Whatever I can see," she answered.)

Wistfully, like a caged canary, or smugly, like a spy? What *is* Trix
up to?

[Calamity Coyote ()]

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by l***@large.com

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel to
deal with her disability so well and still find time and patience
to be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless belittling of
her. (When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's it was really
hard to watch!)

Yeah. But Trixie saw, and Al would have seen if he'd been at his
usual bird's-eye post. When Jewel was floundering about in the mud
and left to right herself, Trixie was watching, and I thought that
whole scene was the human condition in microcosm.

I did not get the idea Trixie was watching when Jewel fell. Jewel was
already way down the street by the time she fell. Trixie simply saw
her leave the gym and walk a bit down the way.

How long was the street?

LOL!!

Post by Tulgey Wood
I had the idea she was still within Trixie's
POV, but that could have just been my interpretation of distance, not
having taken time edits into account. I'll see if I get another
impression on rewatch.

No way! <g> (There isn't just one little street either and there's all
kinds of street vendors and horses and people crowding the way and
blocking views anyway.) But if you recall the early ep where Jane wants
to kill Al, and Charlie stops her and they end up on a position to
"triangulate" Al in case he comes from 'this way' or 'that' on his way
to the Doc's [to kill the LSG].... then we see the Doc and Dan coming
from the direction of the Doc's (str8 on towards Jane and Charlie) and
to get to the gym I believe they had to make a jig-jog to the right
(facing Doc and Dan like they were). B/c Jane and Charlie were not
standing in front of the gym as I recall. Charlie stopped her in front
of the gym, but then she took some paces to the left to get to that
spot. And even then you couldn't see Doc's from where they were
standing, even though it was a straight shot up that street...
Furthermore they show Jewel walking at least twice and cut away and back
to her, and when she does fall it's in front of an Asian woman at a
stand, making me think she fell near China Alley. IAC I didn't get the
impression at all that Trixie could see anything other than Jewel
leaving. Trixie is very fond of Jewel and would have reacted.

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by l***@large.com
By the way it's cool how Trixie is always looking out the window... a
bird trapped in a cage. It's her "tag." (Remember Al asked her once
what she looks at. "Whatever I can see," she answered.)

Wistfully, like a caged canary, or smugly, like a spy? What *is* Trix
up to?

Not smug imo. Wistful? At times. Maybe a little 'cagey' ... where an
escape is concerned. She's a calculator. She'll wait her chance. Or die
there. And she's prepared to die there. But she won't stop looking out
that window... just in case... something else awaits. The only freedom
she has is her mind. Looking out the window is her version of taking a
walk from her life. And it keeps her mind active and her wits keen. She
doesn't miss a trick. :)

[Tulgey Wood]

Post by Calamity Coyote ()

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by l***@large.com

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel
to deal with her disability so well and still find time and
patience to be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless
belittling of her. (When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's
it was really hard to watch!)

Yeah. But Trixie saw, and Al would have seen if he'd been at his
usual bird's-eye post. When Jewel was floundering about in the
mud and left to right herself, Trixie was watching, and I thought
that whole scene was the human condition in microcosm.

I did not get the idea Trixie was watching when Jewel fell. Jewel
was already way down the street by the time she fell. Trixie simply
saw her leave the gym and walk a bit down the way.

How long was the street?

LOL!!

<snort!> :-D

Post by Calamity Coyote ()

Post by Tulgey Wood
I had the idea she was still within Trixie's POV, but that could have
just been my interpretation of distance, not having taken time edits
into account. I'll see if I get another impression on rewatch.

No way! <g> (There isn't just one little street either and there's all
kinds of street vendors and horses and people crowding the way and
blocking views anyway.) But if you recall the early ep where Jane
wants to kill Al, and Charlie stops her and they end up on a position
to "triangulate" Al in case he comes from 'this way' or 'that' on his
way to the Doc's [to kill the LSG].... then we see the Doc and Dan
coming from the direction of the Doc's (str8 on towards Jane and
Charlie) and to get to the gym I believe they had to make a jig-jog
to the right (facing Doc and Dan like they were). B/c Jane and
Charlie were not standing in front of the gym as I recall. Charlie
stopped her in front of the gym, but then she took some paces to the
left to get to that spot. And even then you couldn't see Doc's from
where they were standing, even though it was a straight shot up that
street... Furthermore they show Jewel walking at least twice and cut
away and back to her, and when she does fall it's in front of an
Asian woman at a stand, making me think she fell near China Alley.
IAC I didn't get the impression at all that Trixie could see anything
other than Jewel leaving. Trixie is very fond of Jewel and would have
reacted.

=O .... You have the most amazing sense of direction, Ms GPS. ;-P
(You're right, of course. Still, it'll be interesting on rewatch to see
how I got the idea Trixie had watched Jewel's entire progress to the
doc. Probably wasn't paying attention...again.) :-)

Post by Calamity Coyote ()

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by l***@large.com
By the way it's cool how Trixie is always looking out the window...
a bird trapped in a cage. It's her "tag." (Remember Al asked her
once what she looks at. "Whatever I can see," she answered.)

Wistfully, like a caged canary, or smugly, like a spy? What *is*
Trix up to?

Not smug imo. Wistful? At times. Maybe a little 'cagey' ... where an
escape is concerned. She's a calculator. She'll wait her chance. Or
die there. And she's prepared to die there. But she won't stop
looking out that window... just in case... something else awaits. The
only freedom she has is her mind. Looking out the window is her
version of taking a walk from her life. And it keeps her mind active
and her wits keen. She doesn't miss a trick. :)

Hence the name.... :-)

[Calamity Coyote ()]

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by l***@large.com

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()
"The Gimp" = Jewel because of her inner beauty. She *is* a jewel
to deal with her disability so well and still find time and
patience to be kind of others and patient with Al's relentless
belittling of her. (When she fell in the mud on the way to Doc's
it was really hard to watch!)

Yeah. But Trixie saw, and Al would have seen if he'd been at his
usual bird's-eye post. When Jewel was floundering about in the
mud and left to right herself, Trixie was watching, and I thought
that whole scene was the human condition in microcosm.

I did not get the idea Trixie was watching when Jewel fell. Jewel
was already way down the street by the time she fell. Trixie simply
saw her leave the gym and walk a bit down the way.

How long was the street?

LOL!!

<snort!> :-D

:-D

Post by Tulgey Wood

Post by Calamity Coyote ()

Post by Tulgey Wood
I had the idea she was still within Trixie's POV, but that could have
just been my interpretation of distance, not having taken time edits
into account. I'll see if I get another impression on rewatch.

No way! <g> (There isn't just one little street either and there's all
kinds of street vendors and horses and people crowding the way and
blocking views anyway.) But if you recall the early ep where Jane
wants to kill Al, and Charlie stops her and they end up on a position
to "triangulate" Al in case he comes from 'this way' or 'that' on his
way to the Doc's [to kill the LSG].... then we see the Doc and Dan
coming from the direction of the Doc's (str8 on towards Jane and
Charlie) and to get to the gym I believe they had to make a jig-jog
to the right (facing Doc and Dan like they were). B/c Jane and
Charlie were not standing in front of the gym as I recall. Charlie
stopped her in front of the gym, but then she took some paces to the
left to get to that spot. And even then you couldn't see Doc's from
where they were standing, even though it was a straight shot up that
street... Furthermore they show Jewel walking at least twice and cut
away and back to her, and when she does fall it's in front of an
Asian woman at a stand, making me think she fell near China Alley.
IAC I didn't get the impression at all that Trixie could see anything
other than Jewel leaving. Trixie is very fond of Jewel and would have
reacted.

=O .... You have the most amazing sense of direction, Ms GPS. ;-P

Not IRL! But in enjoying the show so thoroughly I can't help but notice
where they're walking and who's going where and past what and where
everyone lives. Still I could be wrong, but that was my impression.

Post by Tulgey Wood
(You're right, of course. Still, it'll be interesting on rewatch to see
how I got the idea Trixie had watched Jewel's entire progress to the
doc. Probably wasn't paying attention...again.) :-)

You were probably watching some other details.

Coyote