Question

Mr. Bounderby’s name is a charactonym because ___________.

a. It suggests one of his defining character traits
b. He names the factory he owns after himself
c. His real last name is Pegler
d. Louisa Gradgrind changes her name to Bounderby after they marry

Answer 1

Mr. Bounderby's name is a charactonym because it reflects his defining trait of being self-contained and symbolic of his self-made man persona.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mr. Bounderby's name is a charactonym because it suggests one of his defining character traits. A charactonym is a name given to a literary character that reflects some of their traits, attributes, or functions in the story. In Charles Dickens' novel 'Hard Times', Mr. Josiah Bounderby is a wealthy, self-important industrialist and his last name suggests bounds or boundaries, which reflects his character as being self-contained and self-sufficient to an exaggerated extent. It is emblematic of his self-made man persona, as he often touts himself as a man who has risen from poverty to wealth through his own efforts.