re Evan S Barnable

I've just been re-reading Little Big (prompted by the discussion on this group) and by some wierd coincidence, just reached the page in Letters to Santa where Smoky reveals his real name. Some-one asked what the S stands for. Does no-one get the joke? Evan S. = evanesce = disappearing from sight, fading, or maybe ghost-like or even Smoky Allan

Yowie! Looks right to me . . . and since "Evan S." = "Smoky" (and it was probably the too-clever relatives who cooked up "Smoky" directly from "Evan S.") then it would be redundant for S itself to equal "Smoky." Meaning that the S remains another hidden name, another one of those tough little easter eggs without any real answer, core, yoke, or candy picture inside: John Crowley often hides these in his fictions. =mantis=

Kudos, Allen! I re-read Little, Big recently and quite carefully too, I might add, but I missed this completely. An excellent catch. And it nicely explains why Crowley reveals Smoky's real first name (however briefly) while keeping mum about what his middle initial stands for. I was wondering about that! Thank you. William Ansley

William Ansley said (congratulating Allen):

In fact, it seems more than just plausible that Smoky's middle initial doesn't stand for anything--remember that he wears "A Suit of Truman's" to be married in and that the 'S' in Harry S. Truman is without further signification. I think that's the solution to the middle initial mystery.