The Misfits

Throughout the novel, Bobby and his friends are called many mean names, which leads them to create the No-Name Party at school, a political party that campaigns against name-calling. However, many characters give each other nicknames as terms of endearment, showing how names can be both cruel and affectionate. For example, Bobby and his dad call each other Skip and Hammer. Bobby’s dad came up with the nickname Skip after Bobby was insultingly called Fluff at school. In elementary school, Bobby always ate peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff sandwiches, which, along with his gaining weight, led to the nickname Fluff. This led to “the at-home nickname of ‘Skippy,’ in honor of my peanut butter of choice” (58). Hurt by the bullying his son endured at school, Bobby’s dad came up with a fun nickname to counteract the cruel name-calling and make Bobby feel special. Similarly, Bobby calls his dad “‘Hammer’ […] on account of him liking detective stories and his name being Mike” (58). “Mike Hammer” is a popular detective. In this case, “Hammer” represents the love Bobby has for his father, and these nicknames are a fun way for father and son to bond.

Another example of this is when Bobby gives Addie the nickname of “Wendy,” explaining, “Wendy and the Lost Boys” (47).