Not a Trope: Jack Attack

Does this article have a point other than "Here's a list of people named Jack"? I'm not really seeing that it describes an actual trope.

Seconded. This is Trivia, at best, and People Sit On Chairs at worst.

Yeah, now that I think about it, it could use a reworking to "this type of character tends to be named Jack" if possible and a cut if not.

It also has potential as a kind of Stock trope - though I not exactly sure whether Stock pages are trivia or not - Jack is a fairly ubiquitous Stock Name in fiction, dating back decades if not centuries. Jack, John, Johnny, etc - that name is everywhere, and I feel kind of safe in assuming it's the most common name in fiction.

It's a fall back name, a symbolic name, a relgious name, a historical name, or just a name, and writers use it like it's going out of style.

edited 13th Sep '11 10:45:38 AM by KnownUnknown

So what about Jack's older brother Bob?

Looking only at the description (I didn't dare to brave the examples), it does look pretty bad. It basically boils down to "Jack is a common name in Anglo-Saxon fiction". And?

I have the hypothesis that Jack (and Jake) might be common names for an Action Hero, but I don't have enough examples to back it up. As it is, though, the trope seems nearly worthless to me.

This does not look like a trope to me. Cut it if you can't isolate some factor here that does make it one.

I'd say that single syllable names are common for action heroes. It allows their names to be shouted at the top of lungs for dramatic effect.

^ That's a trope.

I've heard it suggested (in-universe, even) that Jack is a standard name for the plucky underdog type of hero (Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack the Giant-Killer). In Charles De Lint's Jack of Kinrowan, the name has mutated into a title for human heroes of this type among The Fair Folk (although the protagonist is a woman actually named Jackie).

Still, that doesn't seem to be this trope. But a trope similar to Alice Allusion about allusions to the Beanstalk/Giant-Killer character might be a valid trope. Captain Jack (any of the flavors shown) wouldn't fit that, though, I don't think.

The description seems to be getting at something with "Jack is a name for chaotic badasses" but the examples don't follow suit, it's just a list of people named Jack including Jack Dawson of Titanic. With Everythings Better With Bob it is about the use of the name Bob for comedic effect.

edited 13th Sep '11 12:51:59 PM by KJMackley

Actually I have seen a lot like that, ones who are Charles Atlas Superpower at the most, These guys have to work for their stuff.

There is that too alot are quite chaotic. (In various ways)

edited 13th Sep '11 12:55:49 PM by Raso

There is now a page action crowner for this trope here. Feel free to add options as you see fit.

edited 21st Sep '11 6:16:00 PM by LouieW

Yeah, this isn't a trope unless there's a specific reason for "Jack". Could just be a subpage for Names The Same, really.

Looks like there's a consensus to cut this thing. Sending this to the cutlist

It's been cut. Time to remove the wicks.

Ah yes...awkward...cutting the page disables the related search...