What name does Algernon use when referring to Jack?

What name does Algernon use when referring to Jack?

• A. Ernest
• B. Jack
• C. Bunbury
• D. Algy

Answer: (A)

Names in this play carry social meaning and reveal how characters perform different identities. Jack presents himself as a serious, respectable figure in the country, but in the city he adopts the alias Ernest to enjoy a freer, more indulgent lifestyle. Algernon treats Jack as though his city self is really named Ernest, and he frequently uses that name when addressing or referring to him. This is part of the running joke: the name Ernest is tied to the double life, and its similarity to the word earnest (seriousness) is a key bit of Wilde’s humor.

So the best answer is Ernest. Bunbury is the invented alter ego used by Algernon himself, not a name for Jack. Algy is a nickname for Algernon, not a name he uses for Jack. Jack is Jack in the country, while Ernest is the city alias that Algernon uses when talking about or to Jack.