Gold Digger

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content.

Names symbolize relationships, power dynamics, identity, and intimacy. The use of various names and nicknames reflects shifting connections, closely tying this symbol to the romance genre and illustrating The Impact of Economic Disparity on Relationships. For instance, Lottie calling Hayley “lovebug,” Ollie’s multiple names, and the misuse of names all represent degrees of intimacy. At first, Lottie calls Ollie “sir” or “Your Grace,” emphasizing their formal relationship as an entry-level employee and her royal employer. Ollie doesn’t enjoy this proper title, and as their relationship becomes intimate, he sees that it creates unwanted emotional distance between them: “Call me Your Grace one more time, baby, and see what happens. […] [W]hen I was kissing you and when I made you come, you called me Ollie” (82). He prefers “Ollie” instead of “Oliver” or “Your Grace” because he wants to be seen as Lottie’s boyfriend, not a billionaire duke, emphasizing the romantic closeness he feels for Lottie. The switch from “Your Grace” to “Ollie” symbolizes their equality as lovers despite the social and economic distance between them.

Names highlight relationships and power imbalances throughout the novel.