Janina’s language in the novel Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead is unique in many ways, as she unravels the mystery surrounding not only the murders but her personality. However, one of the most notable traits that the reader may notice on the first page is Janina’s use of nicknames as substitutes for any person or animal’s name. While many people use nicknames for friends or people they dislike, Janina’s approach is built on her feelings towards her name and names in general. She states, “I believe each of us sees the other person in our way, so we should give them the name we consider suitable.” She considers names “polyonymous” and adheres to this rule for every character she encounters.
As a result, each person that Janina talks with or about is transformed into the characteristic she sees in them. Her friend is Oddball – and from the beginning, the reader has to inherently accept that this person may be strange somehow, although it may not be accurate. Similarly, the murder victims – Big Foot, Commandant, Inner – have to be seen as the traits of appearance or status they have in Janina’s eyes. In contrast, when Janina thinks about a name for a rescue dog, her first idea is a human name, Marysia. She denies other pet names, saying that “considering her personal history” they could not be suitable for the dog. Thus, Janina thinks deeply about the animal’s life and problems, basing the name on the dog’s condition and story.
By looking at the contrast between names and nicknames that Janina uses for people and animals, one can see her actual values. She loves animals while humans get judged or excluded for their oddity. Therefore, while the narrator is untrustworthy, she quickly gives away her views on the murders and exposes her potential role in them. Her nature is to judge people for their treatment of animals, and the latter is perceived as better, more worthy of saving than humans.