Question

Write two to three sentences explaining the pun on the name Ernest in the passage and how the pun connects to a serious issue or question

Answer 1

Ernest is a name, but it is based on the word earnest. The word earnest means sincere, but the character Ernest, in "The Importance of Being Earnest" is far from that. He tries on different personalities or jobs, but none are genuine, because he isn't being himself. In the end, he learns why it is so important to be "earnest", true to himself. Being "earnest" and being "Ernest" have the same meaning at the end of the story, since the main character, Ernest, realizes the importance of being true to himself.

Answer 2

Sample Response is this

Throughout the play, Wilde uses puns to connect the name Ernest to the word earnest. When Cecily says that she has always wanted to marry someone named Ernest, she implies that she also wants someone earnest who “inspire[s] absolute confidence.” In this scene, however, Algernon is lying to her about who he is. His deception suggests that no one can ever have “absolute confidence” that others are being earnest.