In The Flight of Gemma Hardy, Gemma discusses why “G” is her favorite letter, and ends up revealing a snippet about her name: "Because it's the first letter of the name of a little clam called a Gemma gemma. And it's a letter in your surname. And it's the first letter of garage" (Livesey 324). In many works of literature, the process of naming characters is a way to add depth to a story. Gemma sounds a lot like "gem" or "gemstone.” In fact, according to Behind the Name, it is a, “Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone." It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri” (Gemma). In addition to this, Gemma’s name could also allude to, as Gemma Hardy states, a little clam. If one looks at an image of a “gemma gemma” via Google, they would see it is a very small clam (Gemma's size is noted as being small throughout the entirety of the novel). This physical parallel is the obvious way the two are connected. However, the gemma gemma also has a hard outer shell, which is symbolic of Gemma's hard, determined demeanor: a hallmark of the original Jane. Jane, throughout every iteration of the novel discussed in the class, is characterized for her independence and ability to be an adapted version of the original Victorian feminist icon. Naming Gemma after an object with a "hard outer shell" echoes the original protagonist’s characteristics perfectly. 

Bibliography: Gemma. 2019, https://www.behindthename.com/name/gemma. Accessed 31 Oct. 2019.

Livesey, Margot. The Flight of Gemma Hardy. HarperCollins, 2012.