A method name can be any string. When an object receives a message, the language processor searches for a method whose name matches the message name in uppercase.

You must surround a method name with quotation marks when it contains characters that are not allowed in a symbol (for example, the operator characters). The following example creates a new class (the Cost class), defines a new method (%), creates an instance of the Cost class (mycost), and sends a % message to mycost:

cost=.object~subclass("A cost")
cost~define("%", 'expose p; say "Enter a price."; pull p; say p*1.07;')
mycost=cost~new
mycost~"%"        /* Produces:  Enter a price.             */
                  /* If the user specifies a price of 100, */
                  /* produces: 107.00                      */