"The Blind Assassin" Post 1b

When I first turned the page and entered the novel within the novel, the Blind Assassin by Laura Chase, I was confused. Not that I hadn't been expecting it: every review of the book that you read flaunts this unique fact. Its abruptness was what shocked me, the immediate entrance with no warning into a completely different story. This one relates to two lovers, just first beginning to know each other. Both seem to recognize their status as lovers as an eventuality, it's just attaining that state that may take some time. The male seems to write science-fiction stories as a career, and their meetings result in him telling her a story that he is making up, that she has requested of him. Its interesting to note in these segments that we never learn the couples' names. Iris' tale is quite explicit in telling us the names of the characters, but this one fails to mention them. Perhaps the author felt that their names weren't important in this novel and wished their awkward interactions to take the center stage, or for the reader to be able to imagine any person in their situation, not making it unique to them. Possibly they don't know the other's name, and the author is pointing out their unfamiliarity with the other. However, the constant omitting of the names actually draws more attention to their absence. Maybe the author is actually drawing attention to our need for a name, to label the characters. Why do we need to name things? Is it simply to remember them better, such as "red-haired Menelaus"? Or do we hold certain connotations with different names, and wish to apply these to a name itself? Names have almost become a thing of value, as calling someone "boy" or "woman" has become a derrogatory way to refer to someone. Its interesting how the absence of something draws attention to it.