Memory and Meaning Theme Analysis

Written on the Body relates an anonymous, genderless narrator’s retrospective account of an adulterous affair with a married woman (Louise). Not only does the novel comprise a recounting of the past, but within that recounting, there are also the novel also reflects on the nature and power of memory—including memory’s ability to distort. Memory takes many forms throughout the novel, whether psychological or physical. For example, the near-chronological account of the narrator’s affair is punctuated by a spontaneous recall of other relationships and accompanied by observations about how those past relationships affected the narrator’s later relationship with Louise. As these examples illustrate, memory plays a central role in creating meaning, shaping one’s perspective, and cultivating a clearer understanding of one’s life. At one point, the narrator observes how a particularly happy memory changes the mood of the present moment and wonders whether memory might be “the more real place.” Later in the story, the narrator acknowledges how their memories of Louise afford a temporary respite from their current pain. These memories are fundamental to the narrator’s evolving understanding of the past with Louise, in particular, the “measure” of their love. In this way, despite overwhelming feelings of loneliness and heartbreak, the narrator’s memories serves to affirm the import of the love they shared, leading them to conclude that despite the pain of their present grief, their happy days with Louise were “worth it.” Through the narrator’s frequent use of flashbacks to tell the story of their relationship with Louise, and through their explicit musings on the nature of memory, the novel ultimately underscores the powerful role memory plays in shaping a person’s sense of their life. Though memory can become distorted with time, more importantly, a person’s memories allow them to fully appreciate all the past experiences and relationships that have shaped them into the person they are in the present.