The language the narrator uses in this book, Written on the Body, shapes my perspective of identifying the reader. The narrator uses multiple different physical labels such as “branding irons” and “scored” as well as body parts such as “hands” and “shoulders” in the quote, “Who taught you to use your hands as branding irons? You have scored your name into my shoulders, referenced me with your mark” (89).
By having these descripting words shapes a very detail image in my mind of having a violent interaction between the narrator and Louise. For example, when the narrator said, “…use your hands as branding irons” or “You have scored you name into my shoulders.” I feel a sense of dominance and dominance I normally associate is with a male. However, that is just a norm. A very untrue norm nonetheless. But by not knowing the gender of the narrator affects my ability to see the narrators existence. That is why these descriptive words are so helpful to me because they give clues into knowing the gender throughout the book.
From the above quote I think the narrator is a male since the words the narrator uses are very dominant. However, when the narrator said “I don’t lack self-confidence but I’m not beautiful…”(85) I think the narrator is a women by using the descriptive term beautiful instead of handsome. These words make me go back and forth between guessing the gender of the narrator. It might be far off but I believe that the author wants the reader to juggle between gender identities. It is the perspective from both genders that allows the reader to understand the novel from a male or female point of view about love, loss, desire, and pleasure.
On the other hand, by not revealing the identity of the narrator makes me wonder if throughout the novel the narrator changes. I also wonder about the existence of the narrator. Since the narrator is not a male or female then what is there? Air? The novel does not say what is black and white but allows me to interpret and insert where I believe the boundaries and norms are. The narrator goes against all norms but if I read the book with no norms in my perspective to begin with then is the context of what the narrator does abnormal or ordinary?
The idea of gender in Written on the Body is incredible. I liked how you believe that the narrator is some how trying to fool us in believing that he has to be a specific gender. Nonetheless, he shifts through out the novel to what we might imagine a certain gender. In my individual perspective I believe that the narrator uses the reader as the shifting point to imagine his/her as a specific gender. I guess it might be the social aspect of our own knowledge, since we believe a person has to be classified as a certain gender and sex. Maybe Winterson has taken a whole new perspective in writing literature to her own imagination.