“You have scored your name into my shoulders, referenced me with your mark. The pads of your fingers have become printing blocks, you tap a message into my skin, you tap meaning into my body. Your morse code interferes with my heart beat.” (89)
When Louise and the narrator decided to tell Elgin about their relationship, they were able to express how much love they had for each other. This passage was one of many where the narrator described how much of an impact Louise made on their life.
Throughout this entire passage there is repetition of the words “you” and “your”. Whenever the narrator says one of these words, it is always to describe something that Louise has done. For example, the narrator says, “You have scored your name into my shoulders…” (89), implying that Louise has left a mark on their body that cannot be replaced or removed. The constant use of “you” and “your” also shows that the narrator has trouble taking responsibility for their part in the relationship. The narrator constantly says these words to show that Louise was the one who made their relationship exciting, yet complicated as it is.
There are also numerous words that are associated with writing. The narrator says “morse code”, “printing blocks”, “mark”, “score” and “branding irons” all within this passage. Also, the title of the book is Written on the Body and this passage describes all the messages and marks Louise has left on the narrators body. The narrator is expressing how Louise has essentially left her mark on their body, and that mark shows that Louise is forever a part of the narrator. The use of these words also imply a sense of permanency between Louise and the narrator. This also shows that the narrator feels like their relationship will last forever.
The words “shoulders”, “fingers”, “skin”, “body”, and “heartbeat” all appear in this passage, and all of these words are about physical body features. This says a lot about the depth of the narrator’s relationship with Louise. Whenever the narrator would describe something they loved about Louise it would always be something physical, such as her flaming red hair or her breasts. But the narrator never speaks about how Louise thinks or some of her interests. The fact that Louise is leaving all of these permanent marks on the narrators body parts instead of their mind and heart also shows that their relationship was based mostly on their physical being rather than their mental.