Genderless Protagonists

[ThousandthIsle]

I read Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson - it is a love story where the gender of the narrator is never revealed. The beloved (Louise) is female, and I have always been inclined to regard the narrator as female also, but I think this was largely influenced by the picture of a woman on my copy - although the picture represents Louise.

There seemed to be no question that the narrator was female until I discussed it with my lit class and viewed the evidence of masculinity from other students. By the end of the class, I was, and to this day am still, truely torn regarding the gender of the narrator.

Has anyone else read books with a genderless protagonist? Or character? I think these books are valuable... When one simply cannot come to a conclusion, what does it tell us? It tells us that men and woman are not often so different as people like to think, there is not such a distinct line. Personally, it is a pet peeve for me when people use gender to define someone else or even themselves - I much prefer a world where it isn't a factor and gender is not a personality trait.

[one_raven]

Personally, it is a pet peeve for me when people use gender to define someone else or even themselves - I much prefer a world where it isn't a factor and gender is not a personality trait.

Then why agonize over the gender of the narrator?
Is't that quite the point?

By the way, Written on the Body was one of the most beautifully composed books I have ever read.
It, in my mind, is the literature counterpart of an exquisite concerto.

[ThousandthIsle]

Then why agonize over the gender of the narrator?
Is't that quite the point?

Absolutely, Raven. I'd say there were two reasons I spent so much time speculating over the gender of the narrator, the first being that I initially read this book for a lit class, and much of our discussion centered around our theories concerning the gender. The second reason was just for the novelty of it: the back of the book announced there was no gender - does that mean Winterson intended that there is no identified gender DIFINITIVELY, or did she leave clues for cunning readers to figure it out?

Honestly though, you are right, it is beautifully written prose, and while I enjoyed it I hardly ever was preoccupied with thoughts of gender... only after the fact did I go back and search for clues.

Also - the toil in attempting to figure out male or female (to no avail) shows the insignificance of physical gender. The TOIL is important because it demonstrates this "lesson."

[one_raven]

Exactly.
The gender is not hidden - the narrator is genderless.

Most people don't even realize the narrator is genderless in the book until they are told so. I love that! Goes to show what a brilliant piece of writing it is.

[ThousandthIsle]

Yes it's brilliant! Another similar example of this is 'Rebecca' by Daphne du Maurier. A lot of people didn't realize their narrator/protagonist had no name until they tried to discuss the book and couldn't call to mind anything aside from "her" or "the second Mrs. de Winter!"

[one_raven]

Yes it's brilliant! Another similar example of this is 'Rebecca' by Daphne du Maurier. A lot of people didn't realize their narrator/protagonist had no name until they tried to discuss the book and couldn't call to mind anything aside from "her" or "the second Mrs. de Winter!"

Fight Club (though not quite as brilliant) has a narrator with no name as well - though this is a distinct and necessary plot device in that case.

[ThousandthIsle]

That's right, I forgot all about that! (I've only seen the movie a few times and have never read the book) What do you think the significance of that is for Fight Club?

In 'Rebecca,' du Maurier was having a hard time coming up with a name for her narrator, and then decided to keep her nameless when she realized that how nicely illustrated the "insignificance" of Mrs. de Winter the 2nd, and also to signify that her life was empty and meaningless until she married Maxim de Winter.

[one_raven]

I think he simply needed to keep his identity a secret, or he would give away the big secret of who "Jack" really was.
He couldn't call him by his real name.

[bibliophile190]

Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison is another example of a book with a nameless narrator.

[ThousandthIsle]

Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison is another example of a book with a nameless narrator.

I haven't read it, but that does make sense. ;)

[bibliophile190]

Yeah, I actually didn't think the book was that fantastic, even though it was supposedly "One of the greatest examples of American Literature" according to the cover.