The%20Blind%20Assassin:%20as%20a%20Whole

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The Blind Assassin as a Whole

• Fiction and The Female Community

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Questions

• Who writes the novel within the novel?
• Who are the writers in the novel?
• How is writing related to life and the living?

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Outline

• Writing The Purposes and Left-Hand Writers
• Writing and living

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Purposes of Writing

• Lauras Writing A. The notebook p. 500 (The
  golden lock)
• 1. Latin to absolve Iris
• 2. History to commemorate her experience with
  Alex
• 3. Geography the two rivers the Jogues and
  the Louveteau p. 49
• 4. French Alexs language
• 5. Mathematics - (a guide to truth)

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Revelation of Truth Richard and Laura

• Interest shown p. 376 381
• Rejection in Avilion(236-237 youll have to let
  him touch you.), Sunnyside, Xanadu (Laura
  intimidated 331), Queen Mary (ashtray p. 378),
• Sacrifice starts in Water Nixie (p. 391 -92)
• Toronto a frequent matter Laura changed
  (Kitten p. 429)

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Purposes of Writing

• A. Writing as a Passive Act Iris being written
  on (371) the hand severed from her (373)
• B. Iris first novel (pp. 512-13) Fantasy,
  escape and Memorial
• A memorial for herself, Laura and for Alex
• Alex is in another dimension of space for Laura
• The four endings of BA Be Rage Yellow
  curtain telegram destruction of Sakiel-Norn

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Purposes of Writing

• Iris first novel (pp. 512-13)
• Not wanting to be in spotlight cowardice
• The real author was neither one of us a fist
  is more than the sum of its fingers.
• left-handed book the invisible or forgotten
  hand, the hand severed and set loose

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Writing and the Living

• Iris2nd novel
• To heal her wounds and to confess guilt of being
  blind (318) (history as pain 56 -- And
  nightmares
• beginnings of Xanadu (329 a man)
• of The man with his head on fire (380 Laura
  Wheres mine?)
• of The chestnut tree (395 a man outside the
  window, and Richard behind)
• To present truth (284, 512-13) e.g. womens
  positions 328

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Writing and the Living

• Iris2nd novel Writing Construction of a
  Community of Female Writers
• To reach out and make connections
• Iriss audience
• first to the critics and curious readers (287)
  and then
• to Myra (Water Nixie The babythats you,
  Myra 388, 504), Sabrina (288, 512-13)
• A general you The beginning of Xanadu not
  much of a nightmare(329), of Cubicle (417) of
  Gloves -- still talking to you (473)

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Lauras Writing in Iriss books

• The first book -- The endings of The Blind
  Assassin p. 468
• The 2nd book Iriss invoking dead women
  beginning of golden lock (497)
• Lauras being the wolf her power to break
  things (441 Bettys Luncheonnette)

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The Invisible Hands Severed Relations

• Richard
• p. 479 (Home Fires a sort of large rodent)
• -- in Ws eyes 511 W for Richard the one
  who propped him up socially 331
• Iris in Winifreds eyes 511
• Iris in Aimees life
• Takes her out of her comfortable life
• Fails to give comfort when possible

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Writing and the Living

• To Sabrina disconnected, with a father who
  origin is unknow? You are free to reinvent
  yourself at will. (513 Heap of rubble)
• To the living world Iriss appreciation of
  nature and life (e.g. 473 beginning of Gloves)

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Those on the Margins

• Distanced but appreciated
• The award recipient -- Everyone is everywhere
  nowadays (40)
• The Portuguese 386
• The darkish girl 482