Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin

[Doug Johnson]

Does the assassin need to be a person? Could it represent something else?

Iris blindly does what's expected of her. It leads to her sister's death and it kills a part of her.

I don't know. That is the part of the book I remember least. I think I remember, however, that the assassin was extremely discreet. It snuck up on people and they never knew it was there.

 

[StillILearn]

Hmm. I may still give it a bash, then. I've actually gone so far as to take it out of the library, but I got side-tracked: you know how it is. It's a big looking book, you see, so I was just wondering about the amount of clothing talk.

CDA, Iris has just described her clothing as "scaffolding", if that helps any?
Believe me, this book could not in any way be described as "chick-lit" if that's what you're thinking it is.

 

[G4G]

CDA, Iris has just described her clothing as "scaffolding", if that helps any?
Believe me, this book could not in any way be described as "chick-lit" if that's what you're thinking it is.

Scaffolding? Is she overweight? I don't know if I was thinking it was chick-lit or not, to be honest. I expect I'll still give it a go, even though there are no pictures in it - or so I've been told.

 

[wenzdaze]

I just finished The Blind Assassin, and found it just as wonderful the second time around. Since I’m hopping in a little late I’ll begin by responding to previous posts, which seem to have focused on Iris, and the relevance of clothing to the book. I actually liked Iris, and think Ell’s comments are on the mark. Like Paula, the clothing descriptions helped make the book real for me, and I think it would have suffered greatly without them. They weren’t really a fashion show but a vital part of the character’s description. Others have said that Iris did not take the easy way out by marrying the older rich guy – and I agree. The reality of the marriage snuck up on her. Her father first prepared her for it – and gave her a pretty strong hint of what her reaction should be. I agree with Doug that the blind assassin could symbolize something other than a person - but I do think that the sacrificial maiden in the story is Iris.

Still I Learn raised the interesting question of what Laura wore – and my memories, even after just finishing the book, are few. It brings me to the question of Laura’s character. I was looking over a list of discussion questions on the Random House site for this book and one was raised regarding Laura which I found interesting. “Throughout her life, Laura is considered a special, unusual person, more sensitive than most. How does Laura exploit the impression she makes on other people? Are her motives and intentions always as innocent as people assume? Iris says, ‘[Laura’s] cruelties were accidental – by-products of whatever lofty notions may have been going through her head.’ [p.301] How does the language Iris uses shed light on the complicated emotions Laura stirs up in her?”
I never really thought of Laura as being exploitive – so I totally missed this. Could anyone else shed some light here?

 

[PaulaQ]

I agree with Doug that the blind assassin could symbolize something other than a person - but I do think that the sacrificial maiden in the story is Iris.

Ohhh! That completely makes sense to me!

Are her motives and intentions always as innocent as people assume? Iris says, ‘[Laura’s] cruelties were accidental – by-products of whatever lofty notions may have been going through her head.’ [p.301] How does the language Iris uses shed light on the complicated emotions Laura stirs up in her?”[/I]
I never really thought of Laura as being exploitive – so I totally missed this. Could anyone else shed some light here?

Maybe Laura's suicide was a bit exploitive - she'd thought she'd make Iris sorry for having had the relationship Laura had always wanted with Alex.

 

[PaulaQ]

Scaffolding? Is she overweight? I don't know if I was thinking it was chick-lit or not, to be honest. I expect I'll still give it a go, even though there are no pictures in it - or so I've been told.

No pictures and quite a few really big words. You may want to keep a dictionary handy.

 

[StillILearn]

Iris was old and frail by the time she was thinking of her clothing as scaffolding. She had gone from being a girl who aspired to Winifred's level of elegance to feeling complete indifference to her surroundings. Even what she ate was of no importance to her by that time -- remember how she managed to surrepticiously throw Reenies's brownies into the toilet and her doughnuts into a trash can? A fingerful of peanut butter was food enough for her by that time, and she saw her belongings as being destined for 'a few green garbage bags'.

This is the story of what happens to the "sacrificial maiden" when she's required to exist beyond the act of her sacrifice.

 

[StillILearn]

My favorite character is Reenie.

And I love the fact that Iris wrote TBA (the top story, not the one(s) she attributed to Laura), for Sabrina.

 

[StillILearn]

Well, phooie. This is just like talking to a stone wall. (As Reenie would say.)

 

[wenzdaze]

Hi StillIlearn. I wonder if anyone else is going to post on this forum - or will it die the death of Small Island, which deserved more discussion than it got. But I'll keep plugging. (I'm still hoping someone will provide some more insight on my earlier question about Laura - but there are other things.)

I liked Reenie too - she added some great humor - but I think she was a little hard on Iris in the end. It seems like everyone had expectations of what Iris should be doing, including Reenie, who thought she should have her eye on Laura, even as an adult.

You commented earlier on Iris : "This is the story of what happens to the 'sacrificial maiden' when she's required to exist beyond the act of her sacrifice." Good point. I think in a way, Iris did give up her life though, when she married Richard. She in effect killed the life she could have had.

 

[Doug Johnson]

I think in a way, Iris did give up her life though

Which sort of goes back to the first post about whether Iris is likeable or not. Most people don't like characters who give up. I don't.

HI wonder if anyone else is going to post on this forum - or will it die the death

It does seem like people are much more interested in a nymphet than a Canadian woman who make bad choices. I can't say that I blame them.

 

[wenzdaze]

I can still like a person - even if I don't like the choices they made. One thing I liked about Iris was her ability to be honest with herself in the end - something few people can do.

...if I remember correctly Iris never comes clean about who wrote The Blind Assassin. Is that right? How come?

Actually, on p.512, Iris specifically states "Laura didn't write a word of it. But you must have known that for some time. I wrote it myself, during my long evenings alone..."

 

[StillILearn]

Hi StillIlearn. I wonder if anyone else is going to post on this forum - or will it die the death of Small Island, which deserved more discussion than it got. But I'll keep plugging. (I'm still hoping someone will provide some more insight on my earlier question about Laura - but there are other things.)

You commented earlier on Iris : "This is the story of what happens to the 'sacrificial maiden' when she's required to exist beyond the act of her sacrifice." Good point. I think in a way, Iris did give up her life though, when she married Richard. She in effect killed the life she could have had.

Well, I guess it wasn't what one would call an uplifting book. And, no sense in beating a dead horse, as Reenie would say.

Onward.

(Small Island is still on my TBR list.)

 

[Doug Johnson]

Actually, on p.512, Iris specifically states "Laura didn't write a word of it. But you must have known that for some time. I wrote it myself, during my long evenings alone..."

She comes clean to readers, but not to the world. Her obituary says Iris was "sister of noted local authoress Laura Chase."

 

[Doug Johnson]

One thing I liked about Iris was her ability to be honest with herself in the end - something few people can do.

Can you give some examples? (It's been a while. I reread the obituary because it was easy and on the third last page, but I don't remember any moments where I felt like she redeemed herself. (That doesn't mean that there weren't any, just that I don't remember any.))

 

[wenzdaze]

Sorry, I’m not going to do that. I think Ell already gave some good insights into Iris’s character – and I'm not likely to improve on what she said. Also, I just don't think it would be worth the effort. I want to join in a discussion with a group - and that just isn't happening here. StillIlearn is right. No sense in beating a dead horse.

 

[PaulaQ]

I can still like a person - even if I don't like the choices they made. One thing I liked about Iris was her ability to be honest with herself in the end - something few people can do.

I kind of liked Iris as an old lady. She was fairly irascible but some of the things she said and thought totally cracked me up. I can see myself being a bit like that someday.

 

[angerball]

Sorry, I’m not going to do that. I think Ell already gave some good insights into Iris’s character – and I'm not likely to improve on what she said. Also, I just don't think it would be worth the effort. I want to join in a discussion with a group - and that just isn't happening here. StillIlearn is right. No sense in beating a dead horse.

Hmmmph, if you're not going to contribute properly, then aren't you limiting the discussion yourself?

Besides, the thread is 4 pages long - that's a fair bit of discussion.

Anyway, I'm reading Small Island at the moment, and The Blind Assassin is next on my reading list....

 

[Ell]

Well, I guess it wasn't what one would call an uplifting book. And, no sense in beating a dead horse, as Reenie would say.

Onward.

I don't think you are. Don't go yet. (I've been away for the weekend - had intended to post a quick response on Friday, but didn't get a chance.)

I ended up really liking the older Iris. Yes, I <i>liked</i> her. I thought her observations about young women were spot on.

 

[Ell]

My favorite character is Reenie.

She was so down-to-earth and no-nonsense. Yet, I think she was part of the reason why Laura and Iris ended up so unprepared for life. She, as much as their father, set them apart from the other townspeople - constantly reinforcing how they were better and that they shouldn't associate with the 'common' folk.

And I love the fact that Iris wrote TBA (the top story, not the one(s) she attributed to Laura), for Sabrina.

Yes, I liked this too, but it's heartbreaking at the same time, isn't it?