That's the difference between her and the Woman in the Purple Skirt.
-- Narrator (Pages 1 - 43)

Importance: At the start of the novel, the narrator obsessively describes the Woman in the Purple Skirt. She is desperate not only to discern who the Woman reminds her of, but to become friends with her. Amidst these hyper-detailed descriptions, the narrator begins comparing herself to the Woman. Though she wants to believe they have things in common, she admits that the main difference between them is the way others perceive them. Unlike the Woman in the Purple Skirt, the narrator is invisible. In this moment, the author establishes her thematic interest in alienation, loneliness, and envy.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I've been wanting to become friends with the Woman in the Purple Skirt for a very long time.
-- Narrator (Pages 1 - 43)

Importance: For the first 15 pages of the novel, the narrator tries to figure out who the...