Identity

Identity is an important theme in the novel, especially as it relates to Nancy. Nancy takes on a multitude of identities, depending on where she is in life. Nancy’s various aliases enable her to tackle difficult tasks by placing distance between herself and what she must do.

From the start, Lawhon establishes identity as a central theme. The very opening lines of the novel read, “I have gone by many names. Some of them are real—I was given four at birth alone—but most are carefully constructed personas to get me through checkpoints and across borders. They are lies scribbled on forged travel documents. Typed neatly in government files. Splashed across wanted posters. My identity is an ever-shifting thing that adapts to the need at hand” (15). It is only by the end of the novel that the reader understands the full meaning behind Nancy...