Madame Lazarus

The story Madame Lazrus I found Very interesting and it was a breeze to read through. I like how the author really incorporated  the setting of the book throughout many parts of the story. I feel like it's culture had a lot to do with the story itself. In the beginning I was a little confused trying to figure out the identity of the main character of the story wether it was a male or female. Like once the ex wife came into the picture I felt thrown off because I knew the main character is with James who is a male. So I was wondering if the character happened to be a female with an ex wife or gay male. I'm mostly conceived that the main character is a gay male just because all the comparisons of old age are tied to a male. Like when speaking of the girl in the vet saying how much older in comparison to the grandfather of that girl. Or the man outside the hospital bent over even "older than I was ". Another part was when speaking of the guy who he first loved. " I was still very young , and it was a shock, because it was the first time I knew who I was. He was older then I, and he understood also- I could see that."

The. I wondered why would this character then marry a women after. I liked how the author doesn't really tell you directly of the characters identity it sort of takes you away from these pre conceived notions you have going into a story, and brings you into the reality of a story and its intentions. James is interesting it's like he pops in and out of the story, and initially the dog was meant to take his place. So when the dog dies it's like the tie was completely broken. The character wonders if it meant the same for Desi the housekeeper. The story leaves you with a deeper poop of truth in it. Like the conclusion gets you.

 "Don't leave me", I say

Desi looks up, surprised. Her eyes are red. The taxi is waiting, impatient. I think I will say everything now, I will speak of everything. There is not so much time.

"Please don't leave," I say.

The dogs death brings in the realization of death and how there is only the present moment . Another significant death was the boy dying, the first lover. The main character never speaks of this death. I wonder if that's what's implied when saying I will speak of everything. I find it funny how even as I am  writing this I am pretty much certain the character is a male, but not completely convinced because I can see how I refrain from stating he or she that much. Maybe that's part of the emotion which the story brings across a mystery of this character and unspoken secrets and feelings. So maybe if the author would have told us directly the gender of the character it would have taken away the mystery which the text sort of gives. When the doctor says Madame Lazarus I remembered us speaking of titles in class and there importance when it pertains to the story. Lazarus is a man raised from the dead by Jesus. So the dog was revived by the main character, and it being a girl the doctor gave it Madame Lazarus. The dogs death was like loosing someone close, seemed just as real as the death of a human. Never having a dog I could still feel the emotions of the character that's how powerful the scene made everything.