London

The novel takes place in London, which is the capital and most populous city in England. The protagonist appears to have lived there for a long time, as he is very familiar with the city’s various neighborhoods. The protagonist appears to be both fascinated by the other people in the city and alienated from them. These dynamics potentially symbolize the paradox of city life, namely that one is surrounded by people and yet often still feels isolated.

Building

The protagonist’s first reenactment centers on memories he has of an apartment building. However, he cannot place the memories exactly, and he concludes that the memory might be at least partially composed of vivid, involuntary imaginings. He finds an apartment building that closely resembles the one in his vision, and he spends money altering it to fit his vision exactly. He then hires people to play the roles...