Identity

In his characterization of Edward Avon, John le Carré balances profound ambiguity with rich explanation in order to effectively contest notions of a single, immutable identity. Throughout much of the novel, Julian attempts to reconcile the seemingly incompatible aspects of Edward’s character. Edward is well-dressed and articulate, yet he smells of alcohol. Edward claims to have known Julian’s father, yet Julian has never heard of Edward. Edward appears British, yet Adrianna refers to him using the Polish pronunciation of ‘Edvard.’ Julian later notes these “changes of identity” and asks himself “how much was performance, how much the real man?” (74). Here, le Carré uses narrative ambiguity to expose Edward’s internal complexities and contradictions. Both the reader and the in-text characters (Julian, Adrianna, Celia, etc.) attempt to piece together the various competing details of Edward’s past. As Julian continues to wonder about Edward’s...