Who Is Binx?

From photo album

“My wallet is full of identity cards, library cards, credit cards”(6). “It is a pleasure to carry out the duties of a citizen and to receive in return a receipt or a neat styrene card with one’s name on it certifying, so to speak, one’s right to exist”(7). These quotes embody a simple truth about Binx, he desires to be known to have existed. He desires to have an identity. In fact Binx needs a unique identity because he fears becoming yet another person, becoming invisible. “The truth is I dislike cars. Whenever I drive a car, I have the feeling I have become invisible”(11).

Why does Binx need this search? An identity shouldn’t need a rather long search should it? In Binx’s case to set a unique identity for himself from the family is in fact quite a challenge. Binx thus far has gone to college and was a solider in a war. Certainly this already would create uniqueness for Binx, right? Well even after these accomplishments Binx’s aunt would like him to consider entering medical school. With this suggestion Binx can only be reminded of previous family, “When my father returned from medical school and his surgical residency in Bonston to practice with my grandfather…”(48). While the aunt cannot see the struggle Binx is having with his identity she clearly wants Binx to prove that he is great by following into the footsteps of his father and grandfather. This creates an identity for Binx, but not a unique one as is what he desires.

While his aunt wants him to fit into a certain identity, Binx will be sharing this identity with his father and grandfather. He will be a somebody as Emily Dickenson puts it, but he won’t be the nobody he desires to be. Yet he has already fallen into near invisibility. He is a broker working for his uncle for a firm. “Once I thought of going into law or medicine or even pure science. I even dreamed of doing something great. But there is much to be said for giving up such grand ambitions and living the most ordinary life imaginable…”(9). His life is the most ordinary life imaginable, which gives an identity, but not one that is unique. So he must search for this unique identity, which will set him apart from all others.