Reverse Evolution In Aimee Bender's The Rememberer

The story "The Rememberer," by Aimee Bender is about a woman, Annie, whose lover is experiencing reverse evolution. One day Annie wakes up and finds her husband has turned into an ape. A month goes by, and now he is a sea turtle. People call Annie asking why her lover Ben isn't at work or why he isn't picking up items he was supposed to. She explains to everyone how he has some sort of sickness and to stop calling. Next thing you know it, her husband is a salamander. Annie finally reaches her limit and puts Ben the salamander in her car and drives down to the beach to release him. She waits every day for her husband to show back up. She checks the paper, keeps her number listed and walks around her neighborhood in case Ben couldn't find the house.

Bender implies that as being a caregiver can be a burden. Annie slowly watches as her husband becomes smaller as time goes on. She takes care of Ben like he was still human. Whatever animal he becomes next, she always makes sure she has the appropriate stuff to take care of him. For instance, when Ben became a sea turtle she made sure to have a pan set out with salt water in it. Annie could only take so much of the

The reader is able to understand what Annie had to go through during the "loss" of her loved one. It shows that she at one point was able to handle the fact Ben was going through this change, but at some point, she had to draw a line. She could no longer handle that he was never coming back and she finally let's go. If third person complete omniscient was used, it would draw away from Annie's loss. If we had known Ben's thoughts or even an outsider's thoughts, it would take away some interpretation. You wouldn't have the chance to focus on her actions or her process in dealing with Ben's devolution. With knowing other's thoughts comes a whole new view and