in third person narration that his first letter sought only to relieve Chantal of the feeling that men no longer turned to look at her. Yet her refusal to tell him about the letters and her changed behaviour and more sensual dressing saw Jean-Marc become jealous. She acts differently and he perceives her as a different person in a range of contexts, this multiplicity of perceived identities challenges Jean-Marc's singular perception of his lover's identity. He feels he has transformed "a beloved woman into the simulacrum of a beloved woman." This challenges his own sense of identity turning him into a simulacrum as well. After confirming with a graphologist that the letters were written by Jean-Marc in a different style, she confronts him when he was just about to admit the ruse. An implication of this confrontation is that Jean-Marc, who lives in Chantal's apartment, feels closer to his fears of becoming a beggar. The final section of the novel reveals the disorientation of each characters' sense of identity is initiated by a confusion of the other's identity. Major themes Identity The nature and susceptibility to change of personal identity is the primary philosophical question of the novel. Kundera asks whether one's identity over time is hinged on those around them. He looks at the diachronic question of self in philosophy, which asks what makes your identity something continuous over time. His use of the relationship between Chantal and Jean-Marc to rupture their identity shows a challenge to an answer to the diachronic question which is that being perceived by others as the same person influences identity over time. Crowds The theme of crowds in the novel is used to create a conflict between the influences of the masses on one's identity and the influence of your own and those close to you. Chantal's desire to have mass appeal is represented by the imaginary crowd that desires easy aesthetic appeal (kitsch), her desire to be accepted in this way overshadows her care for her real relationship with Jean-Marc, leaving her with no real sense of self or meaningful relationships. The emphasis she places on how men see her physical appearance in passing overshadows Jean-Marc's love for her as a person not a superficial entity. In this way, Chantal's preoccupation with crowds and strangers leads her to place her identity in the hands of an anonymous crowd that desires kitsch aesthetic