The Book of Salt

Photos are an important motif in the novel. In the first scene, we see Stein and Toklas with Binh, as the ladies are about to embark on their journey to America. Binh states, “Of that day I have two photographs and, of course, my memories” (1). The photographers were recording the ladies’ trip, much to the Mesdames’ shared delight. It meant this was now an “event,” and their fame had reached a level requiring such commemoration. Binh being captured in one of these photos while fixing a button on Stein’s shoe, as Toklas herself cannot be bothered to do so, symbolizes the racism inherent in both the era and in colonialism. Binh becomes a footnote in the photo, a part of the image that might be edited out in a different time. His lack of importance reveals the racism inherent in the era and echoes colonialism’s prejudices. The fact that Binh offers his memories as something different than what the photos afford furthers this idea.

To sweettalk Binh into taking one of Stein’s manuscripts, Lattimore offers to get a photograph taken of himself with Binh. Binh wants it so badly that he forgets his misgivings about betraying his employers’ trust.