In the first chapter, “Bow Down,” Frau Mann poses this series of half-rhetorical questions to Felix: “Am I what I say? Are you? Is the doctor?" (28). Barnes thus establishes early on falsified identities and alter egos as a central, recurrent theme. In some way, almost every major character presents a falsified version of themselves. Felix presents himself as an aristocrat and a Christian when he is neither. The doctor presents himself as a practitioner of medicine although he is not licensed, and as an Irishman, even though he was born in America. Further, he moves through his public life as a man, although he self-identifies as a woman. Robin initially succumbs to social pressures—fulfilling hetero-normative expectations—and betrays her inner sense of self when she marries Felix, assuming the false title of baronin, and bears a child. However, it becomes clear that her true personality is not suited to monogamy or traditional family life, whether coupled with a man or woman.

Generally, these characters are not operating under pretenses or out of malicious intent. Instead, adopted personas serve as a means of self-preservation. For Felix, his father’s decision to pass as a baron (and Felix’s decision to continue doing so) is a measure to protect against the social and political persecution many Jews faced in Europe at that time.