Identity and Selfhood
The theme of Identity and Selfhood features greatly throughout the novel. From the beginning, the readers are dissociated from all the characters barring Senhor Jose, and through this, the author masterfully leads the reader to question his or her own sense of personal identity and its value in comparison to society.
Through the portrayal of characters solely by what in them stands out, the reader is brought to the realization that in the eyes of others, one is more often than not judged solely based on outward appearance and action. The author also brings out the fleeting superficiality of selfhood and identity, questioning if these bear any significance at all.
The whole theme of Identity and Selfhood is also brought into question from the very onset with the naming of the novel. The significance of "All the Names" is only grasped by the reader at the end of the novel when everything falls into place. It is only then that the reader reconsiders the question of "What exactly is in a name?" The idea of personal identity in one's name is thus brought under great scrutiny in the novel.
Surveillance
A lesser but no less pertinent theme to be featured in the novel would be that of surveillance. Through both Senhor Jose and the Registrar, the author reminds us that surveillance in society is unavoidable and omnipresent.
Senhor Jose's very job at the Central Registry is emblematic of the idea that everything you do is recorded, watched and analysed. The Registrar's later entrance into the novel also amplifies this idea that no action one takes is free from scrutiny.
While the novel may have been published in 1997, its theme of surveillance bears more weight than ever especially with the advent of the internet and the concept of the surveillance state. The novel also hearkens the onset of an Orwellian future that may not be far away.
The Human Condition
Through this text, the author also analyses the theme of the human condition. The very premise of the novel is that of one human being's obsession with another. The role of the Central Registry and the fact that it contains records dating back to a time unknown also presents the idea that the human condition must be examined through times both past and present, looking at the lives of those dead and alive.
