It Happened One Summer

The bar that Henry Cross owned in Westport and which he bequeathed to his daughters has been nicknamed “No Name” by the locals who use the premises without permission. The bar symbolizes Westport and Henry’s rootedness in the town, as further demonstrated by the wall of pictures that Piper and Hannah find. Brendan describes the bar as a nexus for the townspeople’s connections to one another as well as to the past: “On my boat, I have a crew, and each member has a family. A history,” he tells Piper. “Those roots run all through the town. They’ve lived a lot of it inside No Name” (51), he says, suggesting that Henry as well as the bar connect the people of Westport.

Just as Henry’s memory has been lost to Piper, No Name is dilapidated and in a state of disrepair. While she and Henry’s wife and children have neglected to mourn or honor him, the bar has continued to deteriorate. Like Piper, who is feeling uncertain about her identity, the bar has no name, either. No Name functions also as a symbol for Piper’s transformation. Renovating the bar puts her in touch with her past and gives her a way to acknowledge and honor Henry’s role in her life.