Muhammad T. Haidery
ENG4U7-01
322434838
Mr. Glen
Wednesday October 14th, 2015
Word count: 896
An Analyzation of a Chosen Passage from Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family
“The shapes [of Ceylon] differ so much they seem to be translations … growing from mythic shapes into eventual accuracy” (Ondaatje, 45). Throughout Running in the Family, Michael Ondaatje’s quest to uncover his Ceylonese heritage and Ceylon itself, has grown from myths, rumours and led to “eventual accuracy” (45). The chapter Tabula Asiae, begins with Michael, whom at his brothers’ home sees and describes “false maps” (45), which are only artistic representation of Ceylon. At the end of the chapter the narrator shifts his focus from Ceylon to an anecdote about his first …show more content…
He describes that the some Europeans who colonized Ceylon also settled there and they were rewarded with foreign wives, land and better prestige. In describing the intertwined cultural nature of Ceylon, Michael Ondaatje is suggesting that he is not entirely sure about his Ceylonese identity, Moreover, Michael even states that, “Ondaatje. A parody of the ruling language” (46), which he expresses that Ceylon and his own identity has been forged in others own image. This infers the fact that Michael does not accurately know his true Ceylonese identity, but instead what he does come to know is in fact just a “parody” (46), of European and Ceylonese culture. Through, the use of diction in Tabula Asiae, Michael tries to learn and re-experience his life as a child in Ceylon, but as he mentions, “…became a mirror. [Ceylon] pretended to reflect each European power till newer ships arrived and spilled their nationalities...” (46). This again shows that Ceylon is not made by the people living in it, but forged through its many visitors that arrive. Ironically, Michael throughout this book tried to uncover his self-identity but however fell into a pit of, “parody” (46) of different heritages to form a new Ceylon. Overall, Michael Ondaatje uses the element of prose diction to describe his heritage of Ceylon and his own attempt to find his
ENG4U7-01
322434838
Mr. Glen
Wednesday October 14th, 2015
Word count: 896
An Analyzation of a Chosen Passage from Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family
“The shapes [of Ceylon] differ so much they seem to be translations … growing from mythic shapes into eventual accuracy” (Ondaatje, 45). Throughout Running in the Family, Michael Ondaatje’s quest to uncover his Ceylonese heritage and Ceylon itself, has grown from myths, rumours and led to “eventual accuracy” (45). The chapter Tabula Asiae, begins with Michael, whom at his brothers’ home sees and describes “false maps” (45), which are only artistic representation of Ceylon. At the end of the chapter the narrator shifts his focus from Ceylon to an anecdote about his first …show more content…
He describes that the some Europeans who colonized Ceylon also settled there and they were rewarded with foreign wives, land and better prestige. In describing the intertwined cultural nature of Ceylon, Michael Ondaatje is suggesting that he is not entirely sure about his Ceylonese identity, Moreover, Michael even states that, “Ondaatje. A parody of the ruling language” (46), which he expresses that Ceylon and his own identity has been forged in others own image. This infers the fact that Michael does not accurately know his true Ceylonese identity, but instead what he does come to know is in fact just a “parody” (46), of European and Ceylonese culture. Through, the use of diction in Tabula Asiae, Michael tries to learn and re-experience his life as a child in Ceylon, but as he mentions, “…became a mirror. [Ceylon] pretended to reflect each European power till newer ships arrived and spilled their nationalities...” (46). This again shows that Ceylon is not made by the people living in it, but forged through its many visitors that arrive. Ironically, Michael throughout this book tried to uncover his self-identity but however fell into a pit of, “parody” (46) of different heritages to form a new Ceylon. Overall, Michael Ondaatje uses the element of prose diction to describe his heritage of Ceylon and his own attempt to find his