What Does Michael Ondaatje Represent In The English Patient

Mancuso 1
Daniel Mancuso
Mrs. Martin
ENG4U1-06
15 January 2013
The Role of the Villa San Girolamo Symbolism adds layers of meaning to novels. It can either have a significant, insignificant or negative impact on the progression of the novel. In Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient, the lives of four individuals are scarred due to the destructiveness of the war. Four individuals gather at one common area in Tuscany, Italy known as Villa San Girolamo (hereafter cited as the Villa). Ondaatje represents the Villa in many ways. As a representation of a Sanctuary, the Villa protects the lives of the characters, act as a holy place and as a place of refuge. As well, the Villa represents a place where the theme of death and rebirth
They come together at the Villa, depicted as a vacation place from their past lives. The Villa helps begin a new chapter in their lives. As a safe haven, the Villa provides protection and shelter from the passing war. As a representation of the garden of Eden, the Villa is viewed as a holy place. Lastly as a place of refuge, the characters are able to come together and help rid themselves of terrible memories. The Villa, presents these three qualities of a sanctuary that allows the characters to progressively heal over the course of the novel. The theme of death and rebirth is apparent in The English Patient. Rebirth is a term commonly used to describe a new beginning and is present in various ways in the novel. The characters in the novel experience a death and rebirth scenario that forces them to take on a new life. Proir to his accident, Almásy was a highly trained general in the army. As he is in flight with an old war plane, the plane is leaking oil and later ignites. The flames engulf Almásy and he jumpes out of the plane to try and save
When the opportunity arises to care for this fragile patient, she jumps at the chance. She views Almásy as a way to fill a void in her life by personally assigning the role to herself. With the role of a full time nurse, she recognizes that she must to do everything in her power to care for the dying patient. “She has nursed him for months and she knows the body well” (Ondaatje 1). At this point, Hana experiences a death and rebirth. Hana’s father passes away and she is given no choice but to abort her baby. As she takes on the role of being the nurse of Almásy, this is the start of her new life that begins at the Villa. Helping Almásy with