English Patient

Eric Davila Bº
Mr. Lowney
Contemporary Literature Honors


Mini Essay 1 (Hana)

In the novel The English Patient by Michal Ondaajte it is left up to interpretation as to who the real protagonist of the story is. People assume that the protagonist is the English patient because that is the title of the book and also because his stories are an important part to understanding people’s roles. I disagree and suggest that the protagonist of the English Patient is none other than Hana. Not only is she the first character Michael Ondaajte introduces to the reader but she is the only one in the novel that is protecting someone. Her nature and nurturing is what separates her from the English Patient and allows her to be the hero of this story. Hana’s role is generally the protector, she saves and tends to the English Patient’s need as well as progresses through the novel. Although the reader might focus more on the English Patient in the story, Ondaajte suggests that Hana is growing through the novel and facing her own problems that have crept in from the past. Like the English Patient, her past is haunting and her present is nothing but sadness considering that Kip her fallback man has left and is no longer available to her.


Mini Essay 2 (Atomic Bomb)

In Ondaajte’s novel The English Patient, the atomic bomb is a symbol of change. As Kip is portrayed as a protector type character, there are questions on why he deals with bombs. The reason why Kip is protective is because he fears change and wants to protect the chances of living without change. He is an excellent bomb dissembler only because of his fear of changing and leaving his life matters out of his hands. As for Hana, the atomic bomb represents loss. As the war progresses and people die she is only fixated on helping those who have been affected by warfare. If the atomic bomb were to strike, the people who die and are so dear to her would ultimately come to mind and scar her for life. This bomb is more than the death of others but it is also the inner death of Hana. The atomic bomb in the overall context of the war would benefit Britain forces more. Yet, Ondaajte takes this beneficial object and uses it in a more personal sense through the characters in the book.


Mini Essay 3 (Favorite Lines)

Throughout the novel I have found many quotes that have been accepted as necessary and part of my favorites. There is a part in the book when Kip and Hana are flirting very much and both seem to enjoy the extra attention that is bouncing back in forth as if it were an intense game between two young kids playing four square. As they flirt Kip does the ultimate act that can be decided by Hana of whether or not it should be allowed. If she goes along with this act that means that Kip can take her and please her as he intends to. “I’ll rewire him in the morning” (Ondaajte, page 115). This shows the boundary of two people who are sealed in by strife getting taken apart, allowing the two lovers to enjoy a natural ecstasy that is achieved by harmonious exchanges of love. My second favorite line is on page 240 and involves Madox and the English Patient. “When we parted for the last time, Madox used the old farewell. “May God make safety your companion.” And I strode away from him saying, “There is no God.” This quotation is a prime example of false hope that is given throughout the novel. This is why it is my favorite quote and also because many of the characters have faced issues leading them to believe the possibility that God does not exist or that he does not care for them.

Mini Essay #4 (Desert)

Although I do not believe that the English Patient is not the main character in the novel, I believe that his part of the story starts in the desert and ends in the desert. This character has brought out the motif of the desert as Ondaajte intended and the result of the desert being dangerous and informative. It is shown through the many different names for types of titles for the desert storms and its overall effects. Also, a big part of the novel was gathering information on the desert and its surroundings in order for both sides to get general idea of the terrain. The desert can be seen merely as a tool of power that once obtained can be the sure way to success. Yet, the desert that is described by the English Patient is untamable and a sure source of death and despair. It is clearly shown through his loss of his love Katherine and his near death experience. This source of power is an example of the question, if the means justify the end. And surely, in this novel the answer is simply no.

Cover Art #5