3. Is tragic flaw an issue in this novel? Choose one character and explore how their tragic flaw resulted in disaster.

Tragic flaw is a great issue in this novel. Patrick has a tragic fall that leads him to destruction and downfall. His flaw is that he has no lover that he can love forever. All the ladies that le loved and loving left him alone. His lover’s leaving him destroyed his mind that lead to downfall. When his lover left him, he was destroyed internally and grieved. He tries certain actions trying to get rid of the pain, but hardship continue and he never finds his true lover that he can devote his life. HE shows his destruction of mind in the novel where he becomes very violent. HE became so violent that he acts like a terrorist, where he bombs the tunnel when live men were near the bomb. This shows his tragic flaw made him violent and hopeless that he is showing his emotion through violent actions. This results in a disaster because other people can actually get hurt from his dangerous actions and also destroys himself internally and externally. Also the sense of loss is a tragic flaw of Patrick where he constantly loses someone important. First of all, he loses his father who didn’t really show love towards him and lovers who died and left him. Thus, theses tragic flaws result in all bad situations where Patrick is completely destroyed and detached from the society.

2. What character do you most identify with in this novel and why? Is pathos an element of your response to this character?

I do not match with any other characters but I think I most identify with the main character Patrick. Patrick is a fragile character where I am a fragile man sometimes. When I face hardships or disasters I tend to break internally and sometimes it shows on the external side of me. Patrick also portrays his brokenness by certain acts such as smoking or cleaning trying to heal the pain and forget the memories that he is feeling from the loss of his love Clara (the scene when Clara leaves). Furthermore, Patrick is lost, where he searches his identity throughout the novel and this is similar to me because I am not sure of my identity in the society. The society that I currently live in is a small society compared to adults. I am kind of afraid that I would be lost like Patrick when I face the reality, harsh society, because Patrick is hurt and lost in the society. In the novel Patrick shows that he is lost throughout the novel where his father dies and when his lovers leave him. I cannot identify fully with him since I am a different person who is not that old and do not have much of an experience of love. However, I can relate to myself with Patrick of the lost of identity and confusion that comes with it.

1. What passage did you find the most beautiful in this novel and why? Dig into setting here, and give us detail about why you have chosen your passag

The passage that I found the most beautiful in this novel is the sex scene. It is not because I have a lustful mind, but the sex scene where Alice and Clara have sexual intercourse is portrayed beautifully and effectively. The setting is on the dark where Patrick is sleeping and it is an unusual passage where two ladies have sexual intercourse. I thought it was the most beautiful passage because it is very new and thus gives a great impact on the reader. First, when I read this passage, I didn’t really know what two ladies were doing but by reading it again, I realized it was a sex scene. However, it didn’t portray sex as a lustful act but the most beautiful act that human beings can portray. The language that Ondaatje uses is very powerful and beautiful where he weaves his descriptive style. Ondaatje depicts the scene by using imageries and symbols such as moon and witches. However, moon is not present when two ladies have sexual intercourse and this symbolizes two ladies’ characteristics. The setting is important in this passage where two ladies make love in the darkness. This symbolizes that they don’t want to show their act to others. Also, they ask themselves if they are witches. This tells the reader that two ladies don’t want to be revealed because the society won’t accept their act. Also, this scene tells the reader that they are not satisfied with their lovers or men. Since women can understand women the best, they are trying to satisfy themselves from sharing love with the same gender. By using this sex scene, Ondaatje is trying to emphasize the theme which is identity and the impact of love and loss of life.

creation, fall, redemption

Ondaatje uses various symbols to symbolize the creation, fall, and redemption. First of all, for creation, he uses bridge, tunnel, and Caravaggio’s escape of prison. Theses represent creation because bridge connects one place and another and symbolically all people are connected by bridges. Tunnel symbolizes creation because there is a hope in the end of the tunnel where there is light and in the book, people makes connection while constructing the tunnel. The escape of prison symbolizes creation because Caravaggio makes a new life by escaping the prison.

For fall, Clara leaving, Alice dying, and terrorist scene (tunnel), and father dying symbolize fall. The death of his father, Alice, and Clara leaving break Patrick’s heart and he drowns in his self grief. Also, in the terrorist scene Patrick becomes very violent which symbolizes the fall.

For redemption, saving cow, Hannah, saving the nun, escaping scene, saving Alice while she is acting, and Alice’s death symbolizes the redemption.

Ondaatje effectively uses these symbols to enhance his message of the novel and it is very powerful!