Written in 1992 and set in Italy during World War II, The English Patient delves into the world of three main characters – Hana, a nurse during the war, Almasy, the ‘English patient’ and Kip, an Indian Sikh. The narration weaves in and out around these characters and connects them in more ways than one.
The English Patient plays on the concept of time and place in regards to identity. Readers can see this when analysing the roles of the three main characters – Hana, Almasy and Kip.
Hana
Hana is the young female nurse in The English Patient and her age shows in many of her decisions. Hana is forced to grow up quickly and is seen as both the child and the adult. She nurtures the English patient but she also stubbornly cuts off her hair and refuses to look at herself for the rest of the war. She emits a sense of confidence in her work, but she plays hopscotch at night. In that sense, she is both the voice of innocence and experience in one.
Perhaps Hana’s most endearing characteristic is the fact that she creates her own ideal surrounding the English patient. She imagines him as a saintly character and uses her childlike notions to project her own belief on her patient. This represents the difference between reality and imagination, a common theme throughout Ondaatje’s book.
Almasy
Almasy is the protagonist in The English Patient and his characterization is formed bit by bit throughout the novel. Almasy is reflective, intriguing and mysterious which makes him such a great title character. The other two characters form their ideas of Almasy before even really knowing who he is.
The great irony with Almasy comes from the fact that he is not even English, but Hungarian by birth, thus suggesting the English patient is a complete fallacy. This goes to demonstrate how identity is construed, how imagination and reality are connected and how nationality and citizenship are completely abstract barriers in society. Even though Almasy is not English, his ideals, his beliefs and his passionate values demonstrate that his ethnicity is completely irrelevant, especially when battling a war in the desert. Man is man, regardless of what a piece of paper (or a title of a book) suggests.
Kip
Kip is perhaps the most complicated and conflicted character in The English Patient, and with good reason. As a soldier from India, Kip must struggle against the racism and prejudice that exists on and off the battlefield, as well as at home with his brother. Due to the war, Kip becomes emotional distressed and can be seen as quite cruel during some stages.
Kip is in that middle ground between adopting the Western identity and remaining close to his Indian roots, something that many people struggle with. In the end, Kip chooses to return to India and follow his traditional path; however, like everyone who must decide between the proverbial forks in the road, he often thinks of how life would be otherwise.
The English Patient focuses on common struggles in society including racism, imagination and national identity, in a brilliantly written novel that deserves all the praise and awards it has received.
