Summary Of Michael Ondaatje's Running In The Family
In one of his most notable works, Running in the family, Michael Ondaatje attempts to write fiction, which he claims to be more truth-telling then attempting to tell fact. In the final acknowledgements for his memoir Ondaatje praises many relatives and friends for providing the raw material his memoir is built upon, however he then adds: “While all these names [of real people] may give an air of authenticity, I must confess that the book is not a history but a portrait or ‘gesture.’ And if those listed above disapprove of the fictional air I apologize and can only say that in Sri Lanka a well-told lie is worth a thousand facts.”(Ondaatje 206) The above mentioned quote specifically sums up the novel and all it encompasses. This is made possible
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Ondaatje makes an allusion to Shakespeare on coutless occasions throughout the story, this in turn shows a parraellel between Ondaatjeand Shakespeares work. “The lunatic, the lover and the poet are of imagination all compact.” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 5.1) Every character throughout the story belongs to one of these three branches. this is because of the imaginative realm from which Ondaatje has brought them from. As Ondaatje progresses torecount the lives of his loved ones, he betters his own understanding of their lives through their point of view. Lalla, his maternal grandmother, personates a role which falls under “the lunatic” and “the lover”, on the other hand Melvyn, Ondaatje’s father, manifests all three. Alcohol is used to disclose both these characters true selfs. Generally, whilst drunk one exhibits behaviour quite different from an ordinary person, however this is called into question as these two characters behave as their true selves while drunk. Hidden behind their sober selves lies a brand new unseen side. “Lalla grew loud and cheerful [when drunk]”, (Ondaatje, 102) Lalla was a lively character whose used her imagination to bend the truth of what really happened in Ceylon society, whether she was drunk or sober. The manner in which Ondaatje
Ondaatje makes an allusion to Shakespeare on coutless occasions throughout the story, this in turn shows a parraellel between Ondaatjeand Shakespeares work. “The lunatic, the lover and the poet are of imagination all compact.” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 5.1) Every character throughout the story belongs to one of these three branches. this is because of the imaginative realm from which Ondaatje has brought them from. As Ondaatje progresses torecount the lives of his loved ones, he betters his own understanding of their lives through their point of view. Lalla, his maternal grandmother, personates a role which falls under “the lunatic” and “the lover”, on the other hand Melvyn, Ondaatje’s father, manifests all three. Alcohol is used to disclose both these characters true selfs. Generally, whilst drunk one exhibits behaviour quite different from an ordinary person, however this is called into question as these two characters behave as their true selves while drunk. Hidden behind their sober selves lies a brand new unseen side. “Lalla grew loud and cheerful [when drunk]”, (Ondaatje, 102) Lalla was a lively character whose used her imagination to bend the truth of what really happened in Ceylon society, whether she was drunk or sober. The manner in which Ondaatje