Transnational Identity in Micheal Ondatjee's The English Patient

Abstract

This thesis explores transnational encounters in the Michel Ondaatje’s novel The English Patient. Set during the final days of the Second World War, the novel weaves together the stories of characters from diverse backgrounds, reflecting a complex web of national and cultural identities. This research argues that the novel's narrative structure and characters’ interactions highlight the fluidity of national boundaries and the interconnectedness of personal histories across different cultures and continents.The thesis illustrates how transnational experiences shape individual’s identities and sense of belonging by looking at the connections and lives of figures like Almasy (the English patient), Hana (the Canadian nurse),Caravaggio (the Italian thief), Kip (the Indian Sikh sapper), Katherine Clifton and Geoffrey Clifton. The characters' journeys highlight the persistent human drive for connection and comprehension across cultural and national boundaries, underscoring the significance of empathy and unity in a divided world. The study uses literary transnationalism to examine how the novel portrays the dissolution of national boundaries and the emergence of hybrid identities in the midst of displacement and conflict. The English Patient thus acts as a powerful reminder of the potential to overcome borders and embrace the diversity of human experiences amid conflict and displacement. Keywords: transnationalism, nationalionalism, identity, encounters, hybridity, boundaries