| This thesis uses Joseph Campbell's concept of the circle of the Hero's Adventure as a basis for analyzing and interpreting Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient. The central hypothesis is that the novel represents a combined hero's journey that is undertaken jointly by three of the novel's four main characters---Hana, Kirpal Singh, and David Caravaggio. This concept of a shared hero's adventure represents a unique variation on Campbell's range of standard heroic constructs, and it dovetails perfectly with Ondaatje's richly textured text and multi-layered plot and character development.;An intriguing corollary of the thesis is the idea that writers may utilize, either overtly or subliminally, the concepts and supporting mythology of Campbell's framework of the hero's adventure to broaden greatly the range of meanings and nuances that their novel's text, dialogue and characterization may achieve. Similarly, readers may, through a deeper understanding of Campbell's views and conclusions, significantly expand their ability to see and interpret the more subtle and profound layers of plot, text and imagery. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
