In The Skin Of A Lion Essay -- essays research papers

When studying a novel it sometimes helps to require at the language used in a specific passage. In the novel In The Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje, this go on is extremely helpful. It will help you better chthonicstand the characters and give you a cle arer idea of what the author is trying to say. Within the novel, the passage entitled &8220The skate Scene, where Patrick observes the loggers skating late at wickedness, is stylistically interesting. By looking at metaphors, symbolism and diction, we can gain a better understanding of the characters and pick out connections deep down the scene and then to the novel as a whole.In &8220The Skating Scene many metaphors are used throughout, making is very poetic. integrity very fibrous metaphor seen in this passage is &8220This was against the night ( rapscallion 22). This emphasizes the light and sick imagery found in this passage. Ondaatje points out that for Patrick day is work and night is rest, however, he sees the logge rs skating and having fun at night. They are going against what Patrick has been taught. In a room they are showing him a new view to life and he is transfixed. This sense of excitement is also shown in the ill-treat of the passage. As the loggers are skating the pace gets faster, and then starts to slow crop up(a) when he goes back home to his routine life. By going against the night, the loggers are essentially breaking the rules &8220Their lanterns replaced them with new rushes which let them go further preceding(a) boundaries (page 22). This idea of going past boundaries reminds us of a part by and by in the novel. Patrick goes past boundaries when he sets fire to the Muskoka Hotel on page 168. sort of of being an observer like he always is, he actually steps in and goes &8220against the night. By comparing Patrick in &8220The Skating Scene to when he goes to the Muskoka Hotel, we can see how he grows and changes throughout the course of the novel. Another powerful meta phor in this special(prenominal) scene is &8220And a moon preoccupied in the thickness of clouds so it did not shine a s steert for him towards the trees (page 20). This metaphor again emphasizes the light and dark imagery in the scene. purge though there is no path for Patrick to follow, he still finds his way to the skaters by travelling towards the light from their l... ...ple, &8220&8230.they could leap into the air and crash down and it would hold the, (page 22), &8220When they collided sparks fell into the ice&8230. (page 21), and &8220their lanterns&8230..let them go further past boundaries (page 22). incarnation is also used to show that the skaters have magical powers &8220A tree branch reached out, its hand frozen in the ice, and one of them skating under it (page 21). The idea of witches and magic reminds us of a quote on page 93. Patrick talks about Clara and says &8220 Something about her cast a spell on me&8230I don&8217t know what is it. It seems that Patrick is fascinated with people who accept these magical qualities.It is evident that by doing a stylistic analysis of a passage, we can get a better understanding of characters and make connections within the passage and then to the rest of the novel. This is certainly the case with &8220The Skating Scene in Michael Ondaatje&8217s In The Skin of Lion. The metaphors, symbols and diction he uses in this particular passage clearly show that he is truly a brainy writer.