In the Skin of a Lion

999 Words4 Pages
“The true genius of In the Skin of a Lion is how Ondaatje uses textual form and structure (techniques) to accentuate the narrative ideas (theme) in his novel.” Twelve times three equals thirty six, but so does six times six. “Never again will a single story be told as though it were the only one” There are a variety of narrative ideas expressed in “In the skin of a Lion”, all of which are expressed and exemplified through different perspectives, or different windows; made evident by the use of textual form and structure. At the start of the novel, in the preface, Ondaatje reveals the novels structure as a “narratological approach”, stating that “this is a story a young girl gathers” whilst in a car travelling through darkness in the early morning. We are told that the man telling her “picks up and brings together various corners of the story, attempting to carry it all in his arms”. This preface foreshadows how Ondaatje will be presenting his novel, furthermore illustrating hints to his polyphonic voices and its manipulation to the story’s perspective. We are already informed that the story is disordered and confused as he “attempts to carry it all in his arm”. This excerpt also suggests that memory will be the basis of this story, exploring the nature of storytelling. Ondaatje uses meta-fiction, a literary device used to self-consciously and systematically draw attention to a work's status as an artefact, this theme is evident through-out the novel. For example, “it’s a metaphor. You reach people through metaphor.” illustrates his awareness of his own narration. This is again evident through “The hero linked them all”, making a direct reference to Temelcoff, a hero who links everybody. This is also an example of textual integrity. “The first sentence of every novel should be: Trust me, this will take time but there is an order here, very faint, very human.
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