UniversityofBerne

DepartmentofEnglishLanguagesandLiteratures
ModernandContemporaryLiteraturesinEnglish
M4:ProblemsofIntermedialityinCanadianLiterature
Prof.Dr.GabrieleRippl
SpringSemester2009

MichaelOndaatje's
RecreationofIdentityin
RunningintheFamily

DominiqueNagpal
Neufeldstrasse119
CH3012Berne
nique_s@students.unibe.ch
04132833,10thSemester
June29,2009

TableofContents

1.

ThesisandTheoreticalPremise ................................................................................................. 3
a.

Thesis ...............................................................................................................................................................................................3

b.

ScopeofPaper ..............................................................................................................................................................................3

c.

Premise:PostmodernWorldandtheMedia...................................................................................................................3
DavidHarveysTheConditionofPostmodernity ..........................................................................................3
McLuhanMarshallsUnderstandingMedia:TheExtensionsofMan. ..........................................................4
JeanBaudrillardsSimulacraandSimulation................................................................................................4

2.

3.

4.

TheFunctionofPhotography....................................................................................................... 5
d.

SusanSontagsOnPhotography ............................................................................................................................................5

e.

RolandBarthesCameraLucida:ReflectionsonPhotography .................................................................................5

IdentityandSelfFashioning ........................................................................................................ 7
f.

PhotographyintheCanadianContext ...............................................................................................................................7

g.

WhyPhotography? .....................................................................................................................................................................7

h.

OndaatjesProductiveEmploymentofthePhotoText..............................................................................................8

i.

GenericIndeterminacy .............................................................................................................................................................9

j.

RunningintheFamily............................................................................................................................................................ 10

IronicSelfreflexivity ...................................................................................................................12
k.

5.

HoneymoonPictureandAFineRomance................................................................................................................. 12

Conclusion:SuspensionbetweenTruthandMakebelieve.............................................14
WorksCited ....................................................................................................................................................................15
AuthenticationDeclaration.......................................................................................................................................16

1. ThesisandTheoreticalPremise

The urban fabric is seen by postmodernists as necessarily fragmented, a

palimpsest of past forms superimposed upon each other, and a collage of
current uses, many of which may be ephemeral (The Conditions of
Postmodernity,66).

a. Thesis
IshallelaborateonandsubsequentlyshowthatinhisnovelRunningintheFamily,Michael
Ondaatjeiscleverlyemployingthemeansofphotographyinordertoestablish,selffashionand
sustainhis(andhisprotagonists)hybrididentity.

b. ScopeofPaper
Inspiteofthispapersscopebeingratherlimited,Inonethelessdeemitnecessarytofurnishthe
maintenetsandsomeouttakesfromtheprincipletheoreticalworksonmediaandphotography
sinceonecannotneglecttheseaspectswhendealingwiththetopicofIntermediality.

c. Premise:PostmodernWorldandtheMedia

DavidHarveysTheConditionofPostmodernity
ThisbookquestionsthenatureofPostmodernismbytracingitsdiscontinuitiesandcontinuities,
itsparallelsandbreakswithandalongModernism.Thefirstpartofthebookexploresthe
differencesbetweenmodernismandpostmodernism(42),andgrappleswiththequestion
whetherpostmodernismrepresentsaradicalbreakwithModernism,orsimplyareaction
againsttheuniversalist,totalisingnarrativeofModernism(45).ButHarveyconcedesaftera
lengthydiscussionoftheworksofFoucaultandLyotard,Derrida,DeleuzeandGuttariand
Jamesonthatthereismuchmorecontinuitythandifferencebetweenthebroadhistoryof
modernismandthemovementcalledpostmodernism:Itseemsmoresensibletome(102),
Harveystates:

[T]oseethelatterasaparticularkindofcrisiswithintheformer,onethatemphasizes
thefragmentary,theephemeral[]whileexpressingadeepscepticismastoany
particularprescriptionsastohowtheeternalandimmutableshouldbeconceivedof,
represented,orexpressed(116).

Inthecontextoftodaysglobalisation,whatdoesitindicate?AccordingtoHarveytheprocessof
globalisationsignifiestheproportionalshrinkingofspaceandtheshorteningoftimewhich
resultsinthespeedingupofthepaceoflifeinwhichthetimetodothingsandtheexperiential
distancebetweendisparatelocationsinspacebecomesshorter(123).

McLuhanMarshallsUnderstandingMedia:TheExtensionsofMan.
McLuhancoinedthephrase,Themediumisthemessage.(xi)Inhisbook,hepostulatesthatin
thisnewageofexcitingtechnologythemediumfromwhichpeoplereceiveinformationactually
figuresasthemessageandthatthecontentofamediumisalwaysanothermedium.

JeanBaudrillardsSimulacraandSimulation
BaudrillardsfocusinthefirstsectionofthisbooktitledThePrecessionofSimulacraisto
introducetheconceptthattheworldinwhichweliveconsistsofimagesandsignsthathave
disengagedthemselvesfromreality.Thenewpostmodernworldismadeupofsimulations
thatarenotbasedonrealitybutaredevisedbyourimaginations.Forexample,hebelieves
thatinthepastamapwasarepresentationofrealityitself.Today,itistoodifficultto
distinguishbetweenrealityandtheimageofreality(22)duetosimulation.Thisblurringof
whatisrealandunrealiswhattheauthorcallshyperreality(24).Itissubstitutingsignsof
realityforrealityitself.Hebelievesthattherearefourphasesoftheimage.Thephasesinclude
reflectingabasicreality,maskingorsubvertingabasicreality,maskingtheabsenceofabasic
reality[],andbearingnorelationtoanyreality.(cf.46f)
Furthermore,Baudrillarddiscussestheroleofmedia,society,technologyandtheir
interdependence.Currentmediatechnologyhaschangedhowpeoplethinkandfunction.The
boundariesbetweenthemassesandthemediahaveimploded(52)anditisimpossibleto
separatethem.Themediareachaenormousmassofpeople,feedingthemthesame
information.Inreturn,themassesmakedemandsonthemediaastowhattheywanttoview.
Consequently,thisbidirectionalexchangeblurstheboundariesofreality.

2. TheFunctionofPhotography
Thephotographisnotanobjectivemirror,butanexpressivemediumcapableof
portrayingmultiplerealities(McLuhan,xi).

d. SusanSontagsOnPhotography
Sontagsbasicpremiseinthistextistodefinethemeaningofphotographyandwhatitis.Howit
negotiatesfromanonartisticmimeticmediumtoasociallyimpactingartisticform(6).Isitan
artform?Itismechanical,soulless,evenaviolation,amethodofcontrol(i.e.press,
government),etc.Photographyfurnishesinstanthistoriesandmemories;asocietybecomes
modernwhenitproducesandconsumesimages;preferringimagetothething,copytothe
original,therepresentationtoreality,appearancetobeing,itconfirmsandconsumesreality.
Photographyisnotonlyarecordoftheworld,butanevaluation,whichmakeseverything
beautiful.Itstrugglesbetweenbeautificationandtruthtelling(5)andfiguresasatransgression
notonlyuponthesubject,butuponthespectatoraswellsinceitrobsthespectatorfroma
deeperappreciationandconnectionofandwiththerealthing.Therealthingfailsin
comparisontothefeelingsevokedbytherealitiesofthephoto.So,inanutshell,a
photographdoesnotcreatethereal,itmerelyrecyclesthereal.Thecameraistheultimatetool
orweaponofthetourist(15).Photographyandthecameraturneveryoneintoatourist,a
voyeur.Moreover,itisphallic,apredatoryweapon,afantasymachine(15).
Becauseaphotographisafixedpointintime,itbecomesamessagefromthepast,givingrise
tophotographicmemories,ormemoriesdependentuponphotos.Moreover,Aphotograph
passesforincontrovertiblethatagiventhinghadhappened(5).Becauseaphotoisamaterial
object,bypossessingthismaterialobject,theexperiencecapturedthereinispossessedaswell,
animaginarypossession(24).Inotherwords,tophotographistocaptureexperiences.

e. RolandBarthesCameraLucida:ReflectionsonPhotography
Inapersonalexaminationofphotography,Barthesproceedstodistinguishbetweena
characteristicofduality,acopresenceoftwodiscontinuouselements,whathetermsthe
studiumandthepunctum.Thestudiumistheapplicationtoathing,ageneralenthusiastic
commitment(27);thestudiumreferstothatrangeofmeaningsthatareuniversaltoanyone

andeveryone.Thisstudiumimpliesthataphotographcanbetakenin,maybeconsumed
withoutanygreatexpenditureofthinking;itisthedesiretostudythemeaningsinthe
photograph.Thepunctumisasting,peck,cut,littlehole,acastofthedice(27).Thisisthe
privatemeaning;itisnoteasilycommunicatedvialanguage.Thisisthedetailthatattractsand
holdsthespectatorsgaze.
Barthestakestheengagementandhisstudyofphotographyoutoftherealmofanalysis,and
devisesanewscienceofphotographyaframeworkthatmovesbeyondtheclassificationsof
art,technique,etc.,anddrawsuponabsolutesubjectivity.Photographyingeneralorasingular
photographcapturesaspecificmomentinhistory,keepsitinthecurrentnowandpreserves
it.Thisisanexplorationofwhatphotographyisinitselfbyitsverynature.Aphotographis
dualasitencompassesbothsignifierandsignifiedofthesignconceptbydeSaussure(5).By
nature,thephotographhassomethingtautologicalaboutit(ibid).Aphotographisalways
invisiblesinceitdoesnotmerelyshowwhattheviewersees.Thephotographcanbetheobject
ofthreepractices:todo,toundergo,andtolook(6).Theoperatorofthesepracticesisthe
photographerandthespectatorisourselves[]thepersonorthingphotographedisthe
target,thereferent,akindoflittlesimulacrum(9).Thesubjecttargetwhileposingderivesits
existence,metaphorically,fromthephotographer.Thephotoselfnevercoincideswiththe
actualself(12),therebytakingonalifeofitsown.Thephotographisthebeginningoftheself
asother;thesubjectphotographedsuffersfrominauthenticity.Multiplereadingsofthesame
subjectandhence,interpretationsaredependantuponcontext.Itismerelythroughstudium,
thatinterestliesinsomanyphotographs;aphotographspunctumistheaccidentthatpricks
(27f).Cultureisacontractarrivedatbetweencreatorsandconsumers.Thephotographis
dangerousandcontainswithinitselfacertainbiographicalfeatures.Sinceeveryphotographis
contingentandtherebyoutsideofmeaning[]Photographycannotsignifyexceptbyassuminga
mask(34).Andtherefore,ultimately,photographyissubversive,notwhenitfrightens,repels,
orevenstigmatises,butwhenitispensive,whenitthinks(38).Thestudiumisultimately
alwayscoded,thepunctumisnot.Thepunctumisanaddition,andnonetheless,itisalready
there.

3. IdentityandSelfFashioning
Iwouldlovetophotographthis(110).

f. PhotographyintheCanadianContext
Francemaybethecountryinwhichphotographywasinvented,butitispredominatelyCanada
whichproducesmostprevalentintermedialproductsintheliteraryworld.Canada,thecountry
ofchoiceforSriLankanbornwriterMichaelOndaatjeiswellknownforbothitsproductivityand
opennesstowardstheprolificuseofthemediaphotographyinitsmultipleliterarygenres,
whereconcreteillustrationsoftheemploymentofIntermedialityaretobefound.Canadian
writestreatphotographybothasillustrationsperseandasacrucialthematicelementand
hence,theylendthisintermedialaspectaspecialfocusfortheircontemporaryfictionalworks.
Canadianwriters,accordingtoYork,arevirtuallyobsessedwithphotographyanditsusein
everyconceivableformsandpossibilities;onecannearlyclaimthatthisengagementhasrisen
toakindofnationalliterarytopos.MargretAtwood,TimothyFindley,MargaretLaurence,Alice
Munroandmanymore,are,besidesOndaatjethemostimportantauthorsofwhatcanbe
termedCanadianphototexts.Theseauthorsmakeoverabundantuseofphotographic
illustrations,photographicmetaphorsandtextualstructuresandstageintheircentral
charactersasphotographersjustaswellasthephotographed:Thereareprobablymore
photographersthantherearebearsinCanadianwriting(McDougall,113).

g. WhyPhotography?
Thequestionofphotographicreperesentability,ofsubjectivityandobjectivityofthecameras
eyeplayequallyanintegralroleaswellastheliteraryengagementwithphotographyasa
mediumforremembrance;mostimportantlythough,isthephotographysinscribedfunction
thatcontributestotheformation/shapingof(an)identity.PreciselyinacountrylikeCanadathis
handlingofthisphotographictreatmentshouldnotfigureasasurprise:asamultilingual
countryofimmigration,situatedattheculturaltrianglebetweentheCommonwealthpartner
GreatBritain,theovermightyneighbourUSAandtheFrenchorientatedprovinceofQubec,
politicsandarthavetocometotermswiththequestionofindividualidentityonaalmostdaily
basis:Canadiantexts[are]demonstratingaconcernwithhownotionsofpersonalandcultural

identityareformed(Thieme,40).Especiallytheoccupationwithportraitphotographyandits
functionasanunmistakableidentificationofaperson,figuresasanappropriatemeansfor
personalselfassuranceandselfreflexionandispredestinedintheCanadiancontextandthus
receivesaspecialtreatmentinliterature.Exactlyduethisappropriateness(Hutcheon,47)of
photographyinregardtoanationalquestforidentityseeking,accordingtoHutcheon,the
combinationoftextandphotographicimagesincontemporaryliteraturescanbeobservedso
prevalently.

h. OndaatjesProductiveEmploymentofthePhotoText
WhentheuseofphotographyinCanadianliteraturescanbeobservedasacommonfeature
withnumerouscontemporaryencounterstostrengthenthatclaim,thenMichaelOndaatje,with
hisphotoliteraryworkhastobeperceivedasthemosttypicalofthistrend:[H]isattemptsto
breakdowngenericbarriersintextswhichmixvariousmodesofproseandpoetrywithvisual
documentarymaterialallmakehimoneofthemosttypicallyCanadianwritersofthe
contemporaryperiod(Thieme,40).Allhisbooksfocusonphotographyinonewayoranother,
beitasamotiveinhispoetryforexampleinRatJellyandhisworkofproseTheEnglish
Patient,IntheSkinofaLionandAnilsGhosts,orasstructureformingelementinTheCollected
WorksofBillytheKidorasthepersonifiedfigureofthephotographerBellocqinComing
throughSlaughter.Eveninhisworkasliterarycritic,forexampleinhisstudiesabouthispoet
friendandcompatriotLeonardCohen,photographicmetaphorsareadominateaspectand
whichOndaatjehimselfdeclaresasaseriesofmentalphotographs(ibid,59)andtohisown
positionasarevisitingobserverasonereturnstoaphotographalbum(ibid,34).
Furthermore,thesubjectmatterandmotiveofthegrouppictureFurthermore,themotiveof
thegroupimage,whichOndaatjeattributesheretoCohen,isalsoalwaysacentralthemeinhis
own(auto)biographicalwork(thisholdstrueforRunningintheFamilyaswellasforComing
troughSlaughter).Thus,forOndaatjeacomprehensiveanddiverseengagementwith
photographyinthematicandmetaphoricaltermsisnoteworthy.Moreover,hedoesnothold
backinsupplyinghisreadershipwiththeformsofconcreteandvisiblephotographicimages.In
aninterviewwithSamSoleckitheauthorconcedesthatitamountstoareactionagainst

himself(Ondaatje/Solecki,325)whenheneglectstheinsertionofphotosintooneofhis
novels.Oftenthewriterisengagedhimselfasacameraman,asanambitiousphotographer,as
wellasadirectorofhisownfilms.Additionally,hestatesthatIamveryinterestedin
photography(ibid,16).

i. GenericIndeterminacy
Theaboveformulationillustrateshispassionforvisualartisticforms,whichambivalentnature
betweenrealityandrepresentationfascinateshimthemost.Consequently,thispersonal
passionbaresitstracesandhasalargeimpactonhisworkandontraditionalliterarygenres.
Ondaatjemixesphotographywithbiographyaswellasphotographywithproseandpoetry
hencehedeclaresTheCollectedWorksofBillytheKidasamontage,orasanexperimentin
mixedmedia(York,94).Hegoesasfarasevenattemptingtodesignthecharacteristically
movingpictureinfilmsasmeretalkingphotography(Ondaatje/Solecki,16).Thetraditional
boundariesofmediaandgenresaresystematicallyignoredorviolated.Simultaneously,hiswork
refusesanygenrespecificdefinition.Novelsarebeingfreelyturnedintoplayscriptsand
traditionallyrealityboundbiographiesaresomewhatlostinmysticaltales,amovieforwhich
financialresourcesweretooscarce,arebeingtransmutedintothephotopoetrycollectionof
BillytheKid.AccordingtoYork,hisfictionaltextsarebecomingincreasinglymore
autobiographical(York,97).Ondaatjesfascinationwithphotographysoscillationbetweenart
andrealityisnotmerelyinterestedintheannulmentofintraliterarybarriers,butmoresoin
thegeneralquestionofwherethebordersbetweenliteratureandrealityactuallylie.Theabove
mentionedworkBillytheKidthislineofinquiryhasbeenmasteredwithutmostconsequence.
ButalsothelessrenownednovelRunningintheFamilywhichliesatthecentreofmythesisis
equallyplayingandisconcernedwithgenericandvariousparadigmaticboundarycrossings.
Therefore,dependingonthetakenperspective,thenovelcanberegardedasafamilysaga,
familychronicle,history,historiography,biography,autobiography,travelogue,memoires,oras
apersonalhistory.

j. RunningintheFamily
RunningintheFamilywaspublishedforthefirsttimein1982andistheresultoftwojourneys
toSriLankaduringtheyears1978and1980,whereOndaatje,bornontheisland,but
immigratedtoEnglandin1952andsettledinCanadain1962,isafter25yearsofhisabsence,in
searchofthetracesofhisCeylonesechildhood:InmymidthirtiesIrealisedIhadslippedpasta
childhoodIhadignoredandnotunderstood(22).MichaelOndaatjeisinterestedintracinghis
ancestralrootsanddocumentingthesociopoliticalhappeningsoftheirlosthomelandinhis
writings,allinaidforamoresubstantialnotionofselfreflexionandidentityestablishment.
Anotherquoteclearlydepictshissolitarydesiretoheadbackandexplorehisfamilyroots:

Ihadalreadyplannedthejourneyback.DuringquietafternoonsIspreadmapsontothefloor
andsearchedoutpossibleroutestoCeylon.Butitwasonlyinthemidstofthisparty,amongmy
closestfriends,thatIrealisedIwouldbetravellingbacktothefamilyIhadgrownfromthose
relationsfrommyparentsgenerationwhostoodinmymemorylikeafrozenopera.Iwantedto
touchthemintowords.Aperverseandsolitarydesire(22).

InthechaptertitledWordsandImageshewishestofillintheblanksofhismemoryandtries
toreestablishtheevanescent,blurredandvagueimageofhislosthomeland.Tophotograph
theunphotographedcountry(York,102f)isthustheauthorsdeclaredaim.Andinfact,besides
afewfamilyportraits,whichobviouslystemfromapersonalfamilyalbum(29,103,163and
183),thetextincludesafewphotographswhichdepictcitiesandlandscapesofCeylonthatare
ofhistoricalnatureandwerenottakenbytheauthorhimself(19,61,131).Allinall,hisjourney
intohischildhoodisshapedbyhisphotographicperception.Thefamily,whichOndaatjewishes
tobringanewtolife,initiallyappearinhismemoryunmoving,frozen(22),andsimilartothe
fixedandstaticnatureofphotography.Iwanttotouchthemintowords(ibid).
Towritethenovel,MichaelOndaatjedwellsinchildhoodmemories,storiesandgossipshe
learntfromrelatives,friendsandcolleagues.Thenovelcanberegardedasatributetohis
fartherMervinOndaatje,whomhevirtuallyhadtoleavebehindwhenhefirstmigratedto
Englandin1952andthentoCanadain1962attheearlyageofeleven.Ondaatje'sfatherwasa
teaandrubberplantationsuperintendentandmotherwasaBurgherandadancerby
profession.AsaresultofOndaatje'sfather'salcoholismhismothergotdivorcedfromhimand

10

migratedtoEnglandwithherchildren.Thus,inthisnovel,Ondaatje'searlychildhoodmemories
ofhisfatherplayamajorrole.Moreover,thenovelcanberegardedasanattemptofrecreating
thelostchildhood,hisfatherandhisplaceoforigin.
Thehyphenatedstatusofhisidentity;SriLankanCanadianpromptshimtoinvestigatehis
lostparthisdoubleidentity.Thelossofonesnativeculturecancausegriefinamigrantslife;
theadjustmenttoanewcultureandthechangesquestionthenotionofpureidentity.
MoreoverthehybridstatusofOndaatjeposesathreattoonesidentitybyquestioningthe
relationshipbetweentheselfandplace.Thetensionofdwellingintwoormorecultures
giveshimthenecessarycreativityandaspirationseithertocriticisehishomelandortoadaptto
thenewsoil.Thusthehybridityofhisidentitycanbeviewedasanegotiationbetweendifferent
cultures.Moreoveritportraysthediverseandheterogeneousperspectivesofamigrant's
thoughts.OndaatjecreateshisowncreationofSriLankanhistory,whiledepictinghis
imaginationofanambiguousmythicalhomelandwhichreflectsthedetachmentofhim.
Ondaatjeispredominatelyinterestedinchallengingthefixityofviewingtheworldand
meaning.Authenticityortruthsmustberedefinedbyandheclearlyadvocatesthemultiplicity
ofmeaningagainstthefixityofmeaning.Theyvaluefreedomofcreatinghisownmeanings
throughtexts.Creativityisviewedbymanypostmodernwritersasanactofempoweringone's
identity.Consequently,bothphysicallyandimaginatively,Ondaatjecomesclosertohisopaque
identityinRunningintheFamily.

11

4. IronicSelfreflexivity
MyauntpullsoutthealbumandthereisthephotographIhavebeenwaitingfor
allmylife.Myfatherandmothertogether.May1932(161).

k. HoneymoonPictureandAFineRomance
If one is inclined to perceive autobiography asOndaatjes literary photographic quest for the
originsanddevelopmentsofhisownselfimage,thenconsequentlyonehastoembarkonthe
analysis by scrutinising this work with the parents portrait. Two of the seven chapters that
Running in the Family comprises, start out with photographic illustrations of his parents. On
page 29, preceding the section named A Fine Romance, two single portraits of both the
parents inserted; a classical studio picture of the youthful father as well as a snapshot of the
happy and smiling Doris Gratian in the garden, both pictures having originating from a time
before their marriage. The second photographic evidence of the two together is from after
theirwedding,placedonpage163andfunctionsasanappropriateintroductiontothechapter
Whatwethinkofmarriedlife.Withinthiswork,thisportraitfiguresasthecentralimage,the
so called image absolue: My aunt pulls out the album and there is the photograph I have
beenwaitingforallmylife.Myfatherandmothertogether.(161).Thephotodepictstheyoung
wedding couple, probably short after their martial vows were spoken, together in perfect
harmony,enjoyinganamusingthemselvesastheyabandonsocialconventionsbypullingfaces.
Emotionallymovedbyit,Ondaatjeconfesses:

Everythingisthere,ofcourse.Theirgoodlooksbehindthetorturedfaces,theirmutualhumour,
andthefactthatbothofthemarehamsofthesuperiorsort.TheevidenceIwantedthatthey
wereabsolutelyperfectforeachother(162).

But,asthenovelprogresses,isbecomesevidentthatthisperfectnessforeachotherisamere
illusion.Theirmarriageturnsouttobeeverythingelsebuthappy,theircommunaljestingand
laughtervisibleintheabovediscussedpicturejustafarcicalmask.Thetextbeginstoreveala
inherentlydifferentpictureofwhattheOndaatjesfamilylifewasabout.Notanostalgicjourney
inordertofindhisparadiselikelostchildhood(22)iswhathispursuitturnsouttobe,buta
tripbacktotheruinsofacatastrophicandtraumaticfamilyhistory,theywereinlove,happy
witheachother,theyhadkids.Butlatertherewasnothingforhertodothere(165).Thegreen

12

andlushparadisesoonresemblesaprison(ibid)asMervinprogressesintoadownright
alcoholicandmaniac(171),whoisbusierincreatingsocialscandalsthantoprovideproperly
forhisfamily.Theauthorremembersaonesuchepisode:

Oncehenearlykilledus[]HewasdrivingtheFordandhewasdrunkandtakingthecorners
withgreatswervesFinallyononecornerhealmostwentoffthecliffHehaspassedout(173).

Despitetheneglectthefatherexercises,MichaeltendstospeakofhiminpositivetermsHe
describeshimasapersonwhopossessesthedesiredsenseofsecrecyandwhoisfullof
gentleness(168).Interestingly,hismotherDorisisjuxtaposedinthematrixofvalue
judgmentsandthusperceivedastherootforallthefamilydramathatheandhissiblingshadto
endure.Hecompareshimselftoherwhenhestatesthatheisdisturbedbytheangerand
argumentthatIseeinmyselfcontradictorytothecalmnessandquietness(168),whichhis
sistershaveseeminglyinheritedfromMervin.Additionally,heblamesherforhavingabandoned
theirfather,despiteofthedramaticimpacttheirfinalfighthadonMichael:Idontknowhow
oldIwhenthishappenedorhowoldIwas.Iwaslyingonabed.Itwasnight.Theroomwas
beingthrownaroundandtheywereshouting.Likegiants(176).Whattheauthorwishesto
perceiveasaharmoniousmarriage,soonisdescribedasatotalwar(171)oralivinghell,a
nightmare(178).Therefore,theintroductorysentence,theevidenceIwanted(162)along
withallthehopethatwasattachedtosuchexpectations,arecontinuallydeconstructedand
revealedasimprobableoruntrue.

13

5. Conclusion:SuspensionbetweenTruthandMakebelieve
Ondaatje'sisobviousstraddlingbetweenfictionandautobiographycanbeconsideredashis
attempttocometotermswithapastthatisbothpersonalandculturalbuthassufferedinits
displacement.Theinsertionofpoetry,amapofSriLanka,photosofhisparents,the
descriptionsofthetropicallandscapesandhisimaginedportrayalsdepictthepluralityofa
textualmeaningbetweentheimaginedtruthandthefactualtruth,betweenthehereandthe
there,theactuallylivedandthemythicalstory.Theauthenticityofhistalecanonlybe
perceivedandtailoredfromthisdoublevoiceandhisdoublevisionofbothbeingSriLankan
andCanadian:

Thepotentialofethnicautobiographyis[]theconstructionoflinksandbondsbetween
pastandpresent,betweenculturesandnations,betweendifferencesofgender,race
andclass.Thisinbetweennesscanbeliberating,allowingthefreedomtoexperiment
withalternativeidentitiesortoopposeandoutmanoeuvremonolithicculturalcodes.Yet
itcanalsobedebilitating,forcingtherecognitionthatallidentityisillusoryorthat
mobilityistheeffectofacontinualdisplacement(Huggan,4).

BeingalongtimeresidentinCanadaandalsoasadescendantoftheSriLankanbourgeoisie,
Ondaatjehasanidentityofadoubleexilewhoisalienatedandestrangedfromthelocal
experienceinadualway.Thisviewofhismotherlandandhiscountryofmigrationisaresultof
theempoweringenergyoflivinginanambivalentspaceunabletoholdontobothcultures.
Thus,hisperceptionisuniquewhichcannotbedefinedbytheconventionalbinaries,butonthe
basisofmultiplemeanings.Andisitnotbythemeansoftheemploymentofthephototextthat
thismultiplemeaningisbestrevealed,emphasised,andsubverted?Ihopethatmy
argumentationandanalysishavebeensatisfactorilyconvincingandthattheextentand
prominentemploymentofphotographyinOndaatjesRunningintheFamilyhavebeen
revealed;Theuseofphotography,whichisalwaysbothchallengingthetruthandperceptionsof
authenticity,aswellasthecreativeillusiondependingonitsmedialnature.AsLindaHutcheon
astutelyobserves,wordscanbeasrealasphotographicimages(85),whereasphotographs
mayconcomitantlyfunctionasiconandasbarefacedliar(119).

Words:4769

14

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