Abstract This paper examines how the dream-like settings in Michael Ondaatje's novels, ("In the Skin of a Lion" and "The English Patient"), represent the structure, organization and style of the novel. It looks at the message Ondaatje is trying to get across by using this style of writing. The paper also discusses the novels in the context of post-modern literature.
From the Paper "This selection has no order in its construction. It continuously repeats the verb "leapt", which has no hidden meaning. With the images of color, and then pulling and stomping, it is difficult to discern what Ondaatje wants the reader to think about dyer's work. This is also seen in The English Patient, when it says ?The day seems to have no order until these times, which are like a ledger for her, her body full of stories and situations.? Here, Hana has no order in her life until she is asleep. This image in itself is disorderly, because dreams themselves are so unorganized. It does not seem possible for her to find order through them. Yet that is precisely what dreams do; they present chaos and random images in a way that almost makes sense; and that is what Ondaatje does. He puts images together for the reader to somehow make sense of it for themselves."
