Love in The English Patient

Love is definitely a major theme in the book, The English Patient and many forms of it is shown throughout the story. These include both romantic and friendship love. For example, romantic love occurs between Kip and Hana and while friendship love occurs between Hana and the English patient. Since each of these people have just been through a war, they all react to love differently. I think this is significant because we, the students who are reading this book, are going to begin experiencing romantic love in the future. Thus, It is very important that we are able to distinguish between them. Furthermore by seeing how the characters in the book cope with the implications of love, we may better prepare ourselves for what is yet to come.

What I think about the characters

The book, The English Patient, does a great job at allowing the reader to connect with the characters in the book. After reading the book for a week, it has become apparent that each character in the book has been well developed with his/her unique traits. For example Hana, the nurse, has been through so much pain and suffering that she no longer wants to form attachments with other people. And Caravaggio, the spy, despite being rational on the outside, the loss of his thumbs and his feeling of vengeance have clearly altered his way of thinking and the way he views life. I enjoy book that have many characters and I like how this book continues to add new characters to keep the reader interested. I'm excited to see if any more characters will be revealed as the book continues in chapter four.

The book keeps getting better!

This week I read further into The English Patient. The story is starting to get interesting as more characters are revealed. There were many flashbacks involving the main characters like Hana and the English patient and their true feelings and experiences become exposed. The development of their characters added more depth to the story and allowed me to further connect with their thoughts. My favourite aspect about this book still remains to be its mysterious nature. I liked how the author continues to add twists to the story to keep the reader guessing. Scenes like the appearance of Caravaggio is what keeps this book a page-turner. I hope the book continues to be as interesting as it is now.

The English Patient: First impressions

Last night was when I first started reading The English Patient. The book takes place in a small war ruined village hospital somewhere in Italy. The book features many characters who each are suffering from the effects of post-war trauma in one way or another. Each of the characters depend on each other for support. I like how the book engaged my interest from the start with its mysterious opening and dark atmosphere. In addition, I like how the book continues to hook onto the reader with its descriptive nature and use of foreshadowing. So far, the book has been very engaging and I look forward to seeing how the book will continue to develop.

why did I choose this book and what I hope to learn from it

The book i chose is the English Patient Michael Ondaatje. I chose this book because  of its unique storyline. The story  follows a injured burned man in a hospital and his nurse who is looking after him. The book talks about the experiences of World War 2 and the hardships it can cause.I hope by reading this book, I can learn more about the hardships people face and how to overcome them. I hope that by furthering my understanding on topics such as these, I can dedicate myself to be able to help others who are in pain. The inquiry question I may have is how I can help others who are dealing with hardships?

Love Poem

What is Love?

Some say love is like a candle,
continuously burning till the end of its life.
Others say love is like money,
something no one can live without.

I say love is like a deck of cards.
You never know who will be dealt,
but you know that somewhere in that fray of randomness
hides what you are looking for.

Physical or Sedentary

There are two kinds of people in the world, physical and sedentary. One kind prefers physical activities and tasks while the other likes to relax at home. I would say that I am a sedentary kind of guy. Each day, I sit on my comfy grey computer chair playing video games, watching videos or chatting on social media that could go for hours on end. I tend to avoid vigorous outdoor activity that seem tiring and enjoy the comfort of my home. However, my preference for sedentary activity does not make me a lazy person or what some people call it, “a couch potato”. In fact, I am an active member of my community. I participate in many clubs and social events such as Model UN and my friends’ birthday parties. I help out my community through volunteering at places like the Vancouver Aquarium. This style of living allows me to meet new people and learn new things every day.

Another way to think of this is the use of a spectrum, with physical people on the left and sedentary people on the right. There is no true physical or sedentary person as most people will fit somewhere in between the two ends. I believe people shouldn’t try to force themselves into being on either side of the spectrum. You are where you are on the spectrum because that is the place where you feel most comfortable. I do not think people should change their lifestyle do to peer pressure. After all, what really matters in the end Is living happily.