A Levinian Interpretation Michael Ondaatje’s “Anil’s Ghost”

• Main Authors: Angela, 蔡筱葳
• Other Authors: Jerome F. Keating
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/41496530506374403524

碩士 === 華梵大學 === 外國語文學系碩士班 === 98 === This thesis treats Ondaatje’s novel Anil’s Ghost. The author successfully transplants people of Sri Lanka need to defend to their country. I try to introduce the theories of Levinas and offer the idea of self and the Other’s relationship to explore ethic. The major approach of my thesis will be Levinas’s views on the Other, because significantly the Levinasian Other functions in her recollection. Based on theories of Levinas, it examines the influence of different social values that presents the government ignores human’s identity. For Levinas, the responsibility for the Other is prior to my being. The idea of oughtness happened before reason comes to my mind, thus to find the origin is impossible. Then, how human have been treated in societies reveals the capable of both Sarath and Anil. Although Sarath sacrifices his life in the end of the novel which let readers to do some introspection. Further, I aim to do a Levinasian reading of Anil's Ghost and make a further indication on Levinas's self and Other theory. There was a chaotic period which they had been suffered. Then, I talk from Anil, she has been marriage before, she received this section of marital deeply influence. Finally, she lost her marriage that influences her life and identity. Meanwhile, I will mention Anil had a deep emotion about her parents and around her living environment. But she did not want to face the memory and try to forgot the deeply trauma. Until she meets Sarath then changed her attitude. As a result, after comparing the self-awareness and personal changes of two person, Sarath’s growth is contrasted with that of Anil’s. While we might presume that a person sacrifice his life is the noble spirit to be more get the respect than anyone.