Running In the Family Passage Analysis
[ Home ]This passage is in the middle of the chapter: the Karapothas.
The purpose of this passage is to contrast the post-colonial stance with the descriptions of the island's "intricate arts and customs". This chapter is one of the few sections where Ondaatje moves from peronal reminiscence and the exploration of his family roots to thoughts regarding post-colonialism.
In the chapter, Ondaatje explained that his niece calls the foreigners Karapothas, which is a kind of beetles with white spots. The natives' impressions of the foreigners is that they stepped onto the island, admired the landscape, dislike the natives and left. Ondaatje shows evidence of this by placing some quotes from Edward Lear, D.H. Lawrence at the beginning of the chapter. Lear and Lawrence are all English writers and since they are foreign of Ceylon, they can't really appreciate the beauty of the island.
Ceylon was always invaded by those who did not belong; whether it was Britain invading their land as an imperial power or foreigners coming to visit and leaving after deciding it was not up to their standards. The land should not be taken for granted, the Ceylon people understand that, but foreigners do not.