What Is Kip's Role In The English Patient

The novel The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje has a lot of important characters throughout the book. The four main characters are the English Patient, Caravaggio, Hana, and Kip, formally known as Kirpal Singh. Kip has a big role being a sapper to defuse undetonated bombs and build bridges and other things. Kip has a lot of things in common with the English Patient, a friendship with Caravaggio, including an intimate relationship with Hana. Throughout the novel, it shows Kips career as a sapper along with his relationship with Hana, he talks about his childhood and family, including parts of his personality.

Firstly, Kip is first introduced in the novel where Hana is playing the piano to calm her nerves. The author wrote, “A lightning

That was then when Caravaggio asks how Kip has even gotten through the war with him washing his hands all the time. Kip replies, “‘I grew up in India, Uncle. You wash your hands all the time. Before all meals. A habit. I was born in the Punjab.’”(76). He grew up in the Punjab and he would talk about it lying in his tent with Hana or when he was talking with Caravaggio. One article clarifies by “Hana and Kip laying in his tent, recalling his childhood” (“Critical Essay on ‘The English Patient’”). At first Caravaggio did not understand the way Kip thought of everything, didn’t understand how he could be so oblivious to everything around him. But then through time, he did understand it and why he did things and wanted to be more like him. The essay “The Psychology of Characterization in Ondaatje’s The English Patient” by Jeremy McDade, clarifies by, “Caravaggio begins to come attached to Kip’s and his motives” (McDade). He was originally from India and lived with his family there. Through him living in India he also started on habits and other things in his life. One of those habits was brushing his teeth. The author states, “He takes a mouthful of water from his canteen. He pours tooth powder onto the brush and begins a ten-minute session of lackadaisical brushing as he wanders around looking down into the valley”(86). Since he was a child, he would

He plays with the dog that is in the Villa and when he isn’t defusing bombs he is laughing and making jokes with Caravaggio and Hana. The author first shows this by, “Now the sapper just laughs up towards Caravaggio’s face and up past towards the ceiling” (208). Kip laughs at many things along with having a keen sense of awareness. His characteristics help throughout the whole book of The English Patient. One article states, “This criticism extends not only through the characterization and actions of Kip, but through the very structure of the novel itself.” (“Critical Essay on ‘The English Patient’”). Kip does play a big role in the book with his characteristics of who he is. He is very calm in many situations, but he is also different compared to day and night. The author states, “He moves sleepily whenever he is in such darkness with her, not quite quick as the world, whereas in daylight he glides through all that is random around him, the way colour glides against colour” (270). Hana seems to put Kip into a trance when they lay together and she rubs his back. He is the type of person who is outgoing during the day and becomes sensual and loving at night. Another article explains so by stating, “At the villa, Hana begins a romantic relationship with Kirpal Singh, or Kip, an Indian Sikh” (“The English Patient”). Kip is a very smart and very loving character throughout the book. Even though the war has