Running in the Family: Michael Ondaatje's Search for Roots and Identity
Michael Ondaatje's Running in the Family is not merely a memoir; it is a profound and lyrical excavation of identity, memory, and the haunting legacy of colonialism. Even so, published in 1982, this seminal work by the acclaimed Sri Lankan-Canadian author stands as a cornerstone of postcolonial literature, blending historical research, personal narrative, and poetic imagination to trace the fragmented story of his family's past in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The book is a compelling exploration of the ways in which the past continues to run through the present, shaping individual and collective identities in indelible ways No workaround needed..
Not obvious, but once you see it — you'll see it everywhere.
The Genesis of a Search: A Return to Origins
The narrative begins with Ondaatje's physical return to Sri Lanka after a long absence, a journey that is both literal and metaphorical. Worth adding: it suggests a genetic or perhaps a karmic inheritance—a set of traits, stories, and burdens that are passed down through generations like a relentless current. He is not simply visiting a country; he is attempting to step into the spaces once occupied by his ancestors, to breathe the air that shaped their lives. Still, the title itself, Running in the Family, is a brilliant metaphor. Ondaatje’s quest is to understand this inheritance, to separate the factual history from the mythological stories told within his family, and to reconcile the glamorous, often scandalous, anecdotes with the more mundane, painful realities of colonial life.
The book is structured as a series of interconnected vignettes, mirroring the non-linear nature of memory itself. Worth adding: ondaatje moves fluidly between different time periods: his own childhood memories, his parents' lives, and the stories of his grandparents and great-grandparents. Practically speaking, this structure is not a simple chronological account but a tapestry woven from different threads of recollection, official records (like letters and photographs), and the oral traditions of his family. This method allows him to present a multi-faceted view of his heritage, acknowledging that history is never a single, objective truth but a collection of subjective interpretations And it works..
Themes of Memory, Myth, and Colonial Legacy
At its core, Running in the Family is a meditation on the power and fallibility of memory. Ondaatje is acutely aware that family stories are often embellished, distorted, or deliberately forgotten. To give you an idea, the story of his great-grandfather, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, is contrasted with the more complex and less flattering reality of a man operating within the exploitative systems of colonial Ceylon. In practice, he presents conflicting accounts of the same events, forcing the reader to question what is real and what is a product of narrative desire. This tension between myth and history is central to the book's project: Ondaatje seeks not to debunk the myths entirely but to understand their function and to build a more grounded, albeit still fragmented, sense of self Simple, but easy to overlook..
The colonial context is inescapable. On top of that, ondaatje’s family was part of the Burgher community—descendants of European (primarily Dutch) settlers and local populations who held a privileged position under British rule. This heritage places his story within the broader framework of postcolonial identity. In practice, ondaatje explores the ambivalence of this legacy: the comfort and opportunities it provided, alongside the inherent complicity in a system of inequality and the eventual dislocation that came with decolonization and his family's dispersal. On top of that, the family’s wealth, social standing, and even their personal dramas were inextricably linked to the colonial enterprise. His identity is thus a hybrid one, marked by a deep attachment to a homeland he can no longer fully claim and a sense of being an outsider within the Western society he now inhabits It's one of those things that adds up..
Narrative Style: A Poetic Blend of Fact and Fiction
Ondaatje’s mastery of language is on full display in Running in the Family. His prose is poetic, evocative, and often lyrical, blurring the lines between documentary and fiction. He describes scenes with a painterly attention to detail, using sensory imagery to bring the landscape and the past to life. The descriptions of the Sri Lankan countryside, the oppressive heat, and the vibrant chaos of Colombo are not just backdrops but active forces in the narrative.
This stylistic choice is perfectly suited to the subject matter. In real terms, the act of remembering is itself a creative process. By employing a fictionalized narrative style, Ondaatje acknowledges that the past cannot be retrieved in a pure, unmediated form. Instead, it must be reconstructed through the imagination, using the available artifacts of memory, language, and history. The book’s fragmented structure and poetic language are not decorative; they are essential tools for representing the elusive and often contradictory nature of identity and heritage. Key passages, such as the vivid descriptions of his father’s car journeys or the poignant encounters with aging relatives, are masterclasses in using language to evoke emotion and a deep sense of place Turns out it matters..
Conclusion: The Enduring Search for Belonging
Running in the Family resonates deeply because it addresses a universal human experience: the search for roots and the desire to understand where we come from. For readers from diasporic or multicultural backgrounds, the book offers a powerful validation of their own complex identities. It shows that belonging is not always about a fixed geographical location but can be found in the act of storytelling and the acceptance of a multifaceted heritage No workaround needed..
Ondaatje does not arrive at a neat, conclusive answer. The search itself is the point. So the book ends not with a resolution but with an acknowledgment of the ongoing process of identity formation. In practice, the family traits, the stories, the silences—they all "run" within him, and he has learned to live with their currents. Running in the Family remains a vital and influential work because it captures the bittersweet essence of the postcolonial experience: the loss of a simple, unproblematic connection to a homeland, and the creative, lifelong task of building a new sense of self from the fragments of the past. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of history, memory, and the powerful, often mysterious, ties that bind families together across time and space It's one of those things that adds up..
