RUNNING IN THE FAMILY BY MICHAEL ONDAATJE HARBOUR

RUNNING IN THE FAMILY BY: MICHAEL ONDAATJE HARBOUR - PHOTOGRAPH pp. 133 -162 Presented by: Walt Lungan, Felix Mojica, Andrew Nguyen

New Characters • Sammy Bandaranaike – feud with Mervyn in the Kitulgala Resthouse (p. 151) • John Kotelawala – Mervyn’s travel companion on the Ceylon railways; eventually became prime minister

Harbour (pp. 133 -134) • Ondaatje’s love for the Ceylonese Harbour • One specific memory of saying goodbye to a loved one

Monsoon Notebook 2 (pp. 135 -136) • Memories of wildlife in Ceylon • Recorded animal noises from his old house in Ceylon • “Now, and here, Canadian February, I write this in the kitchen and play that section of cassette to hear not just peacocks but all of the noises behind them – inaudible then because they were always there like breath” (p. 136)

How I Was Bathed (pp. 137 – 139) • Story about how Michael was bathed at school when he was 5 at a girl’s school • Gillian Ondaatje tells the story • “The nurse or ayah in charge of our cleanliness was a small, muscular and vicious woman named Maratina” (p. 138)

Wilpattu (pp. 140 – 143) • Michael’s stories of him and his family’s experience living in the jungle • Michael and his family bathe in the rain, while being watched by a wild pig • Michael finds out that the wild pig has stolen his bar of soap • “This thing has walked off with my bar of Pears Transparent Soap? Why not my Rumi poetry? Or Merwin translations? ” (p. 143)

Kuttapitiya (pp. 144 -146) • Kutyapitiya was Michael’s last childhood home and it was famous for its gardens • Lalla would take flowers from the garden • Mervyn would begin planting prickly flowers such as cacti and roses in the garden

Travels in Ceylon (pp. 147 -155) • Mervyn was a frequent rider of the Ceylon Railways • Mervyn was drunk and jumped off the train into a tunnel and Doris had to save him • Mervyn and Sammy had a feud in the Kitulgala Resthouse • Mervyn was destroying the inside of the train and had to be rescued by his sister, Stephy

Exercise • Hangman!

Sir John (pp. 156 -160) • Michael and Gilian visit John Kotewala for information about Mervyn • Political opponents published a sex-scandal photograph including Sir John

Photograph (pp. 161 -162) • Aunt Phyllis pulls out photograph of Mervyn and Doris together in May of 1932 • It was the only picture they had together • Doris and Mervyn making funny faces

Discussion Questions • How is Doris being portrayed in the book by Michael? • How is Mervyn so far portrayed in the story?