Identity and Xenophobia in In the Skin of a Lion Anonymous 12th Grade

Immigrants often face social alienation and exclusion from the society they are trying to enter, causing them to feel powerless. In Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion, it is shown that the hardships of entering a new cultural space cause an individual to seek an identity or a new ‘skin’ that empowers them. This conflict is shown by Alice Gull with the symbolism of a puppet as her reasoning for becoming an activist for revolution. Secondly, Nicholas Temelcoff’s fabricated persona as a ‘daredevil’ is used to hide his insecurities of language barriers. Lastly, Caravaggio, an Italian immigrant, lacks a sense of belonging due to the racism he faces, symbolized with the use of demarcation. Although some may argue the “Epic of Gilgamesh” is used to connect to the literal ‘quest’ Patrick pursues, this essay will show that Ondaatje’s use of the “skin of a lion” relates to the symbolic mask's immigrants create to redefine themselves, thus suggesting that the trauma of immigration and xenophobic stereotypes cause migrants to seek confidence with a newfound identity.

To begin, Alice Gull is an immigrant who develops her “skin of a lion” with her activism, as symbolized with the puppet show. Patrick Lewis, the main protagonist, is...