MovieChat Forums > The English Patient (1996) Discussion > Could someone explain the purpose of the...

Could someone explain the purpose of the Hana character to the story?


What was her purpose to the story? I read the Wiki review of the plot and she is only mentioned in passing. Plus why the relationship with the Siki (sp?). I don't understand its purpose to the central romance between Fiennes and Thomas.

Thanks.

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I think her character exist to create a contrast to almasi's relationship towards her( Hanna) and Katherine)

With Hanna it was a relationship more Bassed on talking and an emotional bond they created meanwhile his relationship with Kaherine was all fire and passion.

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Hanna serves as something of a center around which Caravaggio, the patient and his memories, and Kip revolve, all of whom come from different countries of the British Empire, except, of course, the patient, who is only believed to have come from there

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I think the role of Hana is a very clever literary device.

I remember seeing an interview with John Cleese once discussing Fawlty Towers. He said he learned early that somebody behaving stupidly is funny on it's own, but it's hilarious when somebody else is watching the person behaving stupidly.

The same principle applies to romance.

Hana is a witness to Almasy's romance with K. The story affects the viewer because he see it's impact on Hana.

By the way, I'm not an `English Patient' hater. I always loved it!

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[deleted]

Hana is timid and has suffered great loss, and has closed herself off to letting people in. The love story the English patient tells her inspires her to try her luck at love again with a local Sikh guy she's been flirting with. Even though the patient had such a tragic love, he doesn't regret it, bc the act of loving his woman was the highlight of his life, even if it ended sadly. The nurse can't heal the patient, but he ends up healing her instead.

The end.

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I love your take on Hana! I agree with you completely.

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I agree, hana.

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The writer of The English Patient is an Indian and he was working out his fantasies for white Christian women. The book was even worse with Kip tasting her menstruation fluid. I have written some gross stuff, but that beats it all!

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To satisfy the author's fantasy of an Indian with a white woman. The author was an Indian.

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Why come back 2 months later for this same drivel that no one replied to?
pumpyjones had it right...but I want to thank you (sarcasm) for being one of the reasons we now have this extreme progressive attitude everywhere. It's people like you that helped create it.

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Oh, excuse me. Your must be a menstruation fluid taster like the author. Orientals, especially Indians, are the most racist people in the world starting with the caste system. My son dated an Indian girl in college. The girl kept it a secret from her parents since they would not have approved. Yet Indian men come here want the right to pursue white women. They are a bunch of hypocrites.

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Oh yeah, every month I fall in love with myself all over again.
But I always love the hotness that is Naveen Andrews.

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