Rative elements in Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion

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4) The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘sacrifice’ as, “the destruction or surrender of something valued or desired for the sake of something having, or regarded as having, a higher or a more pressing claim; the loss entailed by devotion to some other interest” (OED). The theme of sacrifice for a greater good plays a central role in Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion: for example, Patrick Lewis sacrifices his body for his father; and, Nicholas Temelcoff sacrifices his body for the construction of the bridge, and his body for the life of the nun, etc. Explore the theme of sacrifice in the novel: What is regarded as the “higher or more pressing claim” for which individuals in the novel sacrifice their bodies? Refer in detail to at least two characters in your discussion.