In the Skin of a Lion

by

Michael Ondaatje

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on In the Skin of a Lion makes teaching easy.

Clara Dickens Character Analysis

The radio actress Clara Dickens is Ambrose Small’s mistress before becoming Patrick Lewis’s lover. Although she is affectionate toward Patrick, she remains more committed to Ambrose and does not think twice about leaving Patrick. Her view of romantic relationships is marked by ideals of passion and adventure. Following Ambrose’s consumerist view of society, she believes that people can be replaced and can easily move on from one relationship to the next. She believes in the importance of creativity in people’s lives and enjoys taking part in fanciful activities such as spirit drawings with her friend Alice Gull.

Clara Dickens Quotes in In the Skin of a Lion

The In the Skin of a Lion quotes below are all either spoken by Clara Dickens or refer to Clara Dickens. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Working Class vs. the Rich Theme Icon
).
Part 1: Chapter 3: The Searcher Quotes

I loved the piano. It was something to get lost in. My exit, my privacy. He had his money, gambling, he had his winning elsewhere. I had my radio work and my piano. Everyone has to scratch on walls somewhere or they go crazy. And you?

Related Characters: Clara Dickens (speaker), Patrick Lewis, Ambrose Small
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis:

There was a wall in him that no one reached. Not even Clara, though she assumed it had deformed him. A tiny stone swallowed years back that had grown with him and which he carried around because he could not shed it. His motive for hiding it had probably extinguished itself years earlier. . . . Patrick and his small unimportant stone.

Related Characters: Patrick Lewis, Clara Dickens
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:

Patrick believed in archaic words like befall and doomed. The doom of Patrick Lewis. The doom of Ambrose Small. The words suggested spells and visions, a choreography of fate. A long time ago he had been told never to follow her. If Patrick was a hero he could come down on Small like an arrow. He could lead an iguana on a silver leash to its mistress.

Related Characters: Patrick Lewis, Clara Dickens, Ambrose Small
Page Number: 83
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2: Chapter 1: Palace of Purification Quotes

Come on, Patrick, of course some make it. They do it by becoming just like the ones they want to overtake. Like Ambrose. Look at what he became before he disappeared. He was predatory. He let nothing cling to him, not even Clara.

Related Characters: Patrick Lewis, Alice Gull, Clara Dickens, Ambrose Small
Page Number: 123
Explanation and Analysis:
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Clara Dickens Quotes in In the Skin of a Lion

The In the Skin of a Lion quotes below are all either spoken by Clara Dickens or refer to Clara Dickens. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Working Class vs. the Rich Theme Icon
).
Part 1: Chapter 3: The Searcher Quotes

I loved the piano. It was something to get lost in. My exit, my privacy. He had his money, gambling, he had his winning elsewhere. I had my radio work and my piano. Everyone has to scratch on walls somewhere or they go crazy. And you?

Related Characters: Clara Dickens (speaker), Patrick Lewis, Ambrose Small
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis:

There was a wall in him that no one reached. Not even Clara, though she assumed it had deformed him. A tiny stone swallowed years back that had grown with him and which he carried around because he could not shed it. His motive for hiding it had probably extinguished itself years earlier. . . . Patrick and his small unimportant stone.

Related Characters: Patrick Lewis, Clara Dickens
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:

Patrick believed in archaic words like befall and doomed. The doom of Patrick Lewis. The doom of Ambrose Small. The words suggested spells and visions, a choreography of fate. A long time ago he had been told never to follow her. If Patrick was a hero he could come down on Small like an arrow. He could lead an iguana on a silver leash to its mistress.

Related Characters: Patrick Lewis, Clara Dickens, Ambrose Small
Page Number: 83
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2: Chapter 1: Palace of Purification Quotes

Come on, Patrick, of course some make it. They do it by becoming just like the ones they want to overtake. Like Ambrose. Look at what he became before he disappeared. He was predatory. He let nothing cling to him, not even Clara.

Related Characters: Patrick Lewis, Alice Gull, Clara Dickens, Ambrose Small
Page Number: 123
Explanation and Analysis: