Anil's Ghost is the fourth book written by Michael Ondaatje. It was first published in 2000 by McClelland and Stewart.

The story follows Anil Tissera, a person born in Sri Lanka who went to study in Britain and the United States on a scholarship. During this time, she became a forensic pathologist, an expert who studies the causes of death. She returns to Sri Lanka during a violent civil war as part of a United Nations investigation into human rights issues. While working with an archaeologist named Sarath Diyasena, Anil finds the skeleton of a recently killed man in an ancient burial ground that is protected by the government. Believing the murder was connected to political conflicts, Anil and Sarath work to identify the skeleton, which they call Sailor, and seek justice for the unknown victims of the war.

Plot

The story begins in early March when Anil returns to Sri Lanka after being away for 15 years. Her visit happens because more people are dying in Sri Lanka due to the civil war that happened in the 1980s. During an expedition with an archaeologist named Sarath, Anil notices that the bones of one skeleton are different from the others, which are from the 6th century. She thinks this skeleton might belong to someone who died recently. She is unsure about Sarath's political beliefs but agrees to work with him anyway.

As they try to learn more about the skeleton, nicknamed Sailor, Anil becomes more suspicious of Sarath. She starts to question his reasons for helping and believes his comments suggest she should hide the truth, as the discovery might show the Sri Lankan government was involved in Sailor’s death. Later, Anil and Sarath visit Sarath’s former teacher, Palipana, who suggests creating a face reconstruction to help identify Sailor. They agree and travel to a village called Galapitigama.

There, Anil meets Sarath’s brother, Gamini, who is an emergency doctor. She learns he is deeply involved in the country’s problems and works to save lives affected by the war. Gamini helps treat a man whose hands are nailed to a road and shares stories about the suffering caused by the conflict. Anil and Sarath then meet Ananda, as advised by Palipana, to reconstruct Sailor’s face. After several days, Ananda completes the reconstruction, even though Anil is impatient and doubtful. Soon after, Ananda tries to commit suicide but is saved by Anil. Eventually, Anil and Sarath identify Sailor in a small village.

Anil prepares a report to show the authorities that Sailor died recently, which could prove the government was responsible for his death. However, the skeleton disappears before she can present her findings. Frustrated, she continues her presentation using another skeleton but is upset when Sarath returns after a long absence and mocks her work, saying she cannot prove her claims. Angrily and feeling betrayed, Anil is stopped and searched repeatedly, and her belongings and research are taken. When she leaves, Sarath gives her the skeleton in a van and tells her to create a false report for the government and leave the country the next day on a plane he arranged. Relieved, Anil follows his instructions, hoping the evidence will be enough. Sarath’s actions, however, lead to serious consequences, and he dies. The story ends with Ananda sculpting the eyes of a Buddha statue.

Main characters

Anil Tissera is a young woman from Sri Lanka who has lived far away from her home for many years. She is a forensic pathologist, which means she studies bodies to learn about causes of death. She returns to Sri Lanka with an international human rights group to study murders that happened during the country’s civil war. Anil works with a local official named Sarath. Together, they try to find out who the skeleton of a murder victim, named Sailor, belongs to. The story often talks about Anil’s life in America and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, she was an outstanding swimmer but left to study in the United States. While in America, she had a relationship with a married man named Cullis. The story often refers to this relationship as Anil deals with the problems in Sri Lanka.

Sarath Diyasena is a local official who helps Anil investigate the murders in Sri Lanka. He seems distant and troubled because of his past. The story later explains that his wife died by suicide. His political connections are unclear for much of the story, and it is not certain whether he supports or opposes Anil’s work. During their investigation, Sarath seeks advice from a former teacher named Palipana. By the end of the story, Sarath is seen as a martyr. He risks his own safety to protect Anil’s investigation, showing his commitment to justice.

Palipana is an epigraphist, which means he studies ancient writings, and was once Sarath’s teacher. He lives like a hermit in ruins near Anuradhapura, an old capital of Sri Lanka, with his niece. Though he is now blind, he was once Sarath’s most difficult teacher. Anil and Sarath ask him for help with their investigation, and he tells them to find a sculptor or painter to recreate Sailor’s face.

Ananda was once a sculptor and painter who participated in a traditional ceremony where he painted eyes on statues to give them life. However, he now drinks heavily because his wife, Sirissa, disappeared during the war. Anil and Sarath hire him to recreate Sailor’s face. Though he argues with Anil, he still helps her give the unknown victim a face and identity. When Ananda finishes the face, he makes it look peaceful because that is the peace he wishes for his missing wife. Soon after, he tries to hurt himself by cutting his throat but is saved by Anil and Sarath.

Gamini, also known as “The Mouse,” is Sarath’s younger brother. He is a skilled doctor who has always lived in Sarath’s shadow. He helps Anil and Sarath care for a man named Gunesena, who was found badly injured on a road. Gamini had loved Sarath’s wife and was with her when she died by suicide. After losing his wife, he spends most of his time in the hospital’s emergency department, even sleeping there. He is also addicted to a fast-acting drug called speed.

Structure and strategies

The novel Anil's Ghost is divided into eight sections: "Sarath," "Grove of Ascetics," "A Brother," "Ananda," "The Mouse," "Between Heartbeats," "The Life Wheel," and "Distance." Each section focuses on a specific character or topic, as shown by the section's title. Most sections begin with an italicized personal story about a character, which may or may not be directly related to the section. These stories introduce characters or events that are later discussed in the novel. Past events are often not mentioned in the main story but are described in these anecdotes. The stories are told by a third-person narrator, often from the perspective of a character. This creates a feeling of urgency in the anecdotes, which contrasts with the rest of the novel. The urgency in these stories reflects the experiences of people affected by war who remain unheard. Each person has their own untold story related to the war.

A key symbol in the novel is the skeleton of a man named Sailor, which Anil and Sarath try to identify. Sailor's remains are the only evidence Anil has that could prove the government committed a murder. Sailor represents all the unnamed victims of the civil war. His body was burned so badly that his identity is lost, and his remains are the only clue Anil and Sarath have to seek justice for the victims. Their effort to identify Sailor symbolizes their fight to give a voice to those harmed by war.

Another symbol is Ananda's reconstructed head of Sailor. Ananda sculpts the head to look peaceful, representing the peace he hopes for his wife and his country. The contrast between the calm expression on the head and the fact that the body is broken symbolizes the chaos and death in Sri Lanka. Ananda's desire for peace is shown through the sculpture, but the peace he creates feels artificial. The reconstructed head also represents the act of giving names to victims: "There was a serenity in the face she did not see too often these days. There was no tension. A face comfortable with itself."

Finally, with Ananda's help, Anil and Sarath give the victim a voice: "[T]his head was not just how someone possibly looked, it was a specific person. It revealed a distinct personality, as real as the head of Sarath."

Setting and historical context

Ondaatje wrote Anil's Ghost in Sri Lanka, his home country. During the difficult time in Sri Lanka from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, the characters in the novel experience the challenges of living in a country at war. At that time, Sri Lanka was split into three groups fighting each other: two ethnic groups and the government. The story shows how war affects individuals, families, and communities. Many families were separated because of kidnappings or the stress of living in a war-torn country.

Major awards

The book Anil's Ghost won the Governor General's Award for books written in English in 2000. It also received the Giller Prize.