there was a terrible horizon in him beyond which he couldn't leap. Something hollow, so when alone, when not aligned with another- whether it was Ambrose or Clara or Alice- he could hear the rattle within that suggested a space between him and community. A gap of love," (Ondaatje 157) Even though he is born in Canada, he cannot fully adapt to the life in the bog city and lives as an outsider. This is the link that Ondaatje makes between him and the immigrants that he encounters during his work experiences. The stories of Nicolas Temelcoff, the bridge builder, Carravaggio, the thief and many other characters whose stories are revealed are different than those of the Canadian born Patrick, Alice or Clara. Nevertheless they not only share the contact with the different cultures of the immigrants, they relate to them in the way they live – as outsiders to the society. All of their stories interweave and by including them in the life story of Patrick, Ondaatje brings the immigrant experience closer to the Canadian readers. The intentions are to include the excluded, to articulate the unarticulated, to cast light upon the shadowy margins where the immigrant is often situated. In so doing, "the author creates literary collages that provide voices to those caught in transit, attempting to negotiate the in-between" ( Vauthier 69). Th immigrants are separated from the rest of the Canadian not only by the language difference, but also by the cultural difference that exists. Patrick on the other hand is alienated because of the drama in his life and his loneliness. Alice has been a nun for most of her life and the changes she makes are like the beginning of a new life in a world she did not new before. Both of the characters feel comfort in the world of the immigrants because all of experience the same alienation from the rest of the world. When Patrick visits the Macedonians "he wa
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