Like a tree stretching its roots into the ground, cultural history is something deeply rooted in the minds of the people. As the importance of Herodotus unfolds in “The English Patient,” Michael Ondaatje further discusses the idea that personal history is shaped by cultural history. Ondaatje refers to Tacitus, a great Roman historian, in the third chapter, “Something with Fire,” to reinforce the idea that periods of terror can influence the formation of an individual's personal history. By focusing on the behavior and habits of Kip and Caravaggio, he can identify how warfare in cultural history affects personal history. With the help of Tacitus' insight and use of description, Ondaatje effectively demonstrates how the character's personal history, actions or inability to act, and habits are shaped by war. War, the struggle between two or more nations, will continue to impact the lives of individuals around the world. Ondaatje uses the following introduction to Tacitus's Annals to develop the idea of ​​war in cultural history: "I began my work at the time when Servius Galba was consul.... The Histories of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero, while they were a power, they were falsified by terror and after their death were written under a new hatred” (93). Tacitus's interpretation of rulers as inflicting fear on people, who were posthumously hated, helps suggest the idea that terror in history can cause individuals to act or not act. Through his view of emperors as terrorizers, Ondaatje is able to demonstrate fear as something that helps shape an individual's personal history. Additionally, fear fuels war, conflict between nations and even a...... middle of paper ......my life. The effects of the war forever changed Caravaggio's personal history, as he was unable to escape the habits ingrained in his mind throughout the war. Fear, anxiety, survival skills, and habits are four effects that Ondaatje used in "The English Patient" to describe how the cultural history of war impacted Kip's personal history and Caravaggio as well as their lifestyle. Ondaatje wanted to show how past wars made characters feel like they constantly had to look over their shoulder to confirm their safety. He used description to paint a picture in the reader's mind to convey the kind of life these characters led. The shadow of war will continue to haunt the characters and their consciences almost like a dark cloud hovering over the tree and its roots. Works Cited "The English Patient" by Michael Ondaatje