Throughout the telling of the English Patient's story, a certain theme has been evident in the actions and reactions of the characters. This theme pertains to carving one's own identity and the unavoidable identity when born unto a nation. This theme can be personified in the actions of Kip, Hana and Almasy. At times, even accepting a nationality is difficult for these characters.

Kip is born a Sikh in a colonized India. He is first loyal to the colonial Britain's, and is willing to fight "their" war. His devotion to disarming bombs and risking his life for the cause is proof enough that he believed in what he was doing. His brother warned him that colonial Britain and the Western ideology were dangerous to his homeland and the rest of Asia. When the Allies dropped a weapon of mass destruction on Asian soil, his brother's suspicions were confirmed...