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Home CCSU Theses & Dissertations Surviving Women: A Study of Margaret Atwood's Protagonists

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Surviving Women: A Study of Margaret Atwood's Protagonists

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Identifier	Thesis 1738
Author	Reese, Kelly S. (Kelly Sue)
Title	Surviving Women: A Study of Margaret Atwood's Protagonists
Publisher	Central Connecticut State University
Date	2003
Resource Type	Master's Thesis
Notes	Canadian novelist and poet, Margaret Atwood, argues that survival is the main theme commonly found in Canadian literature. The purpose of this thesis is to examine this theory of 'survival' in Margaret Atwood's own work. Atwood states in her thematic guide to Canadian literature entitled Survival that 'literature is not only a mirror; it is also a map, a geography of the mind. For the members of a country or a culture, shared knowledge of their place, their here, is not a luxury but a necessity. Without that knowledge we will not survive' (Survival 19). A close study of four Atwood novels proves this theory to be true. The protagonists from Surfacing, Cat's Eye, Bodily Harm, and The Handmaid's Tale are all forced to endure varying degrees of victimization. They all embark on journeys in an attempt to rediscover lost parts of themselves, while also striving to regain their personal voice. By the end of each woman's journey, she has accepted responsibility for her own victimization. According to Atwood, acknowledging one's own culpability is the only way a victim can truly survive. All four women succeed in their endeavors and must be deemed survivors. The 'Introduction' to the thesis provides a comprehensive study of Margaret Atwood as a feminine writer. Discussions of works by feminist critics such as Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar, Hélène Cixous, and Toril Moi help to illuminate the feminist critic's interpretation of the victim/survivor dichotomy. Margaret Atwood herself has written in abundance about this topic. Two specific texts, Survival and Second Words, shed light on Atwood's own thoughts about victimization and survival. These works help readers of her fiction understand her protagonists more thoroughly. Chapters II through IV explore the varying degrees of victimization in four of Atwood's protagonists. The nameless protagonist from Surfacing, Elaine Risley from Cat's Eye, Rennie Wilford from Bodily Harm, and Offred from The Handmaid's Tale are victimized in myriad ways. They all suffer from fragmented memories of their past and have been placed in degrading positions. Each chapter focuses on the specific ways each individual protagonist was victimized. The chapters conclude with detailed accounts of the protagonist's survival. The particular way in which they survive is significant. They do not simply continue to live. They are all able to recover a lost or oppressed piece of themselves and can therefore reconnect to become whole again. These four protagonists ultimately acknowledge their own responsibility for their victimization, and that recognition helps them find their personal voice and regain a political consciousness. Through a close examination of Atwood's protagonists it is clear that these characters succeed in procuring a 'knowledge of their place.' By gaining possession of this knowledge and by acknowledging responsibility for their victimization these characters are able to become 'whole' again. They are able to survive. The 'Conclusion' ties together the similarities that can be found in the four Atwood novels in focus. It further illuminates the victim/victimizer dichotomy, while reiterating the plethora of reasons that Atwood's protagonists should be deemed survivors.
Subject	Atwood, Margaret, 1939- -- Criticism and interpretation Atwood, Margaret, 1939- -- Characters -- Women
Department	Department of English
Advisor	Lynch, Denise E.
Type	Text
Digital Format	application/pdf
Language	eng
OCLC number	713734999
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Surviving Women: A Study of Margaret Atwood's Protagonists

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