The novel takes current trends in science and explores what may happen in the future. Some characters are wary of the scientists and their work. “Why is it he feels like some line has been crossed, some boundary transgressed? How much is too much, how far is too far?” (206). Atwood lets the reader decide for themselves what they think “too far” is. The meaning of the book is for the readers to make decisions on the direction they want the world of science to take, and the meaning comes from the social issue of “synthetic” biology versus “natural” biology.
Overall, Oryx and Crake addresses the issue of the dangers of scientific advancement. In the dystopian world, the reader sees what could happen if society chooses science over humanity. Through the use of theme and characters, Atwood shows the reader the struggle between man-made evolution and natural evolution. This struggle gives the entire novel its meaning. Oryx and Crake gives the reader the information they need to decide when enough is enough, and offers the responsibility to hold the world accountable in the event that science crosses “the