The Charioteer
The themes present in Oryx and Crake can be found in numerous theories by great thinkers from the ancient and modern times. One example is Plato’s theory of the tripartite psyche, which appears in his famous books Republic and Phaedrus and his illustrious chariot allegory. It depicts humans as a chariot pulled by two winged horses: the body and the soul. The chariot is governed by the charioteer, who represents the intellect, reason, or mind. None of the three components are good or bad on their own, but in Plato’s writing, the right direction of a human individual and the human society is kept when the mind is in charge. …show more content…
However, he quickly realizes the limited art advocacy. In many ways, Martha Graham is a demonstration of how arts and humanities are looked down on by Atwood’s dystopian society. Though the university technically teaches language, visual, and performing arts, it has been forced to teach what might be described as “applied humanities”: how to use language to serve the sciences and the corporations’ best interests. Though it may make sense economically, having everyone work towards a common goal (the advancement of science), it does not take into account the losses: culture, art, and conscience. The character of Crake is an extreme example of letting the mind, and only the mind, lead. He creates the Crakers, the version of humans that is perfect in his eyes. However, he alone decides what the superior characteristics are, and what price humans should all pay for the generation of this superlative species. His logic is that killing all existing humans and replacing them with the Crakers will correct all "flaws" in humans. Even more importantly, he crafts a master plan to provide the best care for the Crakers. When the time comes for humanity's destruction, and a new dawn with his creation the Crakers, Crake kills Oryx in front of Jimmy, and says, "I'm counting on you." ( Atwood 394). Jimmy shoots Crake, killing him promptly. This quote from Crake implies that he plans for Jimmy to kill him, and in guilt, look after his life's work, the Crakers. His plan is step-by-step, logical, and fail-proof. However, it further supports how the novel represents a battleground for the fight for the lead between the brain and morals. This proof for the defeat of cold logic is the existence of the plan itself. In Crake’s mind, this elaborate and sophisticated strategy was necessary because the destruction of the human species made him an exterminator, and thus unfit to raise his ‘children.’ Crake realizes that he,
The themes present in Oryx and Crake can be found in numerous theories by great thinkers from the ancient and modern times. One example is Plato’s theory of the tripartite psyche, which appears in his famous books Republic and Phaedrus and his illustrious chariot allegory. It depicts humans as a chariot pulled by two winged horses: the body and the soul. The chariot is governed by the charioteer, who represents the intellect, reason, or mind. None of the three components are good or bad on their own, but in Plato’s writing, the right direction of a human individual and the human society is kept when the mind is in charge. …show more content…
However, he quickly realizes the limited art advocacy. In many ways, Martha Graham is a demonstration of how arts and humanities are looked down on by Atwood’s dystopian society. Though the university technically teaches language, visual, and performing arts, it has been forced to teach what might be described as “applied humanities”: how to use language to serve the sciences and the corporations’ best interests. Though it may make sense economically, having everyone work towards a common goal (the advancement of science), it does not take into account the losses: culture, art, and conscience. The character of Crake is an extreme example of letting the mind, and only the mind, lead. He creates the Crakers, the version of humans that is perfect in his eyes. However, he alone decides what the superior characteristics are, and what price humans should all pay for the generation of this superlative species. His logic is that killing all existing humans and replacing them with the Crakers will correct all "flaws" in humans. Even more importantly, he crafts a master plan to provide the best care for the Crakers. When the time comes for humanity's destruction, and a new dawn with his creation the Crakers, Crake kills Oryx in front of Jimmy, and says, "I'm counting on you." ( Atwood 394). Jimmy shoots Crake, killing him promptly. This quote from Crake implies that he plans for Jimmy to kill him, and in guilt, look after his life's work, the Crakers. His plan is step-by-step, logical, and fail-proof. However, it further supports how the novel represents a battleground for the fight for the lead between the brain and morals. This proof for the defeat of cold logic is the existence of the plan itself. In Crake’s mind, this elaborate and sophisticated strategy was necessary because the destruction of the human species made him an exterminator, and thus unfit to raise his ‘children.’ Crake realizes that he,