In a postapocalyptic society, where nearly all humans have been extinct and genetically modified species that are more remarkable than humans account for majority of the population, it is difficult to find an identity and a purpose. In Margaret Atwood’s dystopian MaddAddam trilogy, life before and after a pandemic that wipes out most of the human population is presented. This futuristic, postmodern, posthuman world carries only a small group of human survivors, who must come together to overcome a plethora of tough obstacles. Through the novels of Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood, the female characters in these novels create their own identities and aspirations in a world that attempts to leave them powerless. The past plays a crucial
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A Gardener in her childhood, Ren was taken out out of the cult by her mother. She experiences rejection from her entire family, extending from both her birth father, surrogate father, and mother. The death of her birth father lead her mother to abandon her, leaving her in solitary. In her adulthood, she “works as a ‘dancer’ at the upscale sex club Scales and Tails, where she dons skin-tight outfits covered in feathers or scales, effectively signing off on her own animalization” (Ciobanu 154). Despite working as a strip dancer, she understands her value and status, as she says, “I wasn’t only a disposable. I was talent” (The Year of the Flood 282). She further acknowledges that she is different from the other girls at the strip club, as they have no humanhood and merely provide sexual contentment to men who seek after them; the Painballers describe these girls as “a sex toy you can eat” (417). However, Ren is proud of herself, her body, and her ability to attract men–something that helps her find her identity. After the decline of society, Ren and Amanda, a friend from her childhood, journey through the remains of the civilization in hopes of finding other people who survived the devastation. Regardless of the opinions of other people, Ren is positively rooted in her own pride, leading her to accept her role in this
A Gardener in her childhood, Ren was taken out out of the cult by her mother. She experiences rejection from her entire family, extending from both her birth father, surrogate father, and mother. The death of her birth father lead her mother to abandon her, leaving her in solitary. In her adulthood, she “works as a ‘dancer’ at the upscale sex club Scales and Tails, where she dons skin-tight outfits covered in feathers or scales, effectively signing off on her own animalization” (Ciobanu 154). Despite working as a strip dancer, she understands her value and status, as she says, “I wasn’t only a disposable. I was talent” (The Year of the Flood 282). She further acknowledges that she is different from the other girls at the strip club, as they have no humanhood and merely provide sexual contentment to men who seek after them; the Painballers describe these girls as “a sex toy you can eat” (417). However, Ren is proud of herself, her body, and her ability to attract men–something that helps her find her identity. After the decline of society, Ren and Amanda, a friend from her childhood, journey through the remains of the civilization in hopes of finding other people who survived the devastation. Regardless of the opinions of other people, Ren is positively rooted in her own pride, leading her to accept her role in this