Jimmy's Psychology: Trying to Make up for Lack of Attention

Literary Lens: Psychological Criticism

One of the first things I noticed in Oryx and Crake is the personal tone in which the story is narrated. It is similar to the Handmaid’s Tale in that such honest narration gives us deep insight into the characters’ psychology. Because of this, I chose to analyze Jimmy’s psychology in the first section of the novel.

The most influential force on Jimmy’s psychology in this section is his relationship with his parents. Jimmy’s first memory reveals much about how the conflict between his parents has affected him from a young age. He remembers his father talking business at a bonfire, an early sign that there was limited time for Jimmy in his father’s schedule. He then goes on to recount that this bonfire led him to cut his hair off and light it on fire. He also describes the fight that it prompts between his parents. After the fight, each parent makes a clear attempt to gain Jimmy’s favour, his father giving him ice cream and his mother taking a walk with him and attempting to explain how cells work (only to fail). This story illustrates how as a child Jimmy was used as something his parents could argue over, and not something they put care into. Although each of his parents shows Jimmy attention, the attention does not come from genuine love; instead each parent is seeking an advantage over the other. The fact that Snowman tells us that this is his first memory emphasizes that his parents’ fighting has a deep effect on him. Later on, it becomes clear that not only do Jimmy’s parents not pay any attention to him, they also see him as a disappointment. For example, at one point Snowman speaks of “the cryptic report card his mother toted around in some mental pocket, the report card on which he was always just barely passing” (Atwood 70). Such a stressed relationship with and between his parents affects Jimmy throughout his life, far past his childhood.

            The lack of attention drives Jimmy to seek praise from others whenever he can. Jimmy’s “Evil Dad” and “Righteous Mom” acts at school are clear attempts at disguising his feelings of resentment as humour. After he feels badly for having gone too far with a sex scene in one of his acts, Jimmy explains that “the other kids egged him on, and he couldn’t resist the applause” (60). Jimmy makes up for the lack of love he receives from his parents by getting praise from people at school. His want for attention is even clearer when he and Crake go to the mall for the first time.  Crake gives an impression of their chemistry teacher, and although Jimmy immediately warms up to him because of his sense of humour, he also feels threatened.  He thinks, “what if Crake turned out to be better at it? He could feel it within himself to hate Crake, as well as liking him” (75). Jimmy wants attention so badly that it has the ability to affect his emotions toward a person, and change the dynamic of their relationship. He reacts to his stressed relationship with his parents by testing himself against others and trying to prove to himself that he is worthy of something.

            Jimmy’s desire of praise is one evidently contrasts with Crake’s psychology. It suggests that they will be fundamentally very different characters, and begins their relationship as foils to each other. In the line after Jimmy talks about feeling threatened by Crake’s impersonation, and wanting to horde all the praise to himself, we learn that “in the following days, Crake delivered no public performances” (75). This added with other description like Crake’s plain looking clothes makes it clear that Crake does not share Jimmy’s internal conflict. He does not care much about what other people think of him. Even when he is with Jimmy, he plays whatever game he wants to play for months on end until he realizes Jimmy isn’t enjoying himself, and they switch games. While he clearly values Jimmy’s friendship, he in no way is out to impress him. However, from when we first meet Crake, there is the sense that although he does not put as much effort into getting attention, he is more respected by the people around him. Jimmy’s mother is an example, as she says to Jimmy that Crake is “intellectually honourable” (69) and Jimmy says that people are “flattered by his regard” (75). The difference between Crake and Jimmy is evident: Jimmy is the one who tries too hard to impress people, while Crake is the one who silently gains respect.