Academic Response to Oryx and Crake

Having finished Oryx and Crake and had time to mull over the themes of the novel, I can say that I am impressed with Atwood’s ability to delve in to a topic. In The Handmaid’s Tale she showed her views on the dangers of religion and its interaction with human nature. In Oryx and Crake she chooses the completely opposite end of the spectrum, instead meditating on science’s ethical implications especially when combined with capitalism. Yes, Atwood’s style did feel repetitive at times, but I think this was at least partially a consequence of having read two of her books one after the other. Having said that, I thought it would be interesting to see what experts have said about the Oryx and Crake to deepen my understanding of the topics it addresses.

I looked at an essay by Stephen Dunning titled Maragret Atwood’s “Oryx and Crake”:The Terror of the Theraputic, which discussed multiple aspects of the novel. I decided to focus on his analysis of the novel’s addressing of the disadvantages of a society that values science above all else. Dunning begins by arguing that much of modern society is based on a “rejection of the Judeo-Christian narrative” (Dunning 81), and that this poses a problem because it has left people without a concrete guide to ethics. He points out that this encourages people to go after their immediate desires, as there is no higher order encouraging us to pursue more long term or abstract goals, such as those relating to morality. Such abandonment of religion and focus on science is also tied with capitalism, he argues, as “quantitative discourse equates ‘more’ with ‘better’” (87). This ideological crisis is blatant in Oryx and Crake, as throughout the novel all of the characters have at least some moments when they seem detached from humanity.

Overall, I agree with Dunning’s view. The lack of concern for human wellbeing is ludicrous at times in Oryx and Crake. I do think however that he missed some of the specifics of the issues with the world of Oryx and Crake. Granted, such a focus on science gives people less reason to believe in systems of ethics and morality, but such drastic abandonment of morality is greatly encouraged by capitalism, something Dunning didn’t mention. Jimmy’s time working for Anoo Yoo shows how deeply capitalism is entrenched in society. Jimmy has studied language, something seemingly academic, and that one would expect to be uncorrupted by capitalism. However, the only place Jimmy can find a job is in advertising, where he is paid to manipulate people by playing to their fears. Even the most human things have changed and adapted to fit the capitalist system. Furthermore, government seems to hold no power, with the “CorpSeCorps” men apparently being the accepted currency for authority. These of course are not agents of science but of major corporations. As such, it is not science that controls this society, but capitalism. It is capitalism that has led people to unethical scientific practises and combined, they encourage people to forget the human element on the other of what they are doing, whether it be watching child porn or manipulating people’s fears to make money.

It may seem that I am splitting hairs, but the distinction is important to make, because in the essay, Dunning subtly implied that the disappearance of religion and shift toward science was to blame for a less ethical society (whether it be ours or that in Oryx and Crake). Alternatively, I believe that the issue (or potential issues) lie with capitalism. I don’t think Atwood is saying “look at how immoral our society could become if we don’t focus on traditional values”, rather I think she is warning of the ramifications such a scientifically advanced society as ours could experience if profit off science is not regulated.