Margaret Atwood's Maddaddam series can best be described as a commentary on every aspect of society. One of the most prevalent themes in Atwood's series is religion, which is evident in the names he assigns to various aspects of his society (God's Gardeners), and in the numerous biblical references and symbols such as the serpents used in Scales and Tails, tantalizing their morally corrupt clients. There are many overtly religious aspects integrated into each of the individual novels, but when reflecting on the series as a whole, the obvious biblical plot becomes clear. Atwood uses symbolism, character development, and tone to develop the MaddAddam series as a biblical allegory. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Starting with Oryx and Crake, plot and symbolism serve to set up subsequent events. The novel begins with the idea that everyone in futuristic society tries to play the role of God, through genetic experimentation and excessive scientific "progress". Already we are beginning to see how this society imitates that of the Old Testament, in that people have begun to believe themselves invincible; act selfishly and without morality. Then the flood is introduced. The idea of the flood comes from the flood in which God allowed Noah to survive along with the animals destined to repopulate the earth. In the Atwood flood, Jimmy is designated to survive by Crake and must take care of the Crakers, who must repopulate the world. In the novels, Crake obviously fills the role of God, taking on the issues of life and death of the human race. in his own hands. He creates a new race of humanoid Crakers and seems almost omniscient when he allows Jimmy to kill him and raise this new race of creatures. He is also worshiped as a God in the post-Flood world. “YES. Good, kind, Crake. Please stop singing or I can't go on with the story,” the Crakers are allowed to think lovingly of their creator while Jimmy knows Crake's true nature; he allows them to see their creator as a merciful and kind god, rather than a vengeful god (Oryx and Crake 64). In this way he acts much like Jesus in the New Testament. It also becomes clear through Jimmy's backstory that he is a flawed individual, who does not he acts as everyone else expects him to behave. Atwood paints him as a portrait of Jesus Christ, who comes to save humanity, not as a god, but as a flawed hero. After the flood, Jimmy serves as a spiritual guide and teacher to the Crakers, teaching them their history and encouraging them to ritualize and worship Crake and Oryx. The culmination of Jimmy's symbolism as Jesus Christ appears in MaddAddam, when he sacrifices his own life for the betterment of society by saving Toby, who continues to teach the Crakers to write. Atwood also develops the biblical feel of the series through his use of tone. The atmosphere and mentality of God's Gardeners creates an extremely religious tone for the entire Flood Year. “The task of saving the chosen species was given to Noah,” Atwood alludes to in the Bible, “keeping God's beloved species safe until the waters of the Flood receded” (The Year of the Flood 90). Lines like these help reinforce not only the biblical references in Atwood's novels, but also the story of Jimmy acting as Jesus Christ. Atwood also perpetuates the tone in Oryx and Crake, before integrating the teachings of God's Gardeners, with concepts such as Jimmy's idolatry of a woman who is not morally upright. His adoration of Oryx, despite his morally distorted background, sets a tone related to the mentality that Christians are urged to uphold. Keep in mind: this.
tags