Oryx and Crake, a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, was first published in 2003. It is the first book of the MaddAddam Trilogy, presenting a post-apocalyptic world while reflecting on the perilous implications of unchecked scientific advancement and human hubris. The narrative weaves together past and present, culminating in a future that raises compelling questions about the ethical boundaries of genetic engineering and bioengineering.
BOOK INFO
version: CLASSIC, EBOOK, AUDIOBOOK
number of pages: 368
literary movement: POSTMODERNISM
literary genre: SCIENCE FICTION, DYSTOPIAN FICTION
1st edition: 2003
SUMMARY
The story is narrated by the protagonist, Snowman, formerly known as Jimmy, who believes he is the last human on Earth after a catastrophic plague. He is surrounded by a new breed of genetically engineered humanoids, the Crakers, whom he is in charge of guiding and teaching. The Crakers, creations of Jimmy’s old friend, Crake, are designed to be immune to diseases, ageing, sexual jealousy, and harmful environmental conditions, reflecting an extreme vision of utopia.
The narrative continually alternates between Snowman’s present survival in the dystopian wasteland and his recollections of the past, providing a vivid backstory leading up to the disaster. In these flashbacks, Jimmy and Crake grow up in privileged compounds separated from the chaotic and crime-ridden pleeblands, where the ordinary population resides.
Jimmy, who’s an expert in words and arts, forms a contrast to Crake, a scientific genius. Their paths diverge and converge throughout their lives, underlining their intertwined destinies. Crake ascends the ranks of the bioengineering industry and eventually works on his most ambitious project: creating the Crakers.
Simultaneously, Atwood introduces the character Oryx, whom both Jimmy and Crake love. Oryx, sold into child slavery and later turned into a sex worker, symbolizes the exploitation and destruction of the natural world. As a teacher for the Crakers and a lover to both men, she becomes a pivotal character in the narrative.
Crake’s ultimate plan is revealed as he engineers the downfall of humanity by releasing a deadly bioengineered virus, called JUVE or BlyssPluss Pill, under the guise of a sexual enhancement pill, leaving Jimmy to survive and take care of the Crakers.
BOOK IS THE FIRST PART OF A TRILOGY:
THE MADDADDAM TRILOGY
MAIN CHARACTERS
Snowman
Snowman, whose original name is Jimmy, is the main protagonist; the story is told from his perspective. He is a former human who is now living in a post-apocalyptic world with a group of genetically engineered beings known as Crakers. Snowman is trying to survive in this new world and to understand what happened to the old world.
Crake
Crake, whose original name is Glenn, is Snowman’s childhood friend and the creator of the Crakers. Crake is a brilliant scientist who is also a sociopath. He believes that humans are destroying the planet and that the Crakers are the next step in human evolution.
Oryx
Oryx is a mysterious woman who is both Snowman’s lover and Crake’s victim. Oryx is a former prostitute who was raised in a brothel. She is also a clone of Snowman’s mother.
Jimmy’s mother
Jimmy’s mother is a brilliant scientist who is also a drug addict. She is responsible for creating the Crakers and for raising Oryx.
Ramona
Ramona is a scientist who works with Crake. Ramona is a kind and compassionate woman who is also a brilliant scientist. She is one of the few people who knows about Crake’s plans for the Crakers.
Painballers
A group of elite athletes who are addicted to a drug called Painball. The Painballers are used by Crake as a source of genetic material for the Crakers.
Nature is to zoos as God is to churches.
MARGARET ATWOOD
TOP 10 POINTS
- The book is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a bioengineered plague has wiped out most of humanity. The plague was created by Crake, who believed that humans were destroying the planet and that the Crakers were the next step in human evolution.
- The main characters are Snowman, Crake, Oryx, Jimmy’s mother, and Ramona. Snowman, whose original name is Jimmy, is the main protagonist; the story is told from his perspective.
- Snowman is a former human who is now living in the ruins of the old world with a group of genetically engineered beings known as Crakers. Snowman is trying to survive in this new world and to understand what happened to the old world.
- Crake is Snowman’s childhood friend and the creator of the Crakers. Crake is a brilliant scientist who is also a sociopath. He believes that humans are destroying the planet and that the Crakers are the next step in human evolution.
- Oryx is a mysterious woman who is both Snowman’s lover and Crake’s victim. Oryx is a former prostitute who was raised in a brothel. She is also a clone of Snowman’s mother.
- Jimmy’s mother is a brilliant scientist who is also a drug addict. She is responsible for creating the Crakers and for raising Oryx.
- Ramona is a scientist who works with Crake. Ramona is a kind and compassionate woman who is also a brilliant scientist. She is one of the few people who knows about Crake’s plans for the Crakers.
- The Painballers are a group of elite athletes who are addicted to a drug called Painball. The Painballers are used by Crake as a source of genetic material for the Crakers.
- The book explores the themes of love, loss, hope, and survival. The book is a story about the power of the human spirit and the importance of community.
- The book is a thought-provoking and challenging read that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Atwood’s Oryx and Crake scrutinizes various forms of destruction: the environmental devastation caused by climate change, the social implications of economic disparities, the moral consequences of genetic modification, and humanity’s ability for self-destruction. The novel ends on a cliffhanger, as Snowman discovers he might not be the last human survivor after all, setting the stage for the next book in the trilogy, The Year of the Flood. The ambiguity of the conclusion leaves readers contemplating the future of humanity in a world teetering between biological advancement and ethical degradation.
BOOK AWARDS
Man Booker Prize
Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
Canadian Authors' Association Award for Fiction
ABOUT WRITER
Margaret Atwood is a renowned Canadian author, poet, literary critic, and environmental activist. With a career spanning over five decades, she has written numerous novels, short stories, and essays that have been translated into more than 40 languages. Atwood is best known for her speculative fiction works, which often explore themes of feminism, social and political critique, and environmentalism.
