Oryx and Crake: Expository Essay

Mary Willa Foy

Mrs. Honaker

Dual English 12

1 January, 2017

Oryx and Crake Expository Essay

Xenotransplantation is the transplant of organs and tissues between species and has the potential to save countless human lives, a subject that Margaret Atwood considers in her novel Oryx and Crake. The main protagonist is portrayed as a young boy who refers to himself as ‘Snowman” and is the self-appointed leader of the Crake. The arrangement of the first chapters demonstrates the novel’s ability to foretell the events within of the story. Atwood explores the unforeseen and often negative consequences of valuing scientific advancements over preserving humanity. The author uses the literary techniques such as diction, foreshadow and irony to develop Snowman’s character and further her argument on the dangers of pursing scientific advancements over humankind. In the novel Orx and Crake, the protagonist Snowman, formerly known as Jimmy, goes on a journey to discover the unfamiliar and the negative consequences of transgenic experiments.

Margret Atwood introduces the protagonist as Snowman, but the audience soon learns of his former name, Jimmy. Initially Atwood characterizes Snowman as a “words person” compared to numbers, meaning Snowman is able to communicate well with others. This direct characterization can be seen clearly when Snowman is associated with his best friend, Crake, who thinks logically and is more scientifically driven than Snowman. Ultimately, this difference in ideals becomes the rift between the two characters and leads to a breakdown of their friendship. The author uses diction to develop the two boy’s personalities and give a vivid depiction of the ethical downfall of the society in which they live. For example, while touring the Watson-Crick Institute Snowman and Crake encounter genetically engineered organisms, derived from chicken, which Snowman calls “ChickieNobs”. “He couldn't see eating a ChickieNob. It would be like eating a large wart,” (203). Snowman’s initial concern to the experimental meat stems from ethical uncertainty and the unnaturalness of the creation. This leads Atwood to craft an unintelligent word to describe the lighthearted attitude of their society how they do not seriously weigh the consequences of bioengineering animals over human nature.

Atwood’s use of vivid foreshadowing on the boys’ hobbies allows the audience to realize their wrong actions. This allows the reader to understand the balance between science and humanity. As the author describes the boys’ actions the readers can imagine Snowman and Crake as their personalities evolve the way Atwood portrays them- Snowman as very artistic and Oryx concise and logical. For instance when the boys would play video games or watch underground videos Crake was always more interested compared to Snowman. “Crake was good at those games because he was a master at the sideways jump,” (45). The author’s use of the word “master” foreshadows Crake's future superiority over Snowman. This style of foreshadowing helps emphasize to the audience the differences between the two character’s lives and the change that is about to occur. Snowman and Crake live in a society that focuses on becoming very calculated and is demonstrated as their community turns to more scientific directions. The positive combination of Snowman’s talent for language and Crake’s scientific ability mixed with the immoral obsession over watching underground videos is Atwood’s foreshadowing the disastrous effects of their development. As the author establishes Crake’s need for control and the explainable when he becomes obsessed with his genetically engineered Crake and eliminates the state of nature and the idea of an uncontrollable source, making the decisions on what happens to one's nature.

In addition, Atwood represents the careful balance between science and humanity through her examples of irony in the novel. The author uses irony to speculate how healthcare, capitalism and a weak government could push the scientific community to dismiss the life threatening effects within their products. For example, bio-engineers at OrganInc Farms had underestimated their genetic modifications with the Pigoons-instead of remaining pigs with human cells they evolved to have human DNA and learned to skillfully hunt humans like Snowman towards the end. “The Pigoons have clearly evolved human-like traits as a result of their genetic alteration,” (93). This is ironic since Snowman would not eat the meat in OrganInc Farms cafeteria because they contained human cells. Atwood does this to show the moral boundaries crossed and the risks the scientific community did not process. Another form of this is the creation of the Rakunks. “A patient is only granted if an organism is considered to be completely novel and artefactual, which is what the remaining actyally represents,” (89). The market of modified animals like Rakunks, snats and glowing bunnies was made in scientists’ free time by creating a new or altered species suited to customer needs and giving them a new name for a profit. Through irony of the modified animals Atwood is able to advance her argument on the dangers of valuing scientific developments over humanity.

   In conclusion, Margret Atwood suggests that if society values transgenic experiments and scientific advancements over preserving the fundamental elements of DNA events that occurred in Oryx and Crake could take place in our society. The use of diction, foreshadow and irony vividly display the negative repercussions of having an imbalance between scientific communities and preserving humanity.