The food symbolism is also important because it displays the distancing that Marian does with herself. The story is even written in 3 parts: the first is in first-person, the second in third-person, and for the final chapter, she is back to first-person. This even displays the distancing because "I" becomes "she" as she doesn't view herself as being her anymore; she is someone else, and someone that she doesn't recognize. Marian rejects her food just like she rejects herself.
Another important theme in the novel is gender equality. Though this book is written 1969, the need for reform in this area is relevant in the novel. The way Atwood displays this is through Marian's relationship with Peter. She goes from having an equal position in the relationship, to giving up everything to him. It was displayed that Peter should make all the decisions, and that Peter was the dominant one. However, we see Marian change that at the end of the novel. She literally becomes independent, and grows immensely to let everyone know that women have just as much a right as anybody else.
If Marian is searching for her identity, why does she hand over power to Peter? In what way(s) does she "look to others" for her identity? What is Atwood saying about identity here?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance of all the references to child-bearing in the novel, and how do these relate to identity?
I believe that Marian handed over power to Peter because she felt it was one way to gain an identity. Being a wife is the classic definition, or goal even, of being a woman. Marian also looks to others for her identity by trying to take all their identities and trying to force them all into one. That way there won't be any empty spaces, and she will have a bit of everything. A mother from Ainsley, a wife from Peter, and that little bit of mysterious secrecy from Duncan. I also believe Atwood is trying to say that you must find your own identity, your own medium and happiness, because everyone has their own definition of happiness, success...everything.
ReplyDeleteThe significance of the references to child-bearing in the novel and how it is related to identity I have not quite figured out yet. My guess at the moment is that it represents what some people would call "the norm": a woman gets married (Marian is engaged to Peter), and then comes the children...so maybe it represents what Peter is going to expect from her next and/or what society is going to expect from her next...