Analysis Of Oryx And Crake

The American dream basically dictates that with hard work and perseverance, anyone can become successful; however, many would argue that there is a class system in place that effectively negates this keeping the status quo as it is. Even in a supposedly “improved” world with eons of innovation and medical advancements with so called boundless opportunities, Crake discovered that there were still checks and balances in place that kept the status quo. For example, in their world a new mouthwash was created that effectively ensured oral hygiene putting many dentists out of jobs. What if this continued with all sicknesses? Multi billion pharmaceutical corporations would go out of business, perhaps creating the niche for the opportunistic individual

The author writes in Oryx and Crake, “Compound people didn’t go to the cities unless they had to and then never alone” (33). In this first passage from Chapter One, it mirrors the definite need or necessity to set forth lines dividing individuals based on their income and in this case, their intelligence. This example is seen in North America in a less extreme light. Even the word “pleeblands”, which the protagonist explained as having the relative meaning as the word city derives from the word “plebeians”. A plebeian was one of low birth in the Ancient Roman era. The passage taken from Oryx and Crake gives insight on how intelligence or money can divide a people or even civilization to have no interaction or sense of unity. “If you grew up surrounded by it you were more or less immune, unless a new bioform cam raging through; but if you were from the Compounds and set foot in the pleebs, you were a feast” (346). In the second passage, it is in agreement with the first passage on segregation, however it shows new ideas on the classes. The lower class cities of course are infected with diseases and viruses because of their class, but the higher class is not. The higher class in this case, the Compounds possess the vaccines to eliminate these diseases, but why haven’t they? It is because the higher class is only concerned about money they are receiving from the Pleeblands desperation. In North America, many have discussed the issue of the higher class possessing power over the lower class especially with the issue on privileges and therefore placing the lower class at disadvantage. Yes the higher class in North America is able to purchase vaccinations and receive health insurance due to their wealth, but the lower class is left uncared for. The lower class is put at a disadvantage because of the higher class’s