Iris And Laura Chase In The Blind Assassin By Margaret Atwood

In her novel, The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood leads us into the lives of Iris and Laura Chase, who are the descendants of a rich and influential Ontario family. The story is told through Iris’ perspective and as it goes on, we are introduced to all of the Chase family including Iris and Laura’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norval Chase. The novel focuses primarily on the relationship dynamics among the Chase family and specifically emphasizes on Laura and Iris’s relationship. Almost immediately, the reader is inclined to believe that Iris is the heroine of the story, until we learn that Iris has committed several atrocities against her sister and husband. Although Iris quickly turns into the villain, the reader cannot help but sympathize with

Recall that Norval is of the rich and influential Chase family who owns the Chase and Sons Button Company. Despite his social and economic position, Norval proposes to his wife who is of lower social level than himself. The vivid details of the proposal set up the anti-hero characterization of Norval because he is introduced as relatable and down to earth. Iris further emphasizes this when she tells us that her father was very sincere in his proposal because “awkwardness in men was a sign of sincerity” (69). At this point Norval seems like a sweet young gentleman who has an agreeable relationship with his fiancé, as they both wanted to be together to “change the world for the better” (69). The two marry and they live in Avilion along with the rest of the Chase family. However, very soon after, Norval and his two brothers are sent off to the Great War and he must leave his wife behind. During the war we begin to see a great character development in Norval as he shifts from being a seemingly nice young man, to an anti-hero. After his brothers die at war, Norval loses an eye, begins having extramarital affairs with the army nurses, begins to drink, and becomes an atheist. As readers, we begin to condemn the decisions he is making at war because we know that his loving wife is back home attending to the factory and the home meanwhile he

He would always take Iris to town with him for business meetings as moral support. He especially needed someone to take because the button company was failing and his ultimate purpose in life was his company over everything. As we begin to learn, his bad business deals and the bad economy were causing some of his factories to close. Workers were rioting against him and the lives of his daughters were endangered. During this part of the story, the reader feels very bad for Norval as he has a legacy to maintain, especially because he is the sole surviving son of the company’s founder. Desperate, Norval turns to his business rival named Richard for help. Even though Richard had a lot of money he never really helps Norval in his crisis and just manipulates him to overturn unions, which makes the workers even angrier. Caught in a tighter spot than before, Norval basically sells Iris to Richard in exchange for salvation of his company. He initially tells Iris that “it’s up to [her]” (226) but that he had given his “consent already” (226). Eventually, he manipulates Iris by telling her that it’s all for her and Laura’s economic futures as their family is now close to poverty. The reader is obviously indignant when at Norval’s manipulation of Iris. Iris hopes to marry Richard solely for salvation of her father and his company. This is the most villainous action Norval does