Similarities Between Oryx And Crake

In the novel Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood explores the notion of an exaggerated world where technological achievements out way artistic accomplishments. People are labeled by either a “word person”, who is artistic or a “numbers person” (74) someone who values science. One of the people in the novel is Jimmy/Snowman the protagonist character who as a “word person” in a scientific world, finds himself alone and at a disadvantage. Jimmy/Snowman’s character develops as a result of Jimmy/Snowman abandonment as a child by his mother Sharon, which leads Jimmy/Snowman to search for companionship and acceptance throughout his life. Atwood introduces the reader to a young Jimmy through Snowman’s psyche which makes the reader sympathetic towards

After Jimmy’s mother left and took his pet rakunk Killer with her, Jimmy was enraged! “Jimmy had mourned for weeks. No months. Which one of them was he mourning the most? His mother, or an altered skunk” (61)? This shows how incredible close on a scale Jimmy valued his pet rakunk and his mother. Jimmy did not know which to be more devastated about leaving him. His pet rakunk had been a source of love for Jimmy as a consequence of his mother’s neglect and with it gone, Jimmy felt as if he had no one. As Jimmy got older, we perceive him gradually turning into a cynic as he is suspicious of the actions of people around him. The older Jimmy got, the more pessimistic he became.

Through Snowman’s psyche, we see a development in Jimmy/Snowman character when he meets Crake. “When Jimmy got around to focusing on Crake, he wasn’t too cheered. Crake was taller than Jimmy, about two inches; thinner too. Straight brown hair, tanned skin, green eyes a half smile, a cool gaze” (72). Although Jimmy saw Crake as an “asshole” (72), jimmy found himself wishing to make a dent in Crake, get a reaction (73) as Jimmy often sought to get reactions out of his

Snowman portrays Oryx as this naive girl who thought she could help better this world of science. Jimmy’s love for Oryx mirrors that of his mother as he is constantly looking for validation of Oryx feelings towards him. Jimmy sees Oryx as a substitution for his mother’s love and she seems to reciprocate the feelings “when she’d get back from one of her trips, she’d materialize in Jimmy’s room in the middle of the night” (314).

Jimmy had two important people in his life, after his mother; Crake a trusted friend and Oryx his companion, a woman he may have imagined eternity with. With Crakes last words “I’m counting on you,” (329)-Crakes way of telling Jimmy to take care of the Crakers - and as Crake slit Oryx throat, Jimmy was raped of his life long search for a companionship and acceptance which transformed him into “the Abominable Snowman” (7). As Snowman’s mother abandoned him, Snowman felt so did Oryx and Crake in a world where he could not find meaning except in