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The politics of language in Margaret Atwood's later fiction
Abstract
Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author who believes that language is inherently political. In her fiction, linguistic acts of influence and control are made visible in the characters' interactions, revealing the political nature of interpersonal communication. Although critics have examined language in Atwood's earlier works, the present study addresses the relationship between language and power in Atwood's later prose published from 1979 through 1988, including analysis of four novels and one short story from the collection Bluebeard's Egg. The Introduction assesses the role of language in the practice of Atwood's art and in her theory of writing. In addition, it contrasts Atwood's views on language with current thought in Feminist Criticism and Linguistic Theory in order to provide a context for understanding her assumptions. After this background, Chapter One explores the communication problems and strategies of three characters in Life Before Man (1979) as they deal with conflicts in their relationships. The second chapter contrasts the characters' use of language in the short story "Loulou; or, The Domestic Life of the Language" and discusses Loulou's attempt to determine how the words of others affect her identity. Chapter Three analyzes the main character's development in Bodily Harm (1981); Rennie Wilford changes her attitude toward language and vows to use her professional writing to reflect and affect the realities of her society. The Handmaid's Tale (1985) is the subject of Chapter Four, which examines how Offred, the narrator, overcomes restrictions on communication in her future world and uses her voice to undermine the totalitarian Republic of Gilead. Chapter Five is an interview with the author, focusing on Cat's Eye. Chapter Six assesses the impact of girlhood friendships and linguistic acts of power on Elaine Risely's communication as an adult in Cat's Eye (1988). The Conclusion briefly comments on the study of the five works, emphasizing Atwood's view that language is both an instrument of oppression and a vital resource for empowering the individual.
Subject Area
Modern literature|Canadian literature
Recommended Citation
Richards, Mary Elizabeth, "The politics of language in Margaret Atwood's later fiction" (1990). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9108237.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9108237