BlyssPluss and ChickieNobs

Hello everybody! I finally finished “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood. Over Spring Break I forced myself to finish it on the airplane rides to and from California. I really enjoy reading books on airplanes because they are liminal spaces, so it’s easy to get into the imaginative space of what you’re reading. (side note: I highly suggest reading “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway on an airplane)

“Oryx and Crake” was a great read. I honestly enjoyed reading it because the author drew me in through their interesting use of exposition and tragic™ characters. Moreover, the author’s ability to create a sense of place in the forest that Snowman abides in and Paradice really got me hooked on the story.  

Furthermore, the series of flashbacks over “Oryx and Crake” was something that worked well. You never got a full idea of Snowman’s past. Instead you were spoon fed little parts over the chapters that built up into one whole story. I really liked this because I got to use my imagination and fill in the gaps in the story.

Something that didn’t work in this story how much of a straight white male Snowman was. Honestly, it was hard to relate to him because most of his problems were really just sad boi issues. I kept thinking “really bro? Your problems are like all in your head. Everyone had a shitty childhood, get over it.”

“Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood had a few plot elements that really resonated with me. Specifically, the cloning of animals and tinkering with animal DNA reminded me of the whole Barbra Streisand dog cloning situation. Really, the whole theme of “Oryx and Crake” is don’t fuck with human nature. Messing with human nature will only lead to some apocalyptic disaster in which all humans die and only some mutant offshoot of humans will live. Just don’t mess with it. This idea connects back to Barbra Streisand’s dog cloning because PETA and other organizations hazard against cloning and speak out against it, but Barbra like Crake and others in “Oryx and Crake”, ignore the warnings and continue down their fateful road.  

“Oryx and Crake” was truly a fascinating read because of its statements on cloning and human nature. I really found this quote by Crake particularly interesting:

“Watch out for art, Crake used to say. As soon as they start doing art, we’re in trouble. Symbolic thinking of any kind would signal downfall, in Crake’s view. Next they’d be inventing idols, and funerals, and grave goods, and the afterlife, and sin, and Linear B, and kings, and then slavery and war.”

This statement to me was fascinating because he viewed art as the downfall of man. Of course, I disagree. I feel that a society that embraces art is strong and would not devolve into failure.

Anyways, I really liked “Oryx and Crake” because it really messed with my head and got me thinking for days after I finished it.

Well, that is it for now folks. I’ll catch you on the flipside.