LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Association of Self Fashioning and Circumstances in Margaret Atwood's
The Blind Assassin

S. Joy Isabella, M.A., M.Phil.
J. Sundar Singh, Ph.D.

Abstract

In this paper, the association between style of dressing and the natural circumstances in The Blind Assassin is described. Many novelists consider clothes as constructive performance to narrate a particular incidence or circumstance. In Atwood's The Blind Assassin, one can see the association between the variety of clothes and the circumstances of the character.

This novel is a type of Novella. It can be treated as Science Fiction. The technique is post-modern and the theme is search for self assertiveness. The association of different types of attribute with that of self fashion is clearly established in this article.

Major Characters:
Laura Chase, Iris Chase, Richard Griffen, Alex Thomas, Reenie.

Introduction

Iris the narrator's grandparents Benjamin Chase and Adelia had three sons. They are Norval, Eddie and Perci. Eddie and Perci went on expedition to South America in search of gold. Norval Chase helped his father in running the button factory, at Port Ticonderoga.

The marital relationship between Benjamin and Adelia is so beautifully described by Atwood. Adelia married money and she was expected to refine the money like oil. They lived in Avilion which was christened by Adelia. She died in 1913 due to cancer. After the demise of Benjamin Chase, Norval Chase reestablished the button factory.

The major characters of the novel is sketched and shown in figure 1 by the authors. Norval Chase and his wife Liliana have two daughters namely Iris and Laura. Liliana loved Laura more than Iris. The death of Liliana when Iris was 9 years old made her to take up the responsibilities which include taking care of Laura.

Begins with a Tragic Incident: Interpreting the Context

The novel is introduced with the tragic incident, the death of Laura Chase. She killed herself when she drives a car over an embankment. However the car belongs to her sister Iris. It catches fire and she is killed immediately. People suspect the death of Laura as suicidal. Laura was wearing white gloves on her hands. It symbolically tells that she is very much careful while driving and her forthcoming death.

Since she is wearing the gloves, it could be predicted that she likes warmth during her travel. She had a pinned chignon, a shirtwaist with tide collar and the dress is neat with sober colour during the crash. She is always serious and likely to attract the attention of others. The entire story centers on Laura, her relationships and her eccentricities. According to Iris, the white gloves denote the gesture. "The white gloves: a Pontius Pilate gesture". She was washing her hands of me and all of us.

White gloves are being associated with death and departure.

Hat and Veil

At this instance, Iris would need gloves and a hat with a veil to cover her eyes because to avoid the press reporters interview. The circumstances reveal that a hat with a veil protects a person from embarrassing situation. Then she enters into her dressing room to wear black dress and a hand-kerchief. This shows that there is traditional attire during mourning. The Button factory was flourishing and the Button factory picnic introduces a new character, Alex Thomas, who is an orphan. His parents died in the war, he was brought up by Presbyterians. He has no family ties. The incident clearly pictures that when a man died because of war, he is not being taken care by the Government Agencies. Alex Thomas was sent to an Orphanage in those days.

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