LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 9 September 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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M. S. Thirumalai
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Atwood’s Feminism in Surfacing

S. Banurekaa, M.A., B.Ed., M.Phil.

Abstract

This is an attempt to analyze the suppression of women as portrayed in Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing. Atwood analyses the inner conflict of the protagonist and their quest for survival. Remarkably a good writer of Canada, Margaret Atwood is the most prominent figure in Canadian Literature. She not only reflects society but also aims to reform it.

Feminism, a theme in many of Atwood’s novels, is explored through the perspective of the female narrative, exposing the ways women are marginalized in their professional and private lives. Margaret Atwood’s second novel, Surfacing (1972) pursues and develops further the feminist themes of The Edible Women- the protest against the female sex role and the predatory and aggressive attitude and behaviour of men towards women anti-capitalist, anti-American and ecological concerns continue to be part of the author’s radical, perhaps revolutionary message of these early novels. The theme of the heroine’s dilemma as an artist/writer is also ever present. In Surfacing she involves herself in a search for, among other things the roots of her creativity, burried within her and relating to her past and childhood. Surfacing predates the environmentalist movement, but the narrator’s reverence for the Canadian wilderness is a pro-environmentalist one. Thus these environmental concerns still resonate today given continuing trends toward over consumption and the prevalence of technology that relies upon natural resources.

Canadian Literature

Canadian literature is an active field now. The word “Canada” is believed to have originated from two Spanish words “Aca and Nada”, which means “nothing here”. This notion of absence in the name has been a haunting presence in Canada throughout its socio-cultural history. Despite such an absence, Canada has bewildering variety of literatures. They do not follow the maxim that literature must reflect the social, political and historical reality of their age. On the other hand, the reality they created was more or less independent of the impersonal reality around. Their choice of characters from common folks and a less traditional aspect of mythology are clearly described in Canadian literature.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

S. Banurekaa, M.A., B.Ed., M.Phil.
Assistant Professor of English
Gobi Arts & Science College
Gobichettipalayam 638453
Tamilnadu
India
banurekaagasc@gmail.com
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