Modern Disease Of The Technological Society:Loneliness In Margaret Atwood’s Oryx And Crake

Oryx and Crake is the first book of Margaret Eleanor Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy.It is a post-apocalyptic novel set in an unspecified future.The book is written in the same style as many of Margaret Atwood’s novels,that of speculative fiction.Although the book reads like a futuristic tale,many of the elements are drawn from our current society.This thesis will focalize individuals’ inner worlds,aiming at revealing the overdevelopment of technology as one of the reasons why loneliness has become a modern disease.As a speculative fiction,which depicts a scenario that might truly happen in the future,this novel shows that we should be aware of these threats in the present world.Chapter one explores the domination of bio-technology.Biological experiments often concern ethical issues.Some people like Jimmy would question the ethicality of these conducts,while many others feel nothing wrong at all about them.The split attitudes towards ethical problems create breaches between these two kinds of people.The ultimate purpose of the experiments is to gain commercial profits,and profitoriented works erode family relationships.The worship of bio-technology permeates the education system,which leads to the neglect of art and literature and the loss of language ability.Chapter two focuses on the permeation of media technology.Media creates illusions between people.Thus,it is impossible to build in-depth connections.The authorities use media technology to put the Compound under surveillance.Under such invisible pressure,there exists a lack of trust among people.The media also carries a lot of porn and violence,which is easily accessible even among teenagers.The daily exposure to porn and violence desensitizes them,making them indifferent to the pain and misery of others in the world.Chapter three concerns the aftermath of environmental destruction caused by technological development.Although the novel does not talk about climate change directly,it can be implied from many details.Because of climate change,people’s living environment also changes a lot,which creates a sense of rootlessness.Environmental issues also trigger violent conflicts between people,since only part of them realize that they are on the wrong way.The division can also be observed between the Compound and the Pleeblands,because the Compound people are less affected by environmental destruction.