The Awakening Of Female Consciousness Of Marian In The Edilbe Woman Reflected Throuhg Images

Most of the heroines in Margaret Atwood's stories are forced to play the roles as traditional women who are considered as toys and breeding machines in patriarchal society. They have lost their identities, while deep in their consciousness, they desire independence. When they finally realize they are being victimized, they start their courses toward self-reconstruction to pursue their own independent personality and self-awareness. Therefore, the female consciousnesses of these women begin to awaken and then expand.In her first novel The Edible Woman, the female protagonist Marian plays the same role as the other heroines in Atwood's works. Atwood's novels are filled with various images, which have created enormous mysteries for her stories, and her concern about the current life conditions of the Canadian women is also thoroughly revealed by the images that are applied in the novel. This thesis attempts to analyze the three frequently applied images, color image, water image, and earth image in The Edible Woman.The first chapter mainly examines the awakening of female consciousness of Marian reflected through color images. There are basically two colors that are repetitively used in the novel, which are pink and red. Pink is a feminine, delicate color. In the novel, pink is the color of the clothing worn by those who are exploited and oppressed. They are the victims of the patriarchal society. Marian's rejection of pink shows her awaking of female consciousness. Besides, the color red also bears some particular symbolic meanings, which are blood, anger, violent passion and death. Red symbolizes Marian's anger and rebellion against the patriarchal society.The second chapter posits that water has the symbolic meanings of purification, life extension, and rebirth in general. In this novel, the symbolic meaning of water image is purification and self-reconstruction. By immersing into the water, Marian washes way her fear and confusion, so that she can face the reality bravely and goes towards self-reconstruction.The third chapter deals with earth image. The earth image generally has the symbolic meaning of Mother Earth, power, affluence, and rebirth. In this novel, the symbolic meaning of earth image is healing power. By going underground, Marian realizes the importance of being herself and starts her course of self-reconstruction.Image plays an extremely important role in the whole novel; they are the origin of Marian's wisdom and strength. In addition, Marian's successful self-reconstruction has set a positive example for those who are still victimized and dominated.