The Image Of The Evasive Male In Margaret Atwood's Novels-A Study Of The Edible Woman And The Blind Assassin

Typically, critics have read Margaret Atwood's novels as a feminist protest. However, Atwood's works reflect a more complex picture in her character development in the case of both sexes. Contrary to the arguments that Atwood's male characters are two-dimensional and half-developed, Atwood applies special care in the treatment of her male characters. She differs from the conventional feminist writers by exposing the blind spots within feminist ideology with her daring exploration into not only women, but also men. She revolutionizes the old dispensation to depict men as all-powerful evil, while women as spotless angle by creating the image of the evasive male as opposed to the conventional male oppressor. The evasive males run along different lines from the"villainous males"in that they are neither treacherous nor dominant; more feminine than masculine; more shadowy and ambiguous than solid and linear. Uncertain, and ineffectual by nature, they elude simple categorizing. The evasive males possess certain special characteristics that distinguish them from the overwhelming majority. Often, they are gothic and feminine, immersed in childlike playfulness and vulnerability. Since the evasive males are essentially sympathetic with the female protagonists, they exert a much more subtle and, thus, far-reaching influence on the female characters.In analyzing the image of the evasive males, this thesis tries to define the evasive male as an original creation by Atwood that distinguishes her from other feminist writers. A comparison is drawn between the traditional villainous male and the evasive male followed by a close-up look into the specialties of the evasive male. Then, the thesis is turn to the discussion on male/female relations to see how the evasive males influence her heroines on her journey of self-revelation with the conclusion chapter seeking possible means for the final emancipation of women.