In the novel, "Oryx and Crake" by Margaret Atwood, women and anything feminine are regarded as unintelligent, weak, and lacking in any value. Science and masculinity are strong forces within society. Atwood uses the character of Crake to represent all things scientifically and masculine, and the characters of Oryx and even Jimmy, who contains more of a balance of masculine and feminine traits, to represent things more feminine. The contrast developed between Oryx and Crake is used to present society that does not value women or anything feminine and opens up the debate between whether the arts or the sciences are better or more useful.
Atwood uses the topic of sex, sexual preference, and sexual selection to portray the role of women is the society that has been created. When introduced to Oryx, the reader learns that she was sold into the sex trade at a young age, and that is the life she grew up knowing. Trading women to be used as sex slaves describes then not as persons or beings but only as objects that can be used, disregarded, shared, and traded. Throughout the novel, Crake only views Oryx as a sex slave and someone he can use to his benefit, but Jimmy does not see Oryx in this way; as a sex slave or as an object. Jimmy sees Oryx as "an icon of desire" (Ingersoll 168). Having more of a traditional balance of masculine and feminine thoughts, Jimmy values the importance of desire and truly falling in love. .
"But think what we'd be giving up.".
"Such as?".
"Courtship behavior. In your plan, we'd just be a bunch of.
hormone robots." Jimmy thought he should put things in Crake's.
terms, which was why he said courtship behavior. What he meant.
was the challenge, the excitement, the chase. "There'd be no free.
Choice" (Atwood 166). This excerpt from the novel emphasizes Jimmy's preference for a traditional and more human way of selecting a lifetime partner to eventually procreate with.
