Hi folks--In a well organized paragraph on Oryx and Crake, please ponder one of the issues we discussed in class:
(a) Please explore the way chaos "wins" out, despite Crake's efforts to engineer a perfectly controlled world.
(b) In what ways is the story of the Crakers like other religious stories?
(c) Please explore the way that the Crakers defy Crake's literalism by embracing symbolism (in religion [pages 374, 404, 429] and art [430]).
(d) Please explore Crake's reductive analysis of art on page 205. Is he accurate or inaccurate?
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On page 374 the Crakers asked, "Who made them?" Oryx answered, "Crake". After that they didn't question where they came from. That is one way they defy Crake’s literalism by embracing symbolism of religion and creation. Even though Crake “programmed” them to not ask these questions, it is impossible to eliminate all thoughts. On page 404 they asked when Oryx was coming back. To the Crakers, Oryx had become a ritual in a way, because she taught them everyday. The fact that they question her disappearance may be a way of questioning and asking for God. On page 429 Jimmy has returned to the Crakers and he hears them chanting “Ohhh-mun” and then when they see him they say, “We knew we could call you, and you would hear us and come back.” Unconsciously they are talking Jimmy as if he is God. That if you call for Him, He will always come. Even Jimmy acknowledged the fact that they were chanting Amen, in a way. And that even though Crake ruled out these thoughts, it comes naturally when people are desperate. Another way the Crakers defied Crake’s literalism, was by the use of Art. “We made a picture of you, to help send out our voices to you.” (page 430) This defies completely everything Crake was trying to achieve (which was human perfection). Art is a form of expression; even the simplest minds can create art because it comes from the heart.
ReplyDeleteThe story of the Crakers is like other religious because it starts off as most religions do, with a creation story. In this case, instead of a God, it's Crake that creates the Crakers. We know that Crake isn't a god, but to the Crakers, he is probably seen as some type of god, or at least a higher power. Also, in some religions, there are prophets and disciples. In this case, Jimmy stayed and lived among the Crakers, just as some prophets lived among us humans. Jimmy talked about Crake from time to time, about how Crake was a god-like figure and that there were rules of the land to be followed. This is comparable to how prophets would speak about god and talk about what god thinks is right and what's not.
ReplyDeleteAs Grant said, "The story of the Crakers is like other religious stories because it starts off as most religions do, with a creation story." The Crakers never met Crake, though they are certain of his existence hence making Crake their god. Oryx's responsibilities towards the Crakers is a lot like Adam (the first man to be ever created); god taught Adam everything and told him to pass his teachings to the human beings. The same thing with Oryx: Crake created the Crakers, taught Oryx everything about them, then sends Oryx as a messenger to pass Crake's teachings to them (sort of). Like religious stories, a new prophet would come after the death of the first and would teach the people new things and expand their knowledge; of course that prophet has had some sort of connection with god, otherwise he would not believe in god. The same case scenario in "Oryx and Crake", Jimmy is the 'next' prophet and he is passing by more of Crake's teachings.
ReplyDeleteThe story of the Crakers is much like other religious stories, specifically those about creation. First off, the Crakers were created in "Paradise", much like Adam and Eve were created in Eden. Then, the Crakers are educated by Oryx, who serves as the first "prophet" to the new race. Next, after a disaster, the Crakers must leave paradise and are guided by Snowman to another place were they may live their lives. In this, Snowman is like God, who led Adam and Eve out of Eden and into another land. From here, Snowman serves as the second prophet, and continued to educate and guide the Crakers. In the end, the Crakers begin to worship an idol resembling Snowman. This shows how the Crakers are beginning to develop their own religion, and the story of their creation may well serve as the first of their stories.
ReplyDeletea) Attwood’s novel illustrates the ultimate apocalyptic disaster. In Oryx and Crake, Crake was always seen to be impressive. He was an excellent student in high school, he became a brilliant scientist and he was even able to devise a plan to rid the earth of homo sapiens and to replace this ‘destructive species’ with a more peaceful and environmentally friendly human-like creature: the Crakers. Ultimately, because the characters in the novel become so obsessed with wanting to make everything perfect, chaos breaks out and wins. There are many examples of how people strove for perfection. Firstly, compound scientists genetically engineered food and made hybrid crosses of animals for human purposes (ie. Pigoons were made to harvest organs that could be used for human transplant.) Also, products like the BlyssPluss pill, SoyOBoyburgers and Happicuppuchinos were all designed not out of necessity, but because people kept wanting ‘better’ and more ‘perfect’ products. In the end, disease spread, people died and no one knew how to solve the problem because it was beyond them. Technology over took and there was no one left to save the world. I think that Crake’s, and other’s efforts to create a perfect world and utopia got lost and turned out to unfortunately create a dystopic world.
ReplyDeleteCrake’s effort to engineer a perfectly controlled world did not succeed. He tried to eliminate any possibilities of arts and humanities in the design of the Crakers. Crake believed once symbolic thinking and any kind of art was established the Crakers would begin inventing idols, funerals, grave goods, the afterlife, kings, slavery and war (Atwood, 361). According to Crake, “[g]one were its destructive features, the features responsible for the world’s current illnesses. For instance, racism—or, as they referred to it in Paradice, pseudospeciation—had been eliminated in the model group” (Atwood 305). Crake tried to eliminate any recognition of “race”, the Crakers could not read; they did not play or have fun. Their only historical knowledge is told to them by Snowman (Jimmy). Before Snowman's influence, they did not draw or paint or have any knowledge of art; they did not know any religion or concept of language, other than what they spoke. However, at one point the Crakers begin questioning their origin and Jimmy become more like their ‘shepherd’. Their made up idol of Snowman when he leaves the complex to go to Roojovenesence is an example of art and Snowman as a prophet. Both religion and art are two concepts of which Crake could not eliminate even when he tried to create a “perfect world”.
ReplyDeleteChaos can be defined as a lack of any order or pattern and predictability. In society, where ever there is no plan or predictability chaos rises.
ReplyDeleteIn most cases, chaos is avoided through logic and intelligence. Ironically, Crake, an exceptionally smart person is responsible for global chaos while trying to achieve the opposite.
The BlyssPluss pill that Crake created was supposed to stop rapid population growth, as well as make the world efficient and beautiful. It can be seen as the definition of order. Yet at the same time, it can be defined as chaos and disruption. Chaos wins out in BlyssPluss and Crake's cause.
The fact seems to be that a perfectly controlled world can only last so long before reform. Hitler held Germany in a communist form for years, and after his reign, Germany collapsed from debt and image. Perfection is not possible to continually achieve without repercussions.