Author: Margaret Atwood
Date: July 27, 2010
Time alloted in for reading: 10mins. (page 216-218)
Summary
The Female Body,” by Margaret Atwood is a prose fiction. Atwood’s language has visible denotation and hidden connotation. “Female body” is two words that play an important part in Atwood’s argument that society has domination of the female gender. The denotations of female are simply the characteristic of or appropriate to this certain sex and body is the entire material or physical structure of an organism. Yet in Atwood’s essay these two words are not that simple they carry with them much more meaning and depth. Atwood uses the words female body to describe all female bodies; she uses singular form when she could have used plural form. One can see that Atwood chooses the singular path because society views females not as individuals but as one whole. Atwood is being ironic by writing about the female body as if there were only one female body, which all females can associate with.
Insight
Margaret Atwood’s The Female Body gives an interesting view on the life of women and the ways in which women are constrained, devalued and taken advantage of. In that way this piece is universal and can be appreciated by people all over the world as all women may encounter this in their lifetime in varying degrees thus making the main ideas both classless and raceless. It clearly illustrates the values of the world such as selfishness, greed and the need for dominance. These constraints, and lack of power, can be seen through diction such as “leash”, “lock” and “chain”. The use of the word “leash” also creates animal imagery of a dog, which belittles women. The allusion to fairytales, as illustrated by the diction such as “pumpkin”, “high tower” and “chamber” also contribute to the idea of helplessness and patriarchy, which highlights the dominance of males over all women. This shows satire social criticism and a sense of justice! It is a very interesting read! :)
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