Oryx and Crake, (Parts 5-7)

Snowman’s relationship with the local natives is illuminated with more filling in of the details of how this relationship came to be.  They bring him his weekly offering of a fish dinner, though they themselves are vegetarian – truly vegetarian, in that meat-eating is simply not a part of their society or culture.  Even their digestive systems have been designed to be something other than human, even less carnivorous than ours.  Toward the end of this section, we see how their mating instincts and physical manifestations have been unrecognizably altered in rather alien ways.  And all of this is attributed to Crake, Jimmy’s childhood friend, whose design is reflected in the people.  Presumably we get to see how this came about later in the story. 

The narrative continues to be about ninety per cent flashback in order to gradually reveal how things got to the present.  The main story creeps along at a snail’s pace as a result.  Other books that have followed this pattern have bored and irritated me; this one works, largely due to the strange, almost otherworldly subject matter, and largely due to Ms. Atwood’s considerable skills as a writer. 

Now that the mysteries of who Crake is and what he means to the story have been explored, it’s Oryx’s turn.  Although her role in the main plot has yet to be disclosed, her past is gone over rather thoroughly, especially her experiences as a child prostitute/porn actress.  We get snatches of conversation between Jimmy and Oryx that show that he is much more outraged by what happened to her in her youth than she is.  Jimmy gets hints as to where her childhood took place, but she won’t divulge that information, saying that it doesn’t matter.  The hints seem to suggest a large, dangerous city, someplace like Bangkok, Shanghai, or Jakarta; someplace Middle East or Far East or western Pacific Rim.  When he mentions child rape, she asks, “Why do you want to talk about such ugly things? … We should think only of beautiful things, as much as we can.  There is so much beautiful in the world if you look around.  You are looking only at the dirt under your feet, Jimmy.  It’s not good for you.”  [Oryx’s voice sounds in my head, as I read, like the voice and accent of a young lady I know from Nepal.]  Regarding the child porn movies she was in, he asks, “It wasn’t real sex, was it? … In the movies.  It was only acting.  Wasn’t it?”  “But Jimmy, you should know.  All sex is real sex.”   

Feeling especially sorry for himself, Jimmy polishes off a bottle of scotch he’s been hoarding and wakes up with a hangover.  It’s interesting to observe his rationalization that he must go on a foraging expedition to locate more supplies, while we recognize that the depleted “supply” that triggered the urge to forage is alcoholic beverage.  The psychology of a man in his position is also explored through voices from the past that speak to him sarcastically or pedantically, or passages that seem to be remnants from some educational text (“Do not overlook a plentiful source of nutrition that may be no farther away than your feet”).  He even argues sometimes with the seemingly uninvited advice that enters his mind.

 

“Watch out for the leaders, Crake used to say.  First the leaders and the led, then the tyrants and the slaves, then the massacres.  That’s how it’s always gone.” This old advice from Crake enters Jimmy’s mind as he is welcomed by the leader of the local tribe of Crake/Onyx worshippers.  There are also interesting passages about the need to worship, or at least venerate someone or something; a trait which Crake grudgingly admits may be necessary to any primitive group of people and therefore has “designed” into this group.





Next week's chapters: 8-11.