本文是一篇英语论文，笔者认为阿特伍德的作品深受女性主义和生态批评思想的影响，尤其在“疯癫亚当三部曲”中，她通过细腻的叙事与复杂的情节展现了对女性异化与解放的思考，试图解构传统父权制权力结构，构建超越性别对立的乌托邦社会。
Chapter One Introduction
1.1.Background of the Study
In recent years,issues concerning women’s social status and self-identity havebecome hot topics in the fields of sociology and literature.Within the moderncapitalist system,women not only face the constraints of traditional gender roles butare also influenced by both consumer culture and technological advancements,leading to a more complex and alienated sense of self.As one of the most influentialcontemporary Canadian writers,Margaret Atwood’s works are deeply shaped by herpersonal experiences and social-cultural background,exploring women’s survivaldilemmas and alienation on multiple levels..
Atwood’s childhood experiences played a crucial role in shaping her feministconsciousness and creative themes.Margaret Atwood:A Biography mentions thatduring her upbringing,people widely believed that women could not balancemotherhood and an artistic career.Many women of the previous generation firmlybelieved that childbirth and professional aspirations were irreconcilable.However,Atwood’s parents were exceptionally wise,granting her ample freedom to explore theworld without infringing on her privacy,which fostered a strong sense ofindependence in her.Atwood once recalled that she realized too late the rolestraditionally assigned to women by society,and thus never mistook them for a naturalstate.In her view,“The plasticity of women is not the problem.The real issue is beingforced to believe that the behavioral patterns dictated by society are essential,thatthey define who you are.That is what we must all resist”(Sullivan 95).This critiqueof the social construction of female roles directly influenced her exploration of femalealienation in her works.
1.2.Purpose and Significance of the Study
The novel,through its profound depiction of technology,capitalism,andecological issues,presents a future society rife with oppression,objectification,andalienation.Female characters such as Toby,Oryx,and Sharon are deeply entrenchedin a world dominated by capitalism and technological rationality,experiencingmultiple forms of alienation and oppression.This thesis integrates Herbert Marcuse’stheory of alienation with feminist criticism to conduct an in-depth analysis of femalecharacters in Atwood’s works,exploring their experiences of alienation as theygradually lose their sense of self and fall into existential crises under the dualoppression of technological rationality and capitalism.The study aims to reveal howtechnological rationality intensifies the objectification and control of women throughthe creation of“false needs,”thereby deepening the understanding of their identitycrises and the complexities of their social relationships.This theoretical frameworknot only deepens the understanding of female alienation but also provides newinsights into the intersection of gender oppression and technological rationality.
Furthermore,this study reflects on the real-world implications of technologicaland capitalist developments on women.In Atwood’s dystopian future,the misuse ofgenetic engineering and biotechnology becomes a primary mechanism of femalealienation,a scenario that closely parallels contemporary technological advancements.By analyzing the novel’s fictional events,this thesis seeks to provoke critical thoughton the ethical concerns surrounding technological progress and gender equality,particularly regarding how to prevent further control over women’s bodies andautonomy in the era of rapid scientific development.
Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1.Theoretical Foundation
Alienation is a concept with profound historical roots,and its connotations haveevolved continuously over the course of history.From Western medieval thought toGerman classical philosophy,to Marxism and later Western Marxists,this concepthas presented unique meanings and connotations within different eras and theoreticalframeworks.Within this theoretical context,Marcuse developed his own alienationtheory,which extends beyond the alienation of labor to include technologicalalienation.This section aims to provide an overview of the origins and developmentof alienation theory,with a particular focus on Marcuse’s alienation theory and itsimplications.
2.1.1.The Origin and Development of Alienation Theory
The concept of alienation has its roots in ancient philosophy and religiousthought.In ancient Greek philosophy,thinkers like Plato and Aristotle explored thesense of estrangement between individuals and their essence,as well as theirrelationship with society.During the Middle Ages,although literary works containedimplicit reflections on alienation,a systematic theoretical framework had yet to beestablished.With the advent of the Renaissance,the rise of humanism promptedthinkers to re-examine the relationship between humans and society,laying thefoundation for the development of alienation theory.
2.2.Studies on MaddAddam Trilogy at Home and Abroad
Since its release,Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy has sparked extensiveacademic discussion.This trilogy—Oryx and Crake(2003),The Year of the Flood(2009),and MaddAddam(2013)—depicts the collapse of human society triggered by technology,capitalism,and environmental crises,exploring the complex relationshipsbetween humanity and technology,nature,gender,and ethics.Scholars domesticallyand internationally have analyzed and discussed the trilogy from various perspectives,including ecocriticism,feminist criticism,posthumanism,technological alienation,and critiques of capitalism.The following is a specific overview of researchconducted both at home and abroad.
2.2.1.Studies Abroad About MaddAddam Trilogy
In the international academic community,MaddAddam Trilogy has consistentlybeen a subject of significant research interest.Scholars have explored it in depth fromdiverse perspectives,covering multiple fields and dimensions.In literary studies,Western scholars have particularly examined Margaret Atwood’s creative style,narrative structure,and the symbolism within her works.Their studies focus onseveral key areas:Atwood’s anticipation of future ecological crises,her profoundreflection on human society,and her exploration of the intricate relationships betweengender,power,and technology.
Chapter Three Female Alienation Manifested in MaddAddam Trilogy...............25
3.1.Female Alienation in Her Inner Self........................25
3.1.1.Sharon’s Alienation in Labor............................26
3.1.2.Oryx’s Alienation in Bodily Exploitation............28
Chapter Four The Major Causes of Female Alienation in MaddAddam Trilogy.48
4.1.One-Dimensional Society:Rampant Totalitarianism................48
4.1.1.Technocracy Compounds...................................48
4.1.2.Anarchist Pleeblands.................................50
Chapter Five Exploration of Eliminating Alienation in MaddAddam Trilogy.....56
5.1.Toby’s Journey of Liberation..................56
5.1.1.Surviving and Resisting.......................................57
5.1.2.Taking Part in Creative Labor............................58
Chapter Five Exploration of Eliminating Alienation inMaddAddam Trilogy
5.1.Toby’s Journey of Liberation
In MaddAddam Trilogy,Toby’s process of alienation and liberation fullyembodies the path to liberation advocated by Marcuse’s alienation theory,namely,self-liberation and resistance to alienation through the awakening of Eros.Marcuseargues that alienation exists not only in labor but also permeates all aspects of humanlife.Through the liberation of Eros,individuals gradually break free from the shacklesof alienation,moving toward a true state of freedom(Liang 32).As a typical case offemale alienation,Toby,under the oppression of the intertwined forces oftechnological rationality and patriarchy,gradually breaks the control imposed bytechnological domination and capitalist logic through constant reflection andresistance.In this process of overcoming alienation,she not only reestablishes a deepconnection with society but also reclaims her subjectivity through her interactionswith others.This journey of awakening is not only a revival of her personal spirit butalso symbolizes a rebellion against capitalism,technological domination,andpatriarchy,opening up new possibilities for women,and for all humanity,to escapealienation and pursue harmony and freedom in modern technological society.
Chapter Six Conclusion
Margaret Atwood approaches literary creation with a critical view of reality anda reflective attitude toward the future.In MaddAddam Trilogy,she presents thephenomenon of female alienation and explores its deeper roots.In her works,femalealienation manifests not only in labor,consumption,and interpersonal relationships,but is also closely related to social structures such as capitalism and patriarchy.However,the roots of female alienation lie not only in the oppressive forces ofexternal social structures but also in the individual’s internal struggles and theintricate process of cultural identity formation and self-awareness.Building upon thispremise,this thesis examines Atwood’s construction of a feminist utopia through acritical interpretation of the text and explores potential avenues for overcomingfemale alienation.
In MaddAddam Trilogy,Atwood delves deeply into the survival conditions ofwomen and the possibilities for cultural reconstruction.In the course of thisexploration,this thesis seeks to illuminate how Atwood’s vision of a feminist utopiaoffers intellectual inspiration for contemporary society.Through an analysis of thetrajectories of Toby,Oryx,and other female characters,it examines women’sawakening and resistance in the face of alienation.The experiences of these femalecharacters not only depict their struggles within labor,consumption,and society butalso reveal potential paths to eliminate alienation.Toby,for instance,promotescultural reconstruction through storytelling and education,empowering the newhuman species,the Crakers,with the ability to think independently.Oryx,on the otherhand,embodies the struggles and resistance of oppressed women within a complexstate of self-alienation.These narratives convey an expectation for individualawakening and explore how education and cultural practices can mitigate alienation.
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