8. Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
Crake’s claim that “God is a cluster of neurons” aims at making God appear less than most people claim him to be. For lack of better terms, Crake seems to be trying to knock God off of his high horse. My religious background is causing me to strongly disagree with the claim; however I do comprehend why there can be trouble in eradicating religious experiences. I believe it is so because religion is so deeply established into people that it becomes as important and necessary as breathing. Religion is not only characterized by the act of going to church or worshiping someone or something, it is more along the lines of believing that there is some form of higher power out there in the universe. I believe anyone, even those who don’t believe that there is a God, do believe that there is a higher power in some form. So removing religion or strong instinct is generally similar to taking a piece of someone’s soul. The fact that religion has been existent for such a long period of time makes it a human instinct. So picture Crake removing our ability to think rationally or physically move or any extremely necessary human aptitude that we possess. Snowman’s origin stories at one point made me doubt my views on spirituality. It sort of made me believe that Margaret Atwood was mocking those who believe in the spiritual world. Atwood makes it seem as if the stories of Adam and Eve and such are all figments of somebody’s imagination. (Which I find insulting!) So what if people use spirituality as means to explain the unexplainable? Spirituality keeps us all sane; it truly is the basis of everything. Because it is spirituality that lead to what society now upholds as all mighty: science. Snowman’s stories did make me question my faith, nevertheless I came to the realization that I will stick to my beliefs. No matter how Crake or Snowman interpret God and spirituality it is all part of the human existence. It is something that the human race will never be able to let go of.
6.The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
Society within Oryx and Crake strived to become perfect beings, with the ability to live on forever. The irony in finding this perfect solution, became the catalyst to the destruction of the human race. My interpretation of this effect is because perfection is not something that can be reached, but only a marker to how close you are to idealism. In a ficticious world, rightfully paralleled to ours, their idea of perfection was achieved- which left for no progress to change within the human race. The stability of society is based on that progression towards the perfect idealistic condition, but once its achieved, the proverbial system grinds to a halt and, in effect, falls apart. Mustapha Mond in Brave New World describes a world in which has reached its stopping point as "once those gears stop, the whole world falls apart". Just as in our own society, this is the cause of perfection and our strive for it keeps the world going. The difference between our world and the world in Oryx and Crake; they have grinded to a halt and fell apart, while we are still heading in that direction. It may never happen for our world, because the one-sided perfection may never be achieved. Ironically, that is our perfection; the balance between euphoria and chaos.
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
I do not agree with Crake's statement that "God is a cluster of neurons" To a certain extend I can understand Crakes thoughts on religion. He thinks every scientifically unlike Jimmy who has the ability think more abstractly, which is what allows him to create a myth that the Crakers believe. The only way that Crake is able to understand religion is scientifically therefore he believes he can eliminate it. I understand yet completely disagree with the idea that Crake wants to carry out in the novel of eliminating religion all together.Because he is correct in saying that without religion or any types of idolizing all you would have is something like a zombie. It is made clear that this will never quite work, for example, in the end of the book when the Crakers find all the different objects to put together and make something symbolizes Snowman. The origin stories that Snowman tells definitely enhance my views on how religion and spirituality evolves in cultures. Everything is created and passed on through word of mouth. After Snowman explains more and more to the Crakers about Crake and other concepts they don't understand, the more interested they become and the less desensitized they become. I believe that Crake did indeed try his hardest to eliminate the idea of god and religion, yet he became their god.
Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
More then anything Snowman feels compelled to protect the Crakers because he promised Oryx and in a way Crake as well. Oryx makes sure that Jimmy promises her that despite what happens to her that he will protect the children of Crake. His devotion and adoration for Oryx is the one thing that keeps Jimmy going in his quest for protection. He feels compelled to protect them because in his eyes it is a way to stay connected to Oryx herself and keep her memory alive through them. Before killing Oryx, Crake makes the same request only ambiguously. I think that Jimmy is subconsciously carrying those orders out by providing for the Crakers and maintaining Crake’s plan. More then that, Jimmy is compelled to protect the Crakers because he is a good human being. He knows that they are defenseless and that without him they could not survive. He feels for them because despite the fact that they can not relate to him they are still some form of company and connection to his humanity and to Oryx. He feels that it is his duty to protect them because he assist in their creation in the first place and in the reason as to why they can not be safe and hidden in a bubble any longer. His guilt makes him act as a protector to the Crakers along with his duty to maintain his word.
I do not think that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society. They are too trusting and naïve. They also fail to follow the norms that we have in society due to Crake’s modifications.Without certain decorum ( think of how they approached the humans at the end of the novel) they would stand out within society. Another thing would be their appearance. They are beautiful beings and that might make them a target in society. Their lack of understanding of the natural environment and food choice would be the furthest thing from pragmatic to their survival. Another thing would be their respect for the world and their lack of certain pre-conscribed stigmas. Their respect surpass that of our societies, they would surely be appalled and overwhelmed by our lack of respect for Oryx’s children. Another thing would be the stigmas and they can not understand. This would make them outcasts within our society, hindering their mobility within it.
7. One aspect of the novel's society is the virtual elimination of the middle class. Economic and intellectual disparities, as well as the disappearance of safe public space, allow for few alternatives: People live either in the tightly controlled Compounds of the elites, or in the more open but seedier and more dangerous Pleeblands. Where would your community find itself in the world of Oryx and Crake?
I would say that my community is somewhat of a mixture of both. The controlled Compounds were safe, yet all the people residing there share the same salary of wealth and all have common goals in life to achieve high. The Pleeblands, however, are characterized as unsafe because of constant desperation of the lower class citizens and no hope of anything at all. My community would fit within the middle of both definitions because everyone in my community shares a common goal and are economically similar yet we still endure tough times due to altercations with criminals. My community has suffered from unsafe times and can also be defined as being a pleebland but overall the people in the community band together in order to maintain the safety for future generations. That is where the elitist point comes in when determining my community.
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
Crake's statement,"God is a cluster of neurons," holds that religion is only a feeling, that it is minimal and has no true foundation as further validated by Snowman's creation myths. It is clear what view is portrayed through Crake's statements, yet it doesn't negate my views on spiritually. In class we often discuss that each culture creates its own myth of how we all came to be, and it amazes me that such a wide variety of people accept the same ideas. I disagree with Crake that " God is a cluster of neurons," simply because of the experiences in my life. I believe that Crake's character is based on what can be proved and what works best for society validated through science. Snowman's origin stories do not enhance or weaken my spiritual views at all and enhances my belief in how it spreads among many different cultures.
The ending of the novel is open, allowing for tantalising speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity-both within the novel, and outside its pages?
Snowman's future is entirely dependent on the choices he makes. If he chooses to confront the humans, whether abrasively or not, he will open himself up to the possiblities of future exposure to humanity. If he does not, he risks alienation for the rest of his life. Although he has the Crakers, he does not have any sort of stimulating conversation or any sort of real interaction with anybody.
I think Snowman will eventually decide to go and interact with the other human beings. I think that he will still feel the obligation to Oryx and Crake to protect the Crakers, but I think that he will come up with a plan of action along with the remaining human beings. I think that Snowman will find something to live for again. I envision that Snowman will begin to form ideas in his head to try and rebuild humanity with the survivors he finds.
I think that while humanity in the novel will never be restored to its former state, it will eventually be restored, and leave the future open to rebuilding and revitalizing society. The humanity in the novel will not have to be sunject to former problems, such as overpopulation or sharply dwindling resources. Humanity will never be able to be at the state it was formerly, but I think that they will learn when to draw the line when it comes to technology. BlyssPluss and animal hybrids will be eliminated and humanity will be allowed to flourish somewhat once more.
The future of humanity in the world today is on the line to become similar to humanity in the novel. So many people stress aesthetic beauty and longevity. They do not want to grow old or face the changes in aesthetic that comes with time. They would rather put the only body they have on the line and fill it with potentially dangerous drugs and toxins. If humanity wants a fighting chance, priorities need to be changed soon. If not, we drift towards catastrophe, much like in the pages of Oryx and Crake.
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
Throughout mankind, time has shown that humanity needs some explanation as to how the world was created. When Crake states "God is a cluster of neurons", I tend to agree despite my religious beliefs. In times of loneliness and solitude, humans have shown tendencies to grasp on to religion. Crakes statement could also be backed up by the character John in Brave New World. People need some explanation for the way things are, which (as history has shown) has lead to the creation of idols, gods, and the vast amount of religions existing to this day. Snowman's origin stories definitely shine a light on spirituality for me. When questions that seem to have no answer need to be satisfied, people make up things to soothe the anxiety that comes along with the unknown. Also, Snowman's creation of the origin stories enhance Crakes point that "God is a cluster of neurons", because it takes these neurons to think up a God (or story) about the creation of life.
7.The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
I believe that the quest for physical perfection and longevity only lead to the societies downfall, because the constant need for new cosmetics only lead to the disease completely erratically their society. If you think about if, Nuskins and OrganInc farms were intentionally meant to keep the human being physical young and in their prime. The idea of these companies and supplements, give the reader the idea that they are made specifically to help the citizens. But in reality these things were made for a money scheme, because Healthwyzer was creating new diseases, intentionally for the citizens to constantly need body part or cosmetic enhancement.
When Crake made Blissplus, it was meant to give the user cosmetic enhancements, but secretly was a contraceptive and had a disease in it. The need of perfection and longevity only brought out a disease that killed you in in such an imperfect way in such a short time.
In our society today, companies and plastic surgery doctors are always introducing new physical enhancements to the human body that sometimes backfire and only harm the body. Many plastic surgery patients end up dying all in the pursuit of keeping their youth and beauty. I find it ironic that some adults tell younger people to grow up and then go on and get some plastic surgery and cosmetics done to them. This constant hypocritical idea that is embedded in our minds to strive for perfection, may lead to our downfall in an imperfect way
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
I do not agree with Crake's statement that "God is a cluster of neurons." Crake is a scientist, so he doesn’t believe that there is one all powerful being that created things. He tries to find a way to through science to find the answer to all things. He also uses science to dismiss the belief in God. Snowman’s myths or origin stories that answer s the Crakers question does enhance my views on spirituality. The Crakers do not know about the origin of their time or much about how they came to be. As humans we do not really know either, but we do have the human desire to want to know how something came to be. Also the stories that Snowman were telling are from word of mouth and the Crakers believe those stories and probably will tell their kids, in fact the stories will most likely be passed on to generations. Majority of biblical events were told from word of mouth before people learned to write, so that means it they could have been made up by someone who wanted answers to why things are the way they are, similar to Greek mythology. All of these stories probably changed over time that is why there are so many different variations in religion and beliefs. At the end of the story the Crakers start to idolize Snowman.
1) Oryx and Crake includes many details that seem futuristic, but are already apparent in our world. What parallels were you able to draw between your own world and that of the novel?
In Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood purposefully makes use of many contemporary features that are either tantamount to ones that we see in our modern society or that are not far out of our technological reach. For example, the hybridization of species in the novel, such as pigoons and rakunks, is similar to new hybridized breeds of dogs that have appeared in our world – surely puggles (pug and poodle), bullboxers (bulldog and boxer), and cadoodles (collie and poodle) are not too different of an idea. We also hybridize crops, such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, to help them reproduce quicker, have more desirable traits, and hold disease and insect-resistant qualities. Not only does this not seem too far off from the hybridization of animal species (if we can do it to plants, then why not to other organisms?), but the use of genetic modification to create a more useful, beneficial product is also widely apparent in the novel. For example, on pg. 199, Crake discusses how at Watson-Crick a goat was crossed with a spider in order to “produce high-tensile spider silk filaments in the milk.” Genetic modification is used in our society as well as the society depicted in Oryx and Crake to serve the advantageous purpose of making things more convenient, profitable, and useful. Another similarity between the two societies would be beauty enhancement procedures, such as the ones performed at RejoovenEsence and AnooYoo. This is analogous to our society’s mentality about the importance of retaining a youthful look and the lengths to which one is willing to go to do so. Botox, breast augmentations, face lifts, and the like are quite congruent to the procedures mentioned in the novel, such as the “six-week AnooYoo follicle-regrowth course” that Jimmy attempted but should’ve “known it was a scam” (pg. 252). The fact that “they were such good ads he’d convinced himself” presents another parallel to our society – the constant exposure to and abundance of advertisements that often do not even work, but are fallaciously hyped up so that people buy them.
Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
Snowman feels compelled to take care of the Crakers, because some part of him wants to uphold his promise to Oryx and Crake. But most importantly he wants to keep his relationship with Oryx alive. On page 344, he demonstrates his determination to take care of the Crakers when he contemplates committing suicide and he imagines Oryx saying "But Jimmy! Why do you give up? You have a job to do! You promised, remember?" I do not believe that the Crakers can survive in our present society, because by nature they are not as conservative as our current society. They are unaware that we must wear clothing in public, and that we do not have wild "blue" rituals. Also the Crakers do not have the emotions that we have such as anger and jealousy and therefore would not be able to understand us. The Crakers are unaware of what exist outside of the genetically modified environment of their society, therefore they would not be able to function in our technologically advanced world.
Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
Technology has had an enormous effect on vocabulary over the past years. With advancement in technology comes changes in language and vocabulary. For example when it comes to texting or chating on a site the expansion of words has decreased meaning that there's an increase in abbreviations. Abbreviations such as LOL (Laugh out Loud), IDK (I Don't Know) or BTW (By The Way). This way of writing affects not just our writing vocabulary but as well as our speech vocabulary. If it is written enough times it may be reflected in the person's speech. Not only does technology effects the length of our vocabulary but also the amount of vocabulary we find. There are hundreds of words being introduced by technology everyday. Most of these words are created from inventions or developments. And as our society creates new technologies there will be new vocabularies to go along with them.
8. Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
First I would like to say I mean no disrespect to anyones faith or beliefs. I speak through my opinion, which is in favor of Crake's ideal that "God is a cluster of neurons", to an extent. Religion has been a method of giving explanations to natural occurances which could not be explained. Currently, we are modernizing and progressing everday, providing those scientific explanations which once were not at the disposal of mankind at the time most all religions were created. In a logical sense, the stories produced and passed on for thousands of centuries have been created and spread in order to satisfy human curiousities and need for answers. Science seems to find it impossible that the Earth was made in a week; however who is to say it was coincidence that two atoms would collide. Perhaps, in my opinion, God is a scientist? However, it is difficult to argue against the facts presented by science. Snowman is the perfect demonstration to show that creationism and religion and mythology is a product of mankind for mankind. To please the need for answer to anyhting that can not be immediately explained. Crake saying God is clusters of neurons could meand God could be just a figment of the human cognition. That we create him/her or them in our eyes to fufil our curiousities and visions.
14. The end of the novel is open, allowing for tantalizing speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity - both within the novel and outside it's pages?
>:l = Amy's face after she read the last line of the novel.
What is going to happen next? I have no idea, which is why I plan to the second book as soon as possible. I predict that Snowman will venture into the other humans' camp. He has to, doesn't he? I don't think Snowman will be able to survive living practically by himself for much longer. He has limited resources, no real human interaction, and possibly a very infected foot which could cost him his life. By interacting with the other humans, Snowman has a better chance at survival. He could share his knowledge with the other Homo sapiens and devise some sort of plan of action for the future with themselves and the Crakers.
In the novel, I don't think it is possible for the human population to recover. From what Snowman can see there are 3 men, including himself, and 1 woman. I believe the Crakers will continue to strive and multiply; Crake enabled them with the necessary traits and knowledge to survive in the harshest situations. It would take months or maybe even years for Snowman and the other humans to find people of their kind, that is if anyone else even survived the outbreak. As for humanity today, I think we are in a downhill spiral. Majority of people stress concern for all the wrong reasons; ignorance will be the death of society. Things are bound to get out of control some day and I don't think anything will change until some catastrophic event takes place and by that time it could be too late, just as in Oryx and Crake.
8. Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
Crake claims that he's eliminated the "G-spot in the brain," which correlates to God being "a cluster of neurons," is completely arguable. When claiming such accomplishment, I disagree with Crake, yes Crake did remove God, as in the one that our society believes in, but he created another God for the Crakers. The Craker society thus believes in Crake as their God, they praise him as some sort of God, they believe that Crake watches over them during the day. So if Crake was to have eliminated such religious beliefs, holding a God or anyone to a higher standard, he's preaching a false belief due to the fact that his Crakers hold him to that standard. Crake being a scientist, a numbers person, would attempt to convince people that there is no such thing as a God. As it is seen Crake experimented with the trial of getting rid of the "G-spot" which parallels to Crake's scientific views in which that God truly doesn't exist and that everything has a scientific reasoning of being. If God doesn't exist, then Crake thus becomes the reason for creation, making him the God, or higher being to the Crakers and in reality never truly eliminating these "cluster of neurons." Snowman's stories on creation enhance the views of spirituality. In every culture there is a story of origin, leading back to the beginning, the point in time when such religion was created. But those who follow these God's rarely know the same exact story due to the fact that most religions were created over centuries ago. Just like Crake, to the Crakers, those who religion holds to a pedestal is a figment of the followers imagination. The Crakers don't know if what Snowman is telling them are facts, the same way most people now-a-days simply believe what they are told and don't argue the facts of possibilities.
Crake's comment that "God is a cluster of neurons" and the impossibility to create functioning human beings without the presence of spirituality really says a great deal about the innate need to believe in something. Coming purely from my own opinions and not to offend anyone else, I honestly don't feel like there's some old man sitting up in the clouds dictating all of my actions and planning a path for my future. However, I find that the ideals which spirituality and religion possess are ones in which we all depend on, even if we don't see it per say. Hope, belief, a reason for existing, having a purpose; these are all innate characteristics which we possess in order to lead enriching lives. That's why I feel it was so difficult for Crake to eradicate religious experiences from the Crakers' lives. That even though they were their own species of sorts- a blank slate of experiences, abilities, cultures they had the unspoken drive to believe in something. This says boundless amounts on the human condition and the need to feel wanted and believe in something despite the places we live in or the cultures we have grown and learned from.
11.In the world of Oryx and Crake, almost everything is for sale, and a great deal of power is now in the hands of large corporations and their private security forces. There are already more private police in North America than there are public ones. What are the advantages of such a system? What are the dangers?
Having a private security force has advantages because when your private you are screened and people hire the best of the best. Private security is put at a higher level and are expected to be better,faster, and successful at their job. Being private you are watched over more and your pay is dependent on your performance. Unlike public security where anyone can go in complete easy requirements and then get a job. One of my teachers who was a former police officer told me he had a co-worker that never went out on the field;he just stayed in the office and when five came he was the first to clock out. This shows how public security isn't worried about peoples safety and are just worried about getting their money. The disadvantages of private security is there willingness to do anything to accomplish tasks set before them. If they have to cheat, lie,or kill they will do it. Private security only follows one set of rules and those are the rules handed to them by their boss. They could care less about laws and consequences that come with them.
10.Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
Snowman notices the innocence of the Crakers which prompts him to want to protect the Crakers. Even if they will never comprehend him, he still finds the need to look after them, also feeling guilty if he doesn't. Jimmy always wondered if Crake knew about his intimate relationship with Oryx, so when they were killed, their departure contributed to him wanting to protect the Crakers. Crake designed the Crakers specifically for them not to be able to fit into our society. Unaware of racism, there are many in our “modern-day” society that would look down upon the Crakers for being open to being with others of different skin colors. With no religion, sense of superiority, or violence the Crakers would have a hard time adjusting to our society. Yet their lack of art, wouldn't affect them especially since art has taken the back seat in our society.
The ending of the novel is open, allowing for tantalising speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity-both within the novel, and outside its pages?
Snowman’s future is based upon the path that he chooses, Whether or not to kill the other humans or communicate with them. If he chooses to not approach the other humans then he would alienate himself from other human beings just like him and if he does approach them he is embracing the fact that he isn’t the last of his kind. I think that snowman won’t approach the other human because once they come in contact with the Crakers everything that Snowman has taught them will be contradicted because they we probably tell them otherwise and Snowman will no longer be credible. As for humanity within their world, nothing will ever be the same. Everyone has been destroyed and the only people that walk the world are the Crakers and Snowman. If earth’s population would be restored it would be by the Crakers and not actual humans. They will be ignorant and naive as they are now and the will depend on Snowman for as long as he is around. And once he is gone they will learn to fend for themselves. In our society humans are on the verge of becoming something similar to their society because we have everything that they had such as making organs outside of the body and others. We also take the materialistic things to heart. We try to beautify our world around us including ourselves with procedures such as plastic surgery. People today are killing themselves closely but surely.
Number 8 When Crake says that “God is a cluster of neurons,” I believe that he is saying that the belief in god or a higher being is just something that is programmed into the brain and can be removed. His statement is contradicted, when he himself cannot remove the right amount of the brain to eliminate the belief of a higher being without creating “zombies or psychopaths.” I personally believe that god is not just a bunch of neurons in someone’s brain. Higher beings are a mental belief to one cope with life’s unanswered questions. Snowman’s stories have enhanced my views on spirituality and hit it evolves. It shows how religion is necessary in every culture and is culture specific. Just as in real life, Snowman’s stories answer the Craker’s life mysteries. Snowman develops a how-life-came-to-be story so that the Crakers no longer have to question how they got there. Many other religions have similar stories that describe how life came to be, just like Snowman’s.
6. The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity,much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
The technologically advanced society in Oryx and Crake put a large emphasis on pills that would improve the physical characteristics of it's citizens. The population was unaware that companies secretly added viruses to the pills with the intent of allowing disease to spread throughout society. Since technology had previously eradicated the threat of disease, companies often resorted to developing new viruses in order to retain the value of professions such as doctors. This business strategy would ultimately lead to the destruction of civilization. It is ironic that society emphasizes both physical perfection and longevity because it is almost impossible to gain one without giving up the other. In Oryx and Crake, people took pills such as BlyssPluss to physically improve themselves, leading to disastrous consequences in the future. This behavior is apparent in today's society as well. Commonly used appliances such as tanning beds are known to cause cancer, but individuals still choose to use them to enhance their appearance. Many people focus on short-term gains, while ignoring long-term consequences.
Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures? No, I do not agree with Crake that “God is a cluster of neurons,” unless that individual wants Him to be. Due to each person’s superior influences, environment, and/or people that they surround themselves with, their opinions form. The perception of God being classified as just a cluster of neurons shows the type of barrier the subject held in Crake’s mind. Looking into each word, cluster represents a group being small or large in a jumble state, then for Crake to have the audacity to take what certain people believe so profoundly in, to describe it as a mere set of neurons is bold. The statement also exposes his thought process on God, and not ever having the experience to think of Him beyond being just a thought. And even if he did experience anything, you can tell that Crake’s results weren’t successful in his eyes. Snowman’s origin stories enhance my views on spirituality because I believe in the Bible. Due to my honest commitment to religion, I stand firm on what I believe in, and instead of going by what others tell me, I find out by reading. The way Snowman just makes up stories for a group of people to believe, so they can leave him alone, and stop wondering about the unknown; makes me wonder about half the stories I’ve been told and believe in. I think the reason people accept stories is because it’s frustrating to constantly allow imagination to create an ongoing puzzle for the brain, because since you were not there to see for yourself, you are forced to either believe or not believe what someone with an answer is telling you. So me, believing in my origin stories, everything that attempts to oppose it, it just become stronger, because that is the way my belief has conditioned me too. Religious stories evolve among various cultures because everyone has different interpretations regarding everything; and it is rare if two people exactly do not. As generations increase, I believe that oral, and written information will eventually be altered, thus creating different interpretation then it is thought. And I am positive that majority of the time, the information is misinterpreted compared to its initial purpose. In every culture, they believe that their way is right, but should not they all know that if each one s different one or more of those origins has to be false; because there is really only one truth, different interpretations are nourished to believe.
One aspect of the novel's society is the virtual elimination of the middle class. Economic and intellectual disparities, as well as the disappearance of safe public space, allow for few alternatives: People live either in the tightly controlled Compounds of the elites, or in the more open but seedier and more dangerous Pleeblands. Where would your community find itself in the world of Oryx and Crake?
My community is more of a Compound society. In my area, things are organized and the environment is kept in good shape. The people are friendly and well educated. The news also keeps us informed about things going on. Police officers are around every corner and help protect and keep my community be a safe place. My community does have its problems, but a big meeting with concerned people helps clear issues up in the best way it can.
In Oryx and Crake, a Pleebland is where criminals and dangerous individuals are held, much like a prison or jail. Where I live is nothing like a penetentiary. Cops help rid my community of people that make it unsafe.
3. The game 'Extinctathon' emerges as a key component in the novel. Jimmy and Crake also play 'Barbarian Stomp' and 'Blood and Roses'. What comparable video games do you know of? Discuss the advantages and dangers of virtual reality. Is the novel form itself a sort of virtual reality?
Games that compare to the one in Oryx and Crake include games such as Ages of Empires in which one competes as a specific civilization that sets out to destroy another civilization. One can play as the Spaniards and compete against another team playing as the English, and these two civilizations will go to war until one capitualtes or is anihilated. The advantages of virtual reality games are that they help to spur imagination as well as give a bit of insight on different social aspects such as historical happenings. Even games such as Extinctaton had certain educational merits proving that virtual reality has the capability of providing easily accessible benefits. However, it is also dangerous for it desensitizes the player and makes him or her lose touch with reality. The entire novel is like a virtual reality because it is filled with things such as pigoons and wolvogs that are obviously not in existence.
The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
Throughout history, perfection is usually been something that the society would like to reach, and that is exactly what the society was trying to do in the novel. The people in the society tried so hard to look good that they started a factory that grew new skin. This was suppose to get rid of all wrinkles and keep these people looking young, but when they tried it out, it made the people look sick and frightening. This was a definite parallel to our society right now because we are just about doing the same thing. We have not gotten to the point of actually growing our own skin, but we have created things like botox that freezes the skin and keeps it from wrinkling. We also have face lifts where the skin on the face is literally pulled back so that the wrinkled and sagging parts will be pulled out. We even have things like lipo suction and other plastic surgeries that deal with making people “beautiful”. The problem with both is that natural beauty is still basically non-existent. The majority of everyone is trying to look the same instead of embracing their individuality. The society in the novel is also striving for prolonging life buy growing organs for people so that when a person’s organs get old or worn out, they can easily replace it, and our society is not far from that. We are already in the process of growing things outside of the body, just like the novel’s society. The bad part about it is, we try so hard to gain longer lives, but a majority of these surgeries could be responsible for shortening a person’s live so what seems to be so good, really isn’t that good.
6. The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
In both Margaret Atwood's fictional society and our own modern society, the obsession with "perfection" and physical immortality remains a tantalizing quest constantly sought out by humanity. This idea of complete, and undeniable perfection conveys the impression of stark uniformity, contradicting the imperfections that have come to define human nature. The many pills, creams, and supplements, that are advertised as perfecting humanities own shortcomings are in their own self, ultimately the catalyst for our own eventual downfall. Theoretically, if so-called perfection is truly attainable, the limit of of "perfection" is capped, yet the constant human desire for something more will always be present, likely leading to humanity caving in on itself. (A Catch-22?)
In nature truly nothing can be perfect, yet humanities constant effort to play god (in an effort to achieve perfection/survival) has resulted in the very destruction of humanity as a species, providing a ironic twist to its originally intended purpose. Ultimately, perfection among humanity remains virtually unattainable. To stamp out the innate imperfections (that have come to define our very nature) is to destroy the very fabric that defines what it is to be human. In the end, humanities fixation on so-called "miracle products" is what will ultimately bring about our final demise.
Question number 1: Oryx and Crake includes many details that seem futuristic, but are already apparent in our world. What parallels were you able to draw between your own world and that of the novel?
Margaret Atwood's use of futuristic technologies that are not so distant from today's innovation exemplifies Atwood's attitude that humankind is not far from destroying itself by playing god. New technology such as splicing plants and animals is evident in today's society with the splicing of donkeys and horses to make mules and splicing lions and tigers to make ligers. Also plant splicing with crops to make them more resistant to weather conditions and pests is evident in today's society. Mankind is constantly striving to improve life and make it more efficient, in consequence there is a loss of quality and value to the product. For example, over producing crops in order to feed more people only leads to a loss of nutritional value in the food itself. Innovations such as genetically modified food like the ChickenNobs and SoyoBoy products in Oryx and Crake are not actually real food. The product is not real, authentic chicken or Soy, its fake. In the end this will only deplete human quality and eventually destroy ourselves. Vanessa Whitney Block 2
(#2) Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
Like OMG in tha past 5 years the english language has turned into abbreviation lol :)
I personally make an effort not to shorten any words instead I strive to use them in the manner in which they were created for. Unfortuantly in the past five years, Facebook, Myspace, texting etc. has become the primary way people communicate, and we live in a world where everything must be faster, and what better what then to convey what you mean by saying it in a faser/shorter manner.
14. The ending of the novel is open, allowing for tantalising speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity-both within the novel, and outside its pages?
The end of the novel is definitely very broad, and open. I envision Snowman's future as bleak, he seems to have gone down hill throughout the novel. I envision him coming up to the other "survivors" and speaking with them, explaining his situation and possibly starting somewhat of a friendship. As far as the human race itself, its future in the novel hinges on what Snowman does when he meets the others, or if he does. For the human race outside of the novel, the future depends on others taking action and getting out there and doing something to change the road we are going down, such as Crake trying to alter the way humans thought. We cannot continue to sit and believe someone else will do it for us. If all of this comes together both in the novel and out, the human race has a future and there is hope.
8) Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
I think that when Crake says that “God is a cluster of neurons,” he means to say that the belief in god or a higher power is just something that is hard-wired into the human brain and is as dispensable and flighting as political opinion or morals; the things that you personally develop throughout your life based on experiences. Crake contradicts his own statement when he himself cannot remove the specific part of the brain to rid the belief of a god, or higher being, without turning people into “zombies or psychopaths.” Snoman's myths answer the Craker's questions of where they've come from, who created them, etc. The development of a creation story so the Craker's no longer wonder about their creation. I believe that god is more than a "cluster of neurons" in someone’s brain. The belief in a higher being is a coping mechanism for humans to deal with the idea of a "higer being" and unanswered spiritual questions, etc. that cannot be determined by the Average Joe walking down the street. Snowman’s creation myths allow the Crakers to have their own religion, and spirituality. This part of the novel shows how religion is specific based on culture and environment.
1) There are many parallels between the world that Atwood created in Oryx and Crake, and the world that we live in. the technological advancements that we have made in the current era have brought us very close to the same dystopia that Snowman lives in. First of all we are advancing towards the development of organ carrying hosts, such as piggoons. We have already been able to grow artificial organs in science labs. It is not to long of a stretch for us to predict the use of hosts. Our development in the medical area is also as ground breaking, and frankly as scary, as the medical development in Oryx and Crake. The use of pills to spread diseases is something that may be implemented as biological warfare. Biological warfare is already being developed to be used against the various enemies that we've created. the AnooYoo company is very similar to the plastic surgery industry that is widely used throughout the US. The obsession with body image and outer beauty can be seen both in the book and in our society. People are obsessed with how they look and how people see them, and therefore they search for ways to change the way they look. It is statistically proven that many people choose the candidates they vote for based on how they look, and not the policies they stand for. This exemplifies our obsession with beauty and youth. The same thing can be seen in the book through the use of BlyssPluss pills to be eternally young and beautiful. Lastly genetic splicing is not far off in the future. We have already made advancements in the area of cloning, which leads one to believe that the study of genetics is rapidly advancing. It's not hard to imagine the future of genetic engineering coming close to the expertise that is displayed in the book.
Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
Overall, the vocabulary of the general population has deteriorated. Abbreviations take place of many words in writing. Recently I have heard these abbreviations used in daily conversation such as, "that is totes adorbs" standing in place of "that is totally adorable". Technology is shaping our vocabulary usage, or lack there of. Laziness and convenience account for the abbreviations. In middle school I thought it was pretty cool to type in abbreviations and would refute my parents when they said the only way I was allowed on instant messaging was if I typed properly. Now I refuse to use abbreviations when I type, whether it is in an instant message, email, or text message, I believe it influences how I am perceived; proper English implies some intelligence. There are times when I mistakenly use an improper form of writing when typing, but hearing how silly people sound when they use a limited, low vocabulary, it makes me want to increase my realm of diction.
1.) There are many parallels between the world that Atwood created in Oryx and Crake, and the world that we live in. the technological advancements that we have made in the current era have brought us very close to the same dystopia that Snowman lives in.
First to answer this question look to the more abstract ideas including the divergence in the classes and the social makeup of the society. In today's day and age we can see that survival is made significantly easier for those with not just the capabilities to achieve them but the luck of being born into it. There is a large enough gap in education to thoroughly prevent certain categories of people, like those in public education, to achieve as much as those born into luck and success and go to private schools. Now this compares to the pleeblands and the compounds thoroughly dejecting people to their placement.
Look now to the technological aspects of the society including the genetic design of animals and people. As of now people, simply on a whim can design their nose anyway they desire it making nature and natural beauty entirely obsolete with this disparity one sees the separation of technology and man slowly subside forming into one being entirely dependent upon it's two half's, tech and blood.
Also on the technological aspect the playing with god and the creation of animals through science is much like the new breakthroughs in cloning that have allowed for a development that prevents nature from adapting to the world on it's own. This dependency also explains the weakness of humanity that is prevalent in this world to such a degree that when the dependency on a pill killed so many only a few survived.
2. Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
Technology has changed my vocabulary in making me extremely LAZY! If I don't know a higher level word I'll put a simple word and then look it up on a thesaurus website. For spelling, I guess as best I can and then hit spell check. Even capitalizing letters at the beginning of a sentence, I don't even bother doing most of the time because I use the spell check. Texting also, has made myself lazy. I don't spell out words, I use symbols, often the texts defy every english grammer rule ever made. Everything is about speed and getting the point across, instead of using language as an art form, now our brains have become lazy and we sit on the couch like apes saying, "Ohhh pretty pictures!..."
If you had the chance to fabricate an improved human being, would you do it? If so, what features would you choose to incorporate? Why would these be better than what we've got? Your model must of course be biologically viable.
I would definitely fabricate an improved human being the first chance I got. I would incorporate limited emotional ability, the ability to be happy while knowing the truth, and a chemical characteristic in men which triggers how to be a father and accept responsibility. Limiting emotional ability would give people a better understanding of what things should be important and those that should not. I believe people send too much time crying and less time being happy, which is probably why society is filled with drama and people who would rather spend more time working than enjoying life.
Happiness while knowing the truth is the first characteristic that I would incorporate. Most people do not know how to handle the truth and would rather live their lives filled with lies. I feel that knowing the truth is the best way to be happy because any one can desire to be happy after knowing the truth. However, for those who do not know how to do this, they would be fabricated with this characteristic. In society today, there is an surplus of children, but a deficit of fathers who take care of their responsibility. Crime, mental abnormalities, and social disorder occur because a lot of children grow up without the presence of a father. Mothers would also benefit from this characteristic because their would not be as much financial struggles as there are now. I think the reason why most men do not take care of their responsibilities is because they are not taught how to and they did not grow up with a male figure who taught them when they were young.
This would be better that what we have now because a lot of the problems that are present now are a product of a lack of these characteristics.
Q: Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
A: Snowman feels compelled to protect the benign Crakers because of Oryx. Oryx treated these Crakers like her children and she asked Snowman to take care of them if anything ever happened to her. Since Snowman was so in love with Oryx, he promised her that he would take care of the Crakers. They can never be his close friends because they are not human like him. Crake made them different and so they do not understand anything that Snowman might tell them, therefore he could never be close to them. Snowman can simply make up anything and they will believe him, therefore they can never have a close relationships. I don't believe that the Crakers would be able to survive in our own society. Crake made these people basically the opposite of us, so there would be no way that they could survive in our world. These creatures do not have minds of there own, but simply listen wo whatever people tell them. Therefore, they would have a hard time living in our society. In addition, our society is filled with greed, lust, fake people, and bad things like war, which are some of the many things that the Crakers were created to not ab aware of. All of these reasons would make their survival hard in our society.
2. There have been a few different ways in which technology has effected my vocabulary in the last five years. For one, i now regularly use terms like "ipod", "iphone" or "HDTV". I, along with everyone else, am now so familiar with the terms that accompany new technology that it has become entirely commonplace to use them. In addition to this, with the advent of things like text messaging, facebook, and blogging; i have become much less concerned with the proper spelling of words, this technological culture has made my vocabulary extremely lazy. Now certain words tat aren't even real words are common in my vocabulary; examples include; "lol" "idk" and other terms that were invented for he internet, but have worked there way into the everyday vernacular. It is clear that advancing technology is thoroughly affecting vocabulary.
Crake's statement reveals the truth that humankind has created the concept of God based on faith rather than phsical evidence. Religion was created to explain the inexplicable in both the novel and in real life.In the novel for example, Snowman struggles to communicate his thoughts with the Crakers and is left to create reasonings that they may understand of their level of mental capacity. Snowman therefore inadvertently deifies Oryx and Crake.
8. Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteCrake’s claim that “God is a cluster of neurons” aims at making God appear less than most people claim him to be. For lack of better terms, Crake seems to be trying to knock God off of his high horse. My religious background is causing me to strongly disagree with the claim; however I do comprehend why there can be trouble in eradicating religious experiences. I believe it is so because religion is so deeply established into people that it becomes as important and necessary as breathing. Religion is not only characterized by the act of going to church or worshiping someone or something, it is more along the lines of believing that there is some form of higher power out there in the universe. I believe anyone, even those who don’t believe that there is a God, do believe that there is a higher power in some form. So removing religion or strong instinct is generally similar to taking a piece of someone’s soul. The fact that religion has been existent for such a long period of time makes it a human instinct. So picture Crake removing our ability to think rationally or physically move or any extremely necessary human aptitude that we possess.
Snowman’s origin stories at one point made me doubt my views on spirituality. It sort of made me believe that Margaret Atwood was mocking those who believe in the spiritual world. Atwood makes it seem as if the stories of Adam and Eve and such are all figments of somebody’s imagination. (Which I find insulting!) So what if people use spirituality as means to explain the unexplainable? Spirituality keeps us all sane; it truly is the basis of everything. Because it is spirituality that lead to what society now upholds as all mighty: science. Snowman’s stories did make me question my faith, nevertheless I came to the realization that I will stick to my beliefs. No matter how Crake or Snowman interpret God and spirituality it is all part of the human existence. It is something that the human race will never be able to let go of.
---Georgette Taluy
---Block 4 =D
6.The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
ReplyDeleteSociety within Oryx and Crake strived to become perfect beings, with the ability to live on forever. The irony in finding this perfect solution, became the catalyst to the destruction of the human race. My interpretation of this effect is because perfection is not something that can be reached, but only a marker to how close you are to idealism. In a ficticious world, rightfully paralleled to ours, their idea of perfection was achieved- which left for no progress to change within the human race. The stability of society is based on that progression towards the perfect idealistic condition, but once its achieved, the proverbial system grinds to a halt and, in effect, falls apart. Mustapha Mond in Brave New World describes a world in which has reached its stopping point as "once those gears stop, the whole world falls apart". Just as in our own society, this is the cause of perfection and our strive for it keeps the world going. The difference between our world and the world in Oryx and Crake; they have grinded to a halt and fell apart, while we are still heading in that direction. It may never happen for our world, because the one-sided perfection may never be achieved. Ironically, that is our perfection; the balance between euphoria and chaos.
Isaac Amor
Block 4 :3
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with Crake's statement that "God is a cluster of neurons" To a certain extend I can understand Crakes thoughts on religion. He thinks every scientifically unlike Jimmy who has the ability think more abstractly, which is what allows him to create a myth that the Crakers believe. The only way that Crake is able to understand religion is scientifically therefore he believes he can eliminate it.
I understand yet completely disagree with the idea that Crake wants to carry out in the novel of eliminating religion all together.Because he is correct in saying that without religion or any types of idolizing all you would have is something like a zombie. It is made clear that this will never quite work, for example, in the end of the book when the Crakers find all the different objects to put together and make something symbolizes Snowman.
The origin stories that Snowman tells definitely enhance my views on how religion and spirituality evolves in cultures. Everything is created and passed on through word of mouth. After Snowman explains more and more to the Crakers about Crake and other concepts they don't understand, the more interested they become and the less desensitized they become. I believe that Crake did indeed try his hardest to eliminate the idea of god and religion, yet he became their god.
-Andrea Siluk Block 2
Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
ReplyDeleteMore then anything Snowman feels compelled to protect the Crakers because he promised Oryx and in a way Crake as well. Oryx makes sure that Jimmy promises her that despite what happens to her that he will protect the children of Crake. His devotion and adoration for Oryx is the one thing that keeps Jimmy going in his quest for protection. He feels compelled to protect them because in his eyes it is a way to stay connected to Oryx herself and keep her memory alive through them. Before killing Oryx, Crake makes the same request only ambiguously. I think that Jimmy is subconsciously carrying those orders out by providing for the Crakers and maintaining Crake’s plan. More then that, Jimmy is compelled to protect the Crakers because he is a good human being. He knows that they are defenseless and that without him they could not survive. He feels for them because despite the fact that they can not relate to him they are still some form of company and connection to his humanity and to Oryx. He feels that it is his duty to protect them because he assist in their creation in the first place and in the reason as to why they can not be safe and hidden in a bubble any longer. His guilt makes him act as a protector to the Crakers along with his duty to maintain his word.
I do not think that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society. They are too trusting and naïve. They also fail to follow the norms that we have in society due to Crake’s modifications.Without certain decorum ( think of how they approached the humans at the end of the novel) they would stand out within society. Another thing would be their appearance. They are beautiful beings and that might make them a target in society. Their lack of understanding of the natural environment and food choice would be the furthest thing from pragmatic to their survival. Another thing would be their respect for the world and their lack of certain pre-conscribed stigmas. Their respect surpass that of our societies, they would surely be appalled and overwhelmed by our lack of respect for Oryx’s children. Another thing would be the stigmas and they can not understand. This would make them outcasts within our society, hindering their mobility within it.
7. One aspect of the novel's society is the virtual elimination of the middle class. Economic and intellectual disparities, as well as the disappearance of safe public space, allow for few alternatives: People live either in the tightly controlled Compounds of the elites, or in the more open but seedier and more dangerous Pleeblands. Where would your community find itself in the world of Oryx and Crake?
ReplyDeleteI would say that my community is somewhat of a mixture of both. The controlled Compounds were safe, yet all the people residing there share the same salary of wealth and all have common goals in life to achieve high. The Pleeblands, however, are characterized as unsafe because of constant desperation of the lower class citizens and no hope of anything at all.
My community would fit within the middle of both definitions because everyone in my community shares a common goal and are economically similar yet we still endure tough times due to altercations with criminals.
My community has suffered from unsafe times and can also be defined as being a pleebland but overall the people in the community band together in order to maintain the safety for future generations. That is where the elitist point comes in when determining my community.
Francheska Periche
Block 4
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteCrake's statement,"God is a cluster of neurons," holds that religion is only a feeling, that it is minimal and has no true foundation as further validated by Snowman's creation myths. It is clear what view is portrayed through Crake's statements, yet it doesn't negate my views on spiritually. In class we often discuss that each culture creates its own myth of how we all came to be, and it amazes me that such a wide variety of people accept the same ideas. I disagree with Crake that " God is a cluster of neurons," simply because of the experiences in my life. I believe that Crake's character is based on what can be proved and what works best for society validated through science. Snowman's origin stories do not enhance or weaken my spiritual views at all and enhances my belief in how it spreads among many different cultures.
The ending of the novel is open, allowing for tantalising speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity-both within the novel, and outside its pages?
ReplyDeleteSnowman's future is entirely dependent on the choices he makes. If he chooses to confront the humans, whether abrasively or not, he will open himself up to the possiblities of future exposure to humanity. If he does not, he risks alienation for the rest of his life. Although he has the Crakers, he does not have any sort of stimulating conversation or any sort of real interaction with anybody.
I think Snowman will eventually decide to go and interact with the other human beings. I think that he will still feel the obligation to Oryx and Crake to protect the Crakers, but I think that he will come up with a plan of action along with the remaining human beings. I think that Snowman will find something to live for again. I envision that Snowman will begin to form ideas in his head to try and rebuild humanity with the survivors he finds.
I think that while humanity in the novel will never be restored to its former state, it will eventually be restored, and leave the future open to rebuilding and revitalizing society. The humanity in the novel will not have to be sunject to former problems, such as overpopulation or sharply dwindling resources. Humanity will never be able to be at the state it was formerly, but I think that they will learn when to draw the line when it comes to technology. BlyssPluss and animal hybrids will be eliminated and humanity will be allowed to flourish somewhat once more.
The future of humanity in the world today is on the line to become similar to humanity in the novel. So many people stress aesthetic beauty and longevity. They do not want to grow old or face the changes in aesthetic that comes with time. They would rather put the only body they have on the line and fill it with potentially dangerous drugs and toxins. If humanity wants a fighting chance, priorities need to be changed soon. If not, we drift towards catastrophe, much like in the pages of Oryx and Crake.
Holly Denton
Block 2
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteThroughout mankind, time has shown that humanity needs some explanation as to how the world was created. When Crake states "God is a cluster of neurons", I tend to agree despite my religious beliefs. In times of loneliness and solitude, humans have shown tendencies to grasp on to religion. Crakes statement could also be backed up by the character John in Brave New World. People need some explanation for the way things are, which (as history has shown) has lead to the creation of idols, gods, and the vast amount of religions existing to this day. Snowman's origin stories definitely shine a light on spirituality for me. When questions that seem to have no answer need to be satisfied, people make up things to soothe the anxiety that comes along with the unknown. Also, Snowman's creation of the origin stories enhance Crakes point that "God is a cluster of neurons", because it takes these neurons to think up a God (or story) about the creation of life.
7.The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the quest for physical perfection and longevity only lead to the societies downfall, because the constant need for new cosmetics only lead to the disease completely erratically their society. If you think about if, Nuskins and OrganInc farms were intentionally meant to keep the human being physical young and in their prime. The idea of these companies and supplements, give the reader the idea that they are made specifically to help the citizens. But in reality these things were made for a money scheme, because Healthwyzer was creating new diseases, intentionally for the citizens to constantly need body part or cosmetic enhancement.
When Crake made Blissplus, it was meant to give the user cosmetic enhancements, but secretly was a contraceptive and had a disease in it. The need of perfection and longevity only brought out a disease that killed you in in such an imperfect way in such a short time.
In our society today, companies and plastic surgery doctors are always introducing new physical enhancements to the human body that sometimes backfire and only harm the body. Many plastic surgery patients end up dying all in the pursuit of keeping their youth and beauty. I find it ironic that some adults tell younger people to grow up and then go on and get some plastic surgery and cosmetics done to them. This constant hypocritical idea that is embedded in our minds to strive for perfection, may lead to our downfall in an imperfect way
8.Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with Crake's statement that "God is a cluster of neurons." Crake is a scientist, so he doesn’t believe that there is one all powerful being that created things. He tries to find a way to through science to find the answer to all things. He also uses science to dismiss the belief in God. Snowman’s myths or origin stories that answer s the Crakers question does enhance my views on spirituality. The Crakers do not know about the origin of their time or much about how they came to be. As humans we do not really know either, but we do have the human desire to want to know how something came to be. Also the stories that Snowman were telling are from word of mouth and the Crakers believe those stories and probably will tell their kids, in fact the stories will most likely be passed on to generations. Majority of biblical events were told from word of mouth before people learned to write, so that means it they could have been made up by someone who wanted answers to why things are the way they are, similar to Greek mythology. All of these stories probably changed over time that is why there are so many different variations in religion and beliefs. At the end of the story the Crakers start to idolize Snowman.
1) Oryx and Crake includes many details that seem futuristic, but are already apparent in our world. What parallels were you able to draw between your own world and that of the novel?
ReplyDeleteIn Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood purposefully makes use of many contemporary features that are either tantamount to ones that we see in our modern society or that are not far out of our technological reach. For example, the hybridization of species in the novel, such as pigoons and rakunks, is similar to new hybridized breeds of dogs that have appeared in our world – surely puggles (pug and poodle), bullboxers (bulldog and boxer), and cadoodles (collie and poodle) are not too different of an idea. We also hybridize crops, such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, to help them reproduce quicker, have more desirable traits, and hold disease and insect-resistant qualities. Not only does this not seem too far off from the hybridization of animal species (if we can do it to plants, then why not to other organisms?), but the use of genetic modification to create a more useful, beneficial product is also widely apparent in the novel. For example, on pg. 199, Crake discusses how at Watson-Crick a goat was crossed with a spider in order to “produce high-tensile spider silk filaments in the milk.” Genetic modification is used in our society as well as the society depicted in Oryx and Crake to serve the advantageous purpose of making things more convenient, profitable, and useful.
Another similarity between the two societies would be beauty enhancement procedures, such as the ones performed at RejoovenEsence and AnooYoo. This is analogous to our society’s mentality about the importance of retaining a youthful look and the lengths to which one is willing to go to do so. Botox, breast augmentations, face lifts, and the like are quite congruent to the procedures mentioned in the novel, such as the “six-week AnooYoo follicle-regrowth course” that Jimmy attempted but should’ve “known it was a scam” (pg. 252). The fact that “they were such good ads he’d convinced himself” presents another parallel to our society – the constant exposure to and abundance of advertisements that often do not even work, but are fallaciously hyped up so that people buy them.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
ReplyDeleteSnowman feels compelled to take care of the Crakers, because some part of him wants to uphold his promise to Oryx and Crake. But most importantly he wants to keep his relationship with Oryx alive. On page 344, he demonstrates his determination to take care of the Crakers when he contemplates committing suicide and he imagines Oryx saying "But Jimmy! Why do you give up? You have a job to do! You promised, remember?"
I do not believe that the Crakers can survive in our present society, because by nature they are not as conservative as our current society. They are unaware that we must wear clothing in public, and that we do not have wild "blue" rituals. Also the Crakers do not have the emotions that we have such as anger and jealousy and therefore would not be able to understand us. The Crakers are unaware of what exist outside of the genetically modified environment of their society, therefore they would not be able to function in our technologically advanced world.
Danielle Malcolm
Block 4
Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
ReplyDeleteTechnology has had an enormous effect on vocabulary over the past years. With advancement in technology comes changes in language and vocabulary. For example when it comes to texting or chating on a site the expansion of words has decreased meaning that there's an increase in abbreviations. Abbreviations such as LOL (Laugh out Loud), IDK (I Don't Know) or BTW (By The Way). This way of writing affects not just our writing vocabulary but as well as our speech vocabulary. If it is written enough times it may be reflected in the person's speech. Not only does technology effects the length of our vocabulary but also the amount of vocabulary we find. There are hundreds of words being introduced by technology everyday. Most of these words are created from inventions or developments. And as our society creates new technologies there will be new vocabularies to go along with them.
Ginette Norvelus
Block #2
8. Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteFirst I would like to say I mean no disrespect to anyones faith or beliefs. I speak through my opinion, which is in favor of Crake's ideal that "God is a cluster of neurons", to an extent. Religion has been a method of giving explanations to natural occurances which could not be explained. Currently, we are modernizing and progressing everday, providing those scientific explanations which once were not at the disposal of mankind at the time most all religions were created. In a logical sense, the stories produced and passed on for thousands of centuries have been created and spread in order to satisfy human curiousities and need for answers. Science seems to find it impossible that the Earth was made in a week; however who is to say it was coincidence that two atoms would collide. Perhaps, in my opinion, God is a scientist? However, it is difficult to argue against the facts presented by science. Snowman is the perfect demonstration to show that creationism and religion and mythology is a product of mankind for mankind. To please the need for answer to anyhting that can not be immediately explained. Crake saying God is clusters of neurons could meand God could be just a figment of the human cognition. That we create him/her or them in our eyes to fufil our curiousities and visions.
Bryana Bell
B4
14. The end of the novel is open, allowing for tantalizing speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity - both within the novel and outside it's pages?
ReplyDelete>:l = Amy's face after she read the last line of the novel.
What is going to happen next? I have no idea, which is why I plan to the second book as soon as possible. I predict that Snowman will venture into the other humans' camp. He has to, doesn't he? I don't think Snowman will be able to survive living practically by himself for much longer. He has limited resources, no real human interaction, and possibly a very infected foot which could cost him his life. By interacting with the other humans, Snowman has a better chance at survival. He could share his knowledge with the other Homo sapiens and devise some sort of plan of action for the future with themselves and the Crakers.
In the novel, I don't think it is possible for the human population to recover. From what Snowman can see there are 3 men, including himself, and 1 woman. I believe the Crakers will continue to strive and multiply; Crake enabled them with the necessary traits and knowledge to survive in the harshest situations. It would take months or maybe even years for Snowman and the other humans to find people of their kind, that is if anyone else even survived the outbreak. As for humanity today, I think we are in a downhill spiral. Majority of people stress concern for all the wrong reasons; ignorance will be the death of society. Things are bound to get out of control some day and I don't think anything will change until some catastrophic event takes place and by that time it could be too late, just as in Oryx and Crake.
Amy Marshall
Block 2
8. Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteCrake claims that he's eliminated the "G-spot in the brain," which correlates to God being "a cluster of neurons," is completely arguable. When claiming such accomplishment, I disagree with Crake, yes Crake did remove God, as in the one that our society believes in, but he created another God for the Crakers. The Craker society thus believes in Crake as their God, they praise him as some sort of God, they believe that Crake watches over them during the day. So if Crake was to have eliminated such religious beliefs, holding a God or anyone to a higher standard, he's preaching a false belief due to the fact that his Crakers hold him to that standard.
Crake being a scientist, a numbers person, would attempt to convince people that there is no such thing as a God. As it is seen Crake experimented with the trial of getting rid of the "G-spot" which parallels to Crake's scientific views in which that God truly doesn't exist and that everything has a scientific reasoning of being. If God doesn't exist, then Crake thus becomes the reason for creation, making him the God, or higher being to the Crakers and in reality never truly eliminating these "cluster of neurons."
Snowman's stories on creation enhance the views of spirituality. In every culture there is a story of origin, leading back to the beginning, the point in time when such religion was created. But those who follow these God's rarely know the same exact story due to the fact that most religions were created over centuries ago. Just like Crake, to the Crakers, those who religion holds to a pedestal is a figment of the followers imagination. The Crakers don't know if what Snowman is telling them are facts, the same way most people now-a-days simply believe what they are told and don't argue the facts of possibilities.
~Katherine Carrazana
Block 2
Response to question 8
ReplyDeleteCrake's comment that "God is a cluster of neurons" and the impossibility to create functioning human beings without the presence of spirituality really says a great deal about the innate need to believe in something. Coming purely from my own opinions and not to offend anyone else, I honestly don't feel like there's some old man sitting up in the clouds dictating all of my actions and planning a path for my future. However, I find that the ideals which spirituality and religion possess are ones in which we all depend on, even if we don't see it per say. Hope, belief, a reason for existing, having a purpose; these are all innate characteristics which we possess in order to lead enriching lives. That's why I feel it was so difficult for Crake to eradicate religious experiences from the Crakers' lives. That even though they were their own species of sorts- a blank slate of experiences, abilities, cultures they had the unspoken drive to believe in something.
This says boundless amounts on the human condition and the need to feel wanted and believe in something despite the places we live in or the cultures we have grown and learned from.
^^ Maria Savarese Block 4 =)
ReplyDelete11.In the world of Oryx and Crake, almost everything is for sale, and a great deal of power is now in the hands of large corporations and their private security forces. There are already more private police in North America than there are public ones. What are the advantages of such a system? What are the dangers?
ReplyDeleteHaving a private security force has advantages because when your private you are screened and people hire the best of the best. Private security is put at a higher level and are expected to be better,faster, and successful at their job. Being private you are watched over more and your pay is dependent on your performance. Unlike public security where anyone can go in complete easy requirements and then get a job. One of my teachers who was a former police officer told me he had a co-worker that never went out on the field;he just stayed in the office and when five came he was the first to clock out. This shows how public security isn't worried about peoples safety and are just worried about getting their money.
The disadvantages of private security is there willingness to do anything to accomplish tasks set before them. If they have to cheat, lie,or kill they will do it. Private security only follows one set of rules and those are the rules handed to them by their boss. They could care less about laws and consequences that come with them.
10.Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
ReplyDeleteSnowman notices the innocence of the Crakers which prompts him to want to protect the Crakers. Even if they will never comprehend him, he still finds the need to look after them, also feeling guilty if he doesn't. Jimmy always wondered if Crake knew about his intimate relationship with Oryx, so when they were killed, their departure contributed to him wanting to protect the Crakers.
Crake designed the Crakers specifically for them not to be able to fit into our society. Unaware of racism, there are many in our “modern-day” society that would look down upon the Crakers for being open to being with others of different skin colors. With no religion, sense of superiority, or violence the Crakers would have a hard time adjusting to our society. Yet their lack of art, wouldn't affect them especially since art has taken the back seat in our society.
The ending of the novel is open, allowing for tantalising speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity-both within the novel, and outside its pages?
ReplyDeleteSnowman’s future is based upon the path that he chooses, Whether or not to kill the other humans or communicate with them. If he chooses to not approach the other humans then he would alienate himself from other human beings just like him and if he does approach them he is embracing the fact that he isn’t the last of his kind.
I think that snowman won’t approach the other human because once they come in contact with the Crakers everything that Snowman has taught them will be contradicted because they we probably tell them otherwise and Snowman will no longer be credible.
As for humanity within their world, nothing will ever be the same. Everyone has been destroyed and the only people that walk the world are the Crakers and Snowman. If earth’s population would be restored it would be by the Crakers and not actual humans. They will be ignorant and naive as they are now and the will depend on Snowman for as long as he is around. And once he is gone they will learn to fend for themselves.
In our society humans are on the verge of becoming something similar to their society because we have everything that they had such as making organs outside of the body and others. We also take the materialistic things to heart. We try to beautify our world around us including ourselves with procedures such as plastic surgery. People today are killing themselves closely but surely.
By: Sue-Ann Shaw
ReplyDeleteBlock # 4
Number 8
ReplyDeleteWhen Crake says that “God is a cluster of neurons,” I believe that he is saying that the belief in god or a higher being is just something that is programmed into the brain and can be removed. His statement is contradicted, when he himself cannot remove the right amount of the brain to eliminate the belief of a higher being without creating “zombies or psychopaths.” I personally believe that god is not just a bunch of neurons in someone’s brain. Higher beings are a mental belief to one cope with life’s unanswered questions.
Snowman’s stories have enhanced my views on spirituality and hit it evolves. It shows how religion is necessary in every culture and is culture specific. Just as in real life, Snowman’s stories answer the Craker’s life mysteries. Snowman develops a how-life-came-to-be story so that the Crakers no longer have to question how they got there. Many other religions have similar stories that describe how life came to be, just like Snowman’s.
6. The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity,much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
ReplyDeleteThe technologically advanced society in Oryx and Crake put a large emphasis on pills that would improve the physical characteristics of it's citizens. The population was unaware that companies secretly added viruses to the pills with the intent of allowing disease to spread throughout society. Since technology had previously eradicated the threat of disease, companies often resorted to developing new viruses in order to retain the value of professions such as doctors. This business strategy would ultimately lead to the destruction of civilization. It is ironic that society emphasizes both physical perfection and longevity because it is almost impossible to gain one without giving up the other. In Oryx and Crake, people took pills such as BlyssPluss to physically improve themselves, leading to disastrous consequences in the future. This behavior is apparent in today's society as well. Commonly used appliances such as tanning beds are known to cause cancer, but individuals still choose to use them to enhance their appearance. Many people focus on short-term gains, while ignoring long-term consequences.
Eric Marshall, block 2
Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not agree with Crake that “God is a cluster of neurons,” unless that individual wants Him to be. Due to each person’s superior influences, environment, and/or people that they surround themselves with, their opinions form. The perception of God being classified as just a cluster of neurons shows the type of barrier the subject held in Crake’s mind. Looking into each word, cluster represents a group being small or large in a jumble state, then for Crake to have the audacity to take what certain people believe so profoundly in, to describe it as a mere set of neurons is bold. The statement also exposes his thought process on God, and not ever having the experience to think of Him beyond being just a thought. And even if he did experience anything, you can tell that Crake’s results weren’t successful in his eyes.
Snowman’s origin stories enhance my views on spirituality because I believe in the Bible. Due to my honest commitment to religion, I stand firm on what I believe in, and instead of going by what others tell me, I find out by reading. The way Snowman just makes up stories for a group of people to believe, so they can leave him alone, and stop wondering about the unknown; makes me wonder about half the stories I’ve been told and believe in. I think the reason people accept stories is because it’s frustrating to constantly allow imagination to create an ongoing puzzle for the brain, because since you were not there to see for yourself, you are forced to either believe or not believe what someone with an answer is telling you. So me, believing in my origin stories, everything that attempts to oppose it, it just become stronger, because that is the way my belief has conditioned me too.
Religious stories evolve among various cultures because everyone has different interpretations regarding everything; and it is rare if two people exactly do not. As generations increase, I believe that oral, and written information will eventually be altered, thus creating different interpretation then it is thought. And I am positive that majority of the time, the information is misinterpreted compared to its initial purpose. In every culture, they believe that their way is right, but should not they all know that if each one s different one or more of those origins has to be false; because there is really only one truth, different interpretations are nourished to believe.
Jonell Joseph
Block: 2
One aspect of the novel's society is the virtual elimination of the middle class. Economic and intellectual disparities, as well as the disappearance of safe public space, allow for few alternatives: People live either in the tightly controlled Compounds of the elites, or in the more open but seedier and more dangerous Pleeblands. Where would your community find itself in the world of Oryx and Crake?
ReplyDeleteMy community is more of a Compound society. In my area, things are organized and the environment is kept in good shape. The people are friendly and well educated. The news also keeps us informed about things going on. Police officers are around every corner and help protect and keep my community be a safe place. My community does have its problems, but a big meeting with concerned people helps clear issues up in the best way it can.
In Oryx and Crake, a Pleebland is where criminals and dangerous individuals are held, much like a prison or jail. Where I live is nothing like a penetentiary. Cops help rid my community of people that make it unsafe.
Cheyenne Hall
Block 4
3. The game 'Extinctathon' emerges as a key component in the novel. Jimmy and Crake also play 'Barbarian Stomp' and 'Blood and Roses'. What comparable video games do you know of? Discuss the advantages and dangers of virtual reality. Is the novel form itself a sort of virtual reality?
ReplyDeleteGames that compare to the one in Oryx and Crake include games such as Ages of Empires in which one competes as a specific civilization that sets out to destroy another civilization. One can play as the Spaniards and compete against another team playing as the English, and these two civilizations will go to war until one capitualtes or is anihilated. The advantages of virtual reality games are that they help to spur imagination as well as give a bit of insight on different social aspects such as historical happenings. Even games such as Extinctaton had certain educational merits proving that virtual reality has the capability of providing easily accessible benefits. However, it is also dangerous for it desensitizes the player and makes him or her lose touch with reality. The entire novel is like a virtual reality because it is filled with things such as pigoons and wolvogs that are obviously not in existence.
The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
ReplyDeleteThroughout history, perfection is usually been something that the society would like to reach, and that is exactly what the society was trying to do in the novel. The people in the society tried so hard to look good that they started a factory that grew new skin. This was suppose to get rid of all wrinkles and keep these people looking young, but when they tried it out, it made the people look sick and frightening. This was a definite parallel to our society right now because we are just about doing the same thing. We have not gotten to the point of actually growing our own skin, but we have created things like botox that freezes the skin and keeps it from wrinkling. We also have face lifts where the skin on the face is literally pulled back so that the wrinkled and sagging parts will be pulled out. We even have things like lipo suction and other plastic surgeries that deal with making people “beautiful”. The problem with both is that natural beauty is still basically non-existent. The majority of everyone is trying to look the same instead of embracing their individuality.
The society in the novel is also striving for prolonging life buy growing organs for people so that when a person’s organs get old or worn out, they can easily replace it, and our society is not far from that. We are already in the process of growing things outside of the body, just like the novel’s society. The bad part about it is, we try so hard to gain longer lives, but a majority of these surgeries could be responsible for shortening a person’s live so what seems to be so good, really isn’t that good.
Vashti Powell
Block 4
6. The pre-catastrophic society in Oryx and Crake is fixated on physical perfection and longevity, much as our own society is. Discuss the irony of these quests, both within the novel and in our own society.
ReplyDeleteIn both Margaret Atwood's fictional society and our own modern society, the obsession with "perfection" and physical immortality remains a tantalizing quest constantly sought out by humanity. This idea of complete, and undeniable perfection conveys the impression of stark uniformity, contradicting the imperfections that have come to define human nature. The many pills, creams, and supplements, that are advertised as perfecting humanities own shortcomings are in their own self, ultimately the catalyst for our own eventual downfall. Theoretically, if so-called perfection is truly attainable, the limit of of "perfection" is capped, yet the constant human desire for something more will always be present, likely leading to humanity caving in on itself. (A Catch-22?)
In nature truly nothing can be perfect, yet humanities constant effort to play god (in an effort to achieve perfection/survival) has resulted in the very destruction of humanity as a species, providing a ironic twist to its originally intended purpose. Ultimately, perfection among humanity remains virtually unattainable. To stamp out the innate imperfections (that have come to define our very nature) is to destroy the very fabric that defines what it is to be human. In the end, humanities fixation on so-called "miracle products" is what will ultimately bring about our final demise.
Alex Upp
Block 4
Question number 1:
ReplyDeleteOryx and Crake includes many details that seem futuristic, but are already apparent in our world. What parallels were you able to draw between your own world and that of the novel?
Margaret Atwood's use of futuristic technologies that are not so distant from today's innovation exemplifies Atwood's attitude that humankind is not far from destroying itself by playing god.
New technology such as splicing plants and animals is evident in today's society with the splicing of donkeys and horses to make mules and splicing lions and tigers to make ligers. Also plant splicing with crops to make them more resistant to weather conditions and pests is evident in today's society. Mankind is constantly striving to improve life and make it more efficient, in consequence there is a loss of quality and value to the product. For example, over producing crops in order to feed more people only leads to a loss of nutritional value in the food itself.
Innovations such as genetically modified food like the ChickenNobs and SoyoBoy products in Oryx and Crake are not actually real food. The product is not real, authentic chicken or Soy, its fake. In the end this will only deplete human quality and eventually destroy ourselves.
Vanessa Whitney
Block 2
(#2) Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
ReplyDeleteLike OMG in tha past 5 years the english language has turned into abbreviation lol :)
I personally make an effort not to shorten any words instead I strive to use them in the manner in which they were created for. Unfortuantly in the past five years, Facebook, Myspace, texting etc. has become the primary way people communicate, and we live in a world where everything must be faster, and what better what then to convey what you mean by saying it in a faser/shorter manner.
g2g, ttyl, xoxo
Chandlerrrrr!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 :D :D :D :D
14. The ending of the novel is open, allowing for tantalising speculation. How do you envision Snowman's future? What about the future of humanity-both within the novel, and outside its pages?
ReplyDeleteThe end of the novel is definitely very broad, and open. I envision Snowman's future as bleak, he seems to have gone down hill throughout the novel. I envision him coming up to the other "survivors" and speaking with them, explaining his situation and possibly starting somewhat of a friendship. As far as the human race itself, its future in the novel hinges on what Snowman does when he meets the others, or if he does. For the human race outside of the novel, the future depends on others taking action and getting out there and doing something to change the road we are going down, such as Crake trying to alter the way humans thought. We cannot continue to sit and believe someone else will do it for us. If all of this comes together both in the novel and out, the human race has a future and there is hope.
Brandon Richards
Block 2
8) Snowman soon discovers that despite himself he's invented a new creation myth, simply by trying to think up comforting answers to the "why" questions of the Children of Crake. In Part Seven — the chapter entitled 'Purring' — Crake claims that "God is a cluster of neurons," though he's had trouble eradicating religious experiences without producing zombies. Do you agree with Crake? Do Snowman's origin stories negate or enhance your views on spirituality and how it evolves among various cultures?
ReplyDeleteI think that when Crake says that “God is a cluster of neurons,” he means to say that the belief in god or a higher power is just something that is hard-wired into the human brain and is as dispensable and flighting as political opinion or morals; the things that you personally develop throughout your life based on experiences. Crake contradicts his own statement when he himself cannot remove the specific part of the brain to rid the belief of a god, or higher being, without turning people into “zombies or psychopaths.” Snoman's myths answer the Craker's questions of where they've come from, who created them, etc. The development of a creation story so the Craker's no longer wonder about their creation. I believe that god is more than a "cluster of neurons" in someone’s brain. The belief in a higher being is a coping mechanism for humans to deal with the idea of a "higer being" and unanswered spiritual questions, etc. that cannot be determined by the Average Joe walking down the street. Snowman’s creation myths allow the Crakers to have their own religion, and spirituality. This part of the novel shows how religion is specific based on culture and environment.
-Arien Tripp / Block 2
1) There are many parallels between the world that Atwood created in Oryx and Crake, and the world that we live in. the technological advancements that we have made in the current era have brought us very close to the same dystopia that Snowman lives in.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all we are advancing towards the development of organ carrying hosts, such as piggoons. We have already been able to grow artificial organs in science labs. It is not to long of a stretch for us to predict the use of hosts.
Our development in the medical area is also as ground breaking, and frankly as scary, as the medical development in Oryx and Crake. The use of pills to spread diseases is something that may be implemented as biological warfare. Biological warfare is already being developed to be used against the various enemies that we've created.
the AnooYoo company is very similar to the plastic surgery industry that is widely used throughout the US. The obsession with body image and outer beauty can be seen both in the book and in our society. People are obsessed with how they look and how people see them, and therefore they search for ways to change the way they look. It is statistically proven that many people choose the candidates they vote for based on how they look, and not the policies they stand for. This exemplifies our obsession with beauty and youth. The same thing can be seen in the book through the use of BlyssPluss pills to be eternally young and beautiful.
Lastly genetic splicing is not far off in the future. We have already made advancements in the area of cloning, which leads one to believe that the study of genetics is rapidly advancing. It's not hard to imagine the future of genetic engineering coming close to the expertise that is displayed in the book.
Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
ReplyDeleteOverall, the vocabulary of the general population has deteriorated. Abbreviations take place of many words in writing. Recently I have heard these abbreviations used in daily conversation such as, "that is totes adorbs" standing in place of "that is totally adorable". Technology is shaping our vocabulary usage, or lack there of. Laziness and convenience account for the abbreviations. In middle school I thought it was pretty cool to type in abbreviations and would refute my parents when they said the only way I was allowed on instant messaging was if I typed properly. Now I refuse to use abbreviations when I type, whether it is in an instant message, email, or text message, I believe it influences how I am perceived; proper English implies some intelligence. There are times when I mistakenly use an improper form of writing when typing, but hearing how silly people sound when they use a limited, low vocabulary, it makes me want to increase my realm of diction.
Cassie Rall
Block 4
1.) There are many parallels between the world that Atwood created in Oryx and Crake, and the world that we live in. the technological advancements that we have made in the current era have brought us very close to the same dystopia that Snowman lives in.
ReplyDeleteFirst to answer this question look to the more abstract ideas including the divergence in the classes and the social makeup of the society. In today's day and age we can see that survival is made significantly easier for those with not just the capabilities to achieve them but the luck of being born into it. There is a large enough gap in education to thoroughly prevent certain categories of people, like those in public education, to achieve as much as those born into luck and success and go to private schools. Now this compares to the pleeblands and the compounds thoroughly dejecting people to their placement.
Look now to the technological aspects of the society including the genetic design of animals and people. As of now people, simply on a whim can design their nose anyway they desire it making nature and natural beauty entirely obsolete with this disparity one sees the separation of technology and man slowly subside forming into one being entirely dependent upon it's two half's, tech and blood.
Also on the technological aspect the playing with god and the creation of animals through science is much like the new breakthroughs in cloning that have allowed for a development that prevents nature from adapting to the world on it's own. This dependency also explains the weakness of humanity that is prevalent in this world to such a degree that when the dependency on a pill killed so many only a few survived.
2. Margaret Atwood coined many words and brand names while writing the novel. In what way has technology changed your vocabulary over the past five years?
ReplyDeleteTechnology has changed my vocabulary in making me extremely LAZY! If I don't know a higher level word I'll put a simple word and then look it up on a thesaurus website. For spelling, I guess as best I can and then hit spell check. Even capitalizing letters at the beginning of a sentence, I don't even bother doing most of the time because I use the spell check. Texting also, has made myself lazy. I don't spell out words, I use symbols, often the texts defy every english grammer rule ever made. Everything is about speed and getting the point across, instead of using language as an art form, now our brains have become lazy and we sit on the couch like apes saying, "Ohhh pretty pictures!..."
-Sarah Hall
Block 4
If you had the chance to fabricate an improved human being, would you do it? If so, what features would you choose to incorporate? Why would these be better than what we've got? Your model must of course be biologically viable.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely fabricate an improved human being the first chance I got. I would incorporate limited emotional ability, the ability to be happy while knowing the truth, and a chemical characteristic in men which triggers how to be a father and accept responsibility. Limiting emotional ability would give people a better understanding of what things should be important and those that should not. I believe people send too much time crying and less time being happy, which is probably why society is filled with drama and people who would rather spend more time working than enjoying life.
Happiness while knowing the truth is the first characteristic that I would incorporate. Most people do not know how to handle the truth and would rather live their lives filled with lies. I feel that knowing the truth is the best way to be happy because any one can desire to be happy after knowing the truth. However, for those who do not know how to do this, they would be fabricated with this characteristic. In society today, there is an surplus of children, but a deficit of fathers who take care of their responsibility. Crime, mental abnormalities, and social disorder occur because a lot of children grow up without the presence of a father. Mothers would also benefit from this characteristic because their would not be as much financial struggles as there are now. I think the reason why most men do not take care of their responsibilities is because they are not taught how to and they did not grow up with a male figure who taught them when they were young.
This would be better that what we have now because a lot of the problems that are present now are a product of a lack of these characteristics.
Q: Why does Snowman feel compelled to protect the benign Crakers, who can't understand him and can never be his close friends? Do you believe that the Crakers would be capable of survival in our own society?
ReplyDeleteA: Snowman feels compelled to protect the benign Crakers because of Oryx. Oryx treated these Crakers like her children and she asked Snowman to take care of them if anything ever happened to her. Since Snowman was so in love with Oryx, he promised her that he would take care of the Crakers. They can never be his close friends because they are not human like him. Crake made them different and so they do not understand anything that Snowman might tell them, therefore he could never be close to them. Snowman can simply make up anything and they will believe him, therefore they can never have a close relationships.
I don't believe that the Crakers would be able to survive in our own society. Crake made these people basically the opposite of us, so there would be no way that they could survive in our world. These creatures do not have minds of there own, but simply listen wo whatever people tell them. Therefore, they would have a hard time living in our society. In addition, our society is filled with greed, lust, fake people, and bad things like war, which are some of the many things that the Crakers were created to not ab aware of. All of these reasons would make their survival hard in our society.
Izabella Szura
Block 2
11/3/10
2. There have been a few different ways in which technology has effected my vocabulary in the last five years. For one, i now regularly use terms like "ipod", "iphone" or "HDTV". I, along with everyone else, am now so familiar with the terms that accompany new technology that it has become entirely commonplace to use them. In addition to this, with the advent of things like text messaging, facebook, and blogging; i have become much less concerned with the proper spelling of words, this technological culture has made my vocabulary extremely lazy. Now certain words tat aren't even real words are common in my vocabulary; examples include; "lol" "idk" and other terms that were invented for he internet, but have worked there way into the everyday vernacular. It is clear that advancing technology is thoroughly affecting vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteRev. Mack Kennedy
Crake's statement reveals the truth that humankind has created the concept of God based on faith rather than phsical evidence. Religion was created to explain the inexplicable in both the novel and in real life.In the novel for example, Snowman struggles to communicate his thoughts with the Crakers and is left to create reasonings that they may understand of their level of mental capacity. Snowman therefore inadvertently deifies Oryx and Crake.
ReplyDelete