The Edible Woman
Overview
The Edible Woman is a 1969
novel that helped to establish Margaret Atwood
as a prose writer of major significance. It is the story of a young woman whose sane, structured, consumer
-oriented world starts to slip out of focus. Following her engagement
, Marian feels her body and her self
are becoming separated. As Marian begins endowing food with human qualities that cause her to identify with it, she finds herself unable to eat
, repelled by metaphor
ical cannibalism
.
1969 in literature
The year 1969 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* The first Booker Prize is awarded.* "Penelope Ashe", author of the bestselling novel Naked Came the Stranger, is found to be several people who each took a turn writing a chapter of what they described as "junk" in...
novel that helped to establish Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
as a prose writer of major significance. It is the story of a young woman whose sane, structured, consumer
Consumer
Consumer is a broad label for any individuals or households that use goods generated within the economy. The concept of a consumer occurs in different contexts, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary.-Economics and marketing:...
-oriented world starts to slip out of focus. Following her engagement
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
, Marian feels her body and her self
Self
The self is an individual person as the object of his or her own reflective consciousness. The self has been studied extensively by philosophers and psychologists and is central to many world religions.-Philosophy:...
are becoming separated. As Marian begins endowing food with human qualities that cause her to identify with it, she finds herself unable to eat
Anorexia (symptom)
Anorexia is the decreased sensation of appetite...
, repelled by metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
ical cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
.
