Atwood's Happy Endings-Parrisimilar Nature Of Literary Realism

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Margaret Atwood's “Happy Endings” and “Women’s Novels” use techniques of metafiction and intertextuality through form, structure, narrative voice, figurative language, the illustration of literary stereotypes and the theme of death to deconstruct conventions of literary realism. Pam Morris defines realism as ‘any writing that is based upon an implicit or explicit assumption that it is possible to communicate about a reality beyond the writing’ (Morris 6). Atwood’s analytical and deliberate dissection of plot leaves readers to question the alleged verisimilar nature of literary realism and its association with reality, why we read realist works in the first place, the importance of conflict in literature, and the respective roles of readers …show more content…

Third person is often utilized in realist works to enhance the sense of truthfulness and reliability, but in this case, when used with second person perspective, it aids in creating metafictional awareness. This is primarily due the blasé way Atwood describes the various character tropes, as well as the lack of character dialogue. In part C, Atwood makes deliberate reference to the construction of the narrative, stating ‘this is the thin part of the plot, but it can be dealt with later’ (Atwood, Happy Endings 19). This deconstructs the illusion of different realities and makes the audience feel more involved, as they are no longer simply spectators, their heightened awareness makes them question the authenticity of the realism …show more content…

For example, in “Women’s Novels”, the patriarchal gaze in literature is highlighted using animalistic visual imagery to describe women- ‘the horse’, their ‘arachnoid grace’ and gaze of ‘wild [birds]’. This demonstrates the dehumanizing of female characters. They are mere plot devices whilst male characters are central to the story. In comparison, “Happy Endings” lacks this kind of metaphorical language, rather, it is narrated in a matter-of-fact fashion. This is best summed up in a review by K. Chase, where he states, “Happy Endings" exudes ‘ruthless insight and pessimism’, while "Women's Novels" exhibits ‘tongue-in-cheek allegorical quality’ (Chase 101). This juxtaposition illustrates the importance of detail and conflict to plot. Atwood confronts readers and highlights the ‘stretch in between’ as what makes a realist story worth reading (Happy Endings

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