Theme Of Greed In Oryx And Crake

The Theme of Greed in Oryx and Crake

Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood is a novel that warns us of possible dangers in the future, such as the destruction of the human race and nature. Throughout the novel, Atwood uses examples of destruction as a way to convey the danger of greed when combined with science. There are many examples of destruction within the novel; however, every example of destruction displayed throughout the novel is ultimately caused by greed.

In Oryx and Crake, greed is the root of every problem encountered within the novel. The technological advancements achieved through the use of science led to the excessive desire of enhancements used to make life more enjoyable and prolonged. The major health corporations such

as, Organ Inc, Nooskins, and Healthwyzer controlled the economy and caused many conflicts throughout the novel. The problems that the health corporations caused were driven by greed. Although the corporations contributed greatly to the problems faced, they are not the only people guilty of greed. The wealthy people in the compounds and the pleeblands are also guilty of gluttonous behavior. They would give anything for a chance to enhance life, they were never satisfied and always wanted more and better improvements. This drove the corporations to continue to produce enhancements because of the major profit that could be gained. The advancements in science is an issue in the novel because people began to use them greedily in order to capitalize off of them. Neither the people or corporations weighed the possible consequences that could take place as a result of the technological advancements.
One of the main controversial advancements in technology seen in the novel is gene splicing.

The pigoons are the main animals used for the gene splicing experiments. They were used to harvest organs for human use. This fictional experiment really sends a message to the reader because these are things that are already taking place in science. As said by Bouson, we live “In a biotechnological world in which the boundaries between science fiction and science fact are fast collapsing, corporations can own, patent, and commodify technologically designed species, … for medical and experimental purposes” (Bouson 139). For example, there has already been experiments where mice were used to grow ears on their backs for human use. This topic is an issue because it is unethical as stated by Atwood, gene splicing is “interfering with the building blocks of life. It’s immoral. It’s … sacrilegious” (Atwood 57). Gene splicing interferes with the normal course of nature. Eventually the hybrid animals were released into the outside environment. This could be a problem in real life because the hybrids could outnumber and replace the natural animals which could affect nature negatively. Gene splicing is also a problem within the novel. When the corporations began gene splicing science was no longer about sustaining all forms of life. Instead, science became a way for only the people to receive the benefits of the advancements, while completely ignoring the harm they were causing due to their endless acts of greed. This also shows how humans completely disregard the possible negative effects or impact on the environment caused by our actions. Not only do we ignore the impact on the environment we also ignore how certain things could affect

ourselves.
The new skin created by Nooskins is another example of gene splicing. The pigoons were also used in this gene splicing experiment; however, this example of gene splicing shows how we are the cause of our own demise. Atwood stated, “Not that a totally effective method had been found yet: dozens or so ravaged hopefuls volunteered themselves as subjects, paying no fees but signing away their rights to sue had come out looking like the Mould creature from outer space” (Atwood 55). This quote shows the extremes in which people are willing to go for the sake of enhancements. The people that volunteered themselves didn’t think of the possible side effects, yet willingly signed over their rights sue. The corporations are also at blame because they were taking advantage of the people by giving them false hope. They didn’t even have real cures, but they continued to make the people believe that they did. This points back to the theme of greed, both sides caused harm due to greed. Atwood also points out problems in American society by using this quote. This quote highlights how our consumeristic culture could be problematic. In our society we are greedy, we always want the newest and best things. Greed can cause many other problems such as taking advantage of others for the sake of profit, self-harm, and the destruction of the environment. Being gluttonous not only affects us negatively it can also affects our environment.
The environment also began to experience changes due to the actions of humans. The changes in climate is one of the prime examples of how our consumeristic culture could be problematic. In the novel, more floods and droughts began to occur resulting in widespread famine. Although Atwood does not directly state climate change is being caused by technology such as automobiles, she suggest that manufactured products made by humans is the cause of many of the ecological problems faced today by stating:
“Human society, they claimed, was a sort of monster, its main by-products being corpses and rubble. It never learned, it made the same cretinous mistakes over and over, trading short-term gain for long-term pain. It was like a giant slug eating its way relentlessly through all other bioforms on the planet grinding up life on earth and shitting it out the backside in the form of manufactured and soon-to-be obsolete plastic junk” (Atwood 243).”
This quote is significant because it points out flaws in our society. We continue to exploit the environment for its resources without contemplating the larger problems that we are creating.
While we continue to strip earth’s resources were are also depleting other life forms and destroying nature. One of the main points made that is even more concerning is that we continuously make the same mistake. Canavan states, “human nature as such—which is depicted as the accumulation of an endless series of disasters” (Canavan 143). Atwood and Canavan suggest that history is full of repeated mistakes by humans. The fictional crisis created causes the reader to envision possible outcomes of what will happen if changes are not made to sustain the environment. Unfortunately, we are generally not concerned about environmental problems until we are directly affected by them. We haven’t yet reached the point of the being affected by environmental problems but this example serves as revelation or warning that the environmental crisis is a very plausible predicament that we are approaching unless we change. Canavan also stated, “In the face of man’s mania for self-destruction, which now threatens not only the future of Homo sapiens but all life on the planet as a whole” (Canavan 150). Canavan suggest that we are the cause of destruction in the environment and not only does it affect us, it affects all other life forms as well.In the novel, neither the people or compounds cared about the problems they were crating because they didn’t haveto face the consequences or suffe from their actions. Most of the problems that we face are caused by greed.
The separation of pleeblands and compounds is also another example self-destruction caused by greed. In the novel the characters live in a world that is controlled by science is separated between people in the compounds and the people in the pleeblands. The people in the compounds control the economy and have better living conditions than the people in the pleeblands. Canavan describes the differences that separate the pleeblands and compounds by stating that, “The world has become bifurcated into very strict class divisions: hyper-secure, gated communities called Compounds, for an increasingly small technical elite, and ‘‘pleeblands,’’ filled with poverty, desperation, and disease, for everybody else.” (Canavan 142). The main difference between the compounds and pleeblands is that the people in the compounds are the manufactures and the people in the pleeblands are the consumers. The scientist in the compounds produce enhancements and cures to viruses. Atwood also tells us that the compounds were creating viruses and releasing them into the population in order to make a profit off of cures that were later formed to treat to viruses. Atwood uses this to show the danger of greed and science. The corporations seen the opportunity in the profit that could be gained which caused them to display greed. Creating illness in order to make a profit is unethical and immoral. Atwood shows how corporations can take advantage of consumers. The chance to gain profit can cause one to lose morals. The creation of the viruses points back to the theme of greed when combined with science.. The viruses created by the corporations also gave Crake the idea to form the BlysPluss Pill.
The BlysPluss Pill and Paradice Project is the ultimate example of how science and greed can cause destruction. Not only does it show how science and greed can cause destruction, it also shows that we are the cause of our own downfall. The BlysPluss Pill was, “ A pill that Crake claims is designed to lower the population level by sterilizing people while promising them enhanced sexual libido, protection against sexually transmitted diseases, and prolonged youth, the BlyssPluss pill also carries the hemorrhagic virus Crake has engineered to destroy humanity” (Bouson 147). Although the people didn’t know about the hidden virus, but they wanted to receive the benefits that the pill advertised. The virus being hidden in the pill shows the reader the importance of being aware of what products are made of and how they can affect us. Often in our culture we join the newest fads without questioning its legitimacy. We are greedy and want to have the best of everything without facing consequences; however, in this circumstance it lead the majority of humans being killed.
In Oryx and Crake Atwood uses the theme of greed to convey the possible dangers we could face if we continue to act in a gluttonous way. After reading Oryx and Crake the reader is able to understand how technological advancements and greed can be problematic. We always want to improve or enhance life, but Atwood shows us that sometimes it is best to let life take its natural course. Interfering with the natural processes in life and trying to make things better can actually make things worse and cause many other problems. If we don’t change our actions, our story could end the same way as the novel.