Women on the Edge of Time

Women on the Edge of Time

"Women on the Edge of Time" by Marge Piercy, is a novel that illustrates some problems of today’s society and compares them to a possible future time. The other world that is presented in the book is called Mattapoisett. Mattapoisett is described as an utopian science fiction place because is much different from the place that Connie lived. Even thought Mattapoisett might be the world that Connie’s culture needed it is not a perfect world. Some of the problems that Marge Piercy presents in the book are poverty, women’s role, and problems of government, the environment, and prejudices that our society is facing today. However, how is the society different from the two cultures presented in the book? Connie, the heroine of the book will lead us as she describes the difference between the utopian culture of Mattapoisett and Connie’s culture.

Consuelo Ramos is a 37 year old Chicana living on welfare. Most of her life she had contended with the problem of poverty and drug abuse. After the death of her good friend and lover, Claud, Connie stars a phase of drug abuse and is place on a mental institution and goes through “mind-control” treatment. But regarding Connie’s mental problem she has a gift. She begins to get visits by an individual named Luciente who comes from the year 2137. Luciente communicates with Connie mentally and connie visits Mattapoiosett the same way, experiencing everything without moving her body. She got the opportunity to see the difference of her time from the future world. The story ends with Connie’s resolution to fight back. She thinks that she is fighting a war on behalf of her and other people who are in the same circumstances.

When Connie was transported through her mind...

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...es not share. But regardless of this, Mattapoisett may not be the perfect world because there is a war and conflicts that still arise between people. Even though is still a place that is very close to being the ideal place. As Luciente told Connie comparing the two places “Forward into the past? Okay it’s better to live in a green meadow than on 111th street”, (62) Overall, the individuals who lived in Mattapoisett seems to be happy, and no one seems to be in need. However, as Mattapoisett may sound nice and wonderful, it is likely impossible that our culture will develop into a culture free from prejudice, government power, poverty, or free from the way women are viewed in the novel. Therefore, Mattapoisett is a universe that change the living of Connie’s time for a better world.

Work Cited

Piercy, Marge. “Women on the Edge of Time”. New York, Fawcett, 1997