Men and Masculinities: A Study of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake

In Oryx and Crake it is seen that both sex but gender are influenced by society culture. The skin colour, height and other details believed to be biologically ordained are in fact the product science and socio-cultural influences and therefore unstable. Challenging the essentialism associated with gender and sex, the novel lays bare the conditions and cumulative influences of society, culture and family which are responsible in moulding and fashioning of both masculinity and femininity. Atwood, through her both men and women characters deftly brings out range of men and masculinities not necessarily fixed to their sexed bodies. It is explored that not only is masculinity exhibited by men but by women too. Femininity is not only associated with women but men to display feminine traits quite dexterously. This removal of gender characteristics from the sexed bodies brings out the display of both masculinity and femininity by the people of either or both sexes.