To be carried away by the fantasies of the mind, or to carry the mind by truth and reality : an exploration of Atwood’s interlacing of truth and reality in three fictional works : ‘Alias Grace’ (1996), ‘The handmaid’s tale’ (1985) and ‘The testaments’ (2019)

Abstract

This dissertation is the product of my appeal to truth and reality in novels labelled ‘works of fiction’ which, at face value, seem to be grounded in anything but these two elements. Margaret Atwood’s deep-seated loyalty to her Canadian homeland, as well as her awareness of what is happening in the world at large, have prodded me to delve further into her works of realistic-fiction. The bulk of this dissertation consists of an in-depth analysis of three of Atwood’s novels; Alias Grace (1996), The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and the latter’s sequel, her latest release, The Testaments (2019). Through a comprehensive dissection of these works, I attempt to elucidate the way in which truth and realism serve as a scaffold for elements of fiction to be built upon, since readers, including critics and theorists, commonly misconceive the fictional genre to connote something otherworldly. The first chapter, ‘Realistic Fiction: From marriage to migration’, will depict the ever-pervading issues that individuals, including Atwood’s characters, face in attempting to tie the knot or cross borders. The second chapter, ‘Science Fiction: Prophesying COVID-19’, will compare the whirlwind of a few months readers have been going through in the midst of a health pandemic, with Atwood’s keen eye for reality, the past, present, as well as the future. The third section, ‘Borderline Fiction’, will illustrate the novels’ grounding in truth and reality, putting fiction and its defamatory connotations on the line. The last portion, ‘Historical Fiction: The past, a puzzle’, will encapsulate the novels’ foundation in real life individuals, situations and circumstances from the past. Thus, it will become clear how truth and reality are indispensable elements in fiction and adherence to these constituents is crucial in order for characters, which come to symbolise readers more generally, to look back into history and also, to imagine the future. Ian Watt’s claim that the novel’s primary criterion is ‘truth to individual experience’ will be subjected to scrutiny alongside J. Paul Hunter’s attentiveness to the novel’s characteristics which include, ‘credibility and probability’, as well as ‘contemporaneity and familiarity’. These characteristics will be deconstructed and by implication, reconstructed in order to show how such qualities play a crucial role, not just in forming the essence of the novel as a literary form, but also as novels which have their roots embedded in reality and truth. Peter Lamarque and Stein Haugom Olsen’s theory on truth, fiction and literature will also be adapted to suit Atwood’s fictional narratives. Reference to Coral Ann Howells’ conception of Atwood’s writing as being a ‘re-vision’ of both traditional novel-writing and the traditional fictional genre, will be made. This dissertation attempts to unveil the realities and truths that lie underneath the mask of fiction.