The Narrative Strategies Of Margaret Atwood’s The Edible Woman

As one of the greatest Canadian writers, Margaret Atwood witnesses the development ofCanadian literature. She is an indispensable part in Canadian history of literature. The EdibleWoman is Margaret’s first river novel. Although the publishing of this book experienced fouryears, it won great success. The domestic study about Margaret Atwood was started in recentthirty years. However, the studies about The Edible Woman are mainly on feminism,eco-literature, sex difference, political sense, and psychological activities, most of which arethe analysis of the theme. The thesis will analyze the narrative strategies of the novel, rangingfrom narrative perspective, time of narration, narrative space, to narrative point of view aswell as the effects of them in the novel. By my exploring the narrative strategies the authorapplied, the readers will clearly see how the author enhances the authenticity by internalfocalization and first person; how the author develops the story by sequential narration; howthe author introduces the background by flashback and narration interposed; how the authorconstructs the environment by describing natural space, social space, and psychological space;and how the author shortens the distance between narrator and the reader by shifting persons.With the help of skillful narrative strategies, the author vividly outlines an image of youngCanadian woman with inferiority and self-contradiction. While describing the process ofrallying herself, the author draws a lively picture of Canadian women’s living state andcreates a wonderful works for the readers.