A Study On The Transmutation Of Aunt Lydia’s Image In Atwood’s Works

Margaret Atwood is known as “the Queen of Canadian Literature”,has created many complex and diverse characters in her works,among which the more attractive one is Aunt Lydia.As a key character throughout The Handmaid’s Tale,and its sequel,The Testaments,Aunt Lydia has different images in these two works,which has transformed from a loyal defender of Gilead to a secret feminist.The transmutation of Aunt Lydia’s image goes through a process from the flat character to the round character,and from fixed internal focalization to the variable internal focalization.This transmutation concealed Atwood’s unique “Ustopia” thought,feminist ideal and pursuit,and her sense of national identity.Therefore,exploring the transmutation of Aunt Lydia’s image is of a great value to understand Atwood’s life experience,background cultural,creative thinking and emotional appeal.In addition to the introduction and conclusion,the paper consists of four parts.The introduction introduces the research status of Atwood at home and abroad,and discusses the value and significance of “the image of Aunt Lydia”.The first part of the text mainly discusses the transmutation process of the image of Aunt Lydia,from the flat character to the round character,comprehensively depicts the image of Aunt Lydia,a tragic intellectual woman who revolts against patriarchal rule,and from fixed internal focalization to the variable internal focalization,reveals the nature of the victim of Aunt Lydia as a victimizer.The second part defines the concept of“Ustopia” proposed by Atwood,and discusses Atwood’s yearning for a better life and the spiritual essence of “Ustopia” behind the transformation of Aunt Lydia’s image.The third part discusses the two ways of “female writing” in The Handmaid’s Tale,that is,Offred’s “speaking for writing” and Aunt Lydia’s “Bloodlines Genealogical Archives”,which highlights Atwood’s feminist ideal and pursuit of constructing harmonious gender relations through equal dialogue.The fourth part shows Atwood’s dissatisfaction with American cultural hegemony,her worry about the lack of Canadian national identity,and her pursuit of the “survival spirit” which represents Canadian literature.