Atwood’s “Lusus Naturae” Analysis
The Meaning of “The Monster”
“The monster” is “the narrator’s family and society who rejected and isolated her.” They viewed her as a monster but in fact she was not a monster, it was only that her body had undergone some biological mutations. As a result, the way how they viewed her affected the way she viewed herself.
“It was decided that I should die. That way I would not stand in the way of my sister, I would not loom over her like a fate. “Better one happy than both miserable,” said my grandmother, who had taken to sticking garlic cloves around my door frame. I agreed to this plan, I wanted to be helpful.” (P.3, Para.16) The main reason of the narrator’s ruin was that her family who were self-interest hold a funeral for her. Nevertheless, they also buried her hopes for a good life.
“Once she used to brush my hair, before it came out in handfuls; she’d been in the habit of hugging me and weeping; but she was past that now. She came and went as quickly as she could. However she tried to hide it, she resented me, of course. There’s only so long you can feel sorry for a person before you come to feel that their affliction is an act of malice committed by them against you.” (P.4, Para.21) Even though the narrator’s mother used to concern and love her so much, she gradually didn’t stand up for her and expect her future. She took care of her only because she had an obligation to be her mother.
“He told the others in the village, and they began to speculate. They dug up my coffin and found it empty, and feared the worst. Now they’re marching towards this house, in the dusk, with long stakes, with torches. My sister is among them, and her husband, and the young man I kissed. I meant it to be a kiss.” (P.6, Para.36) The young man the narrator kissed, the others in the village and her sister feared unfamiliar things, so they were led by their discrimination and eventually destroyed a soul with clean heart completely.
In short, society’s views on beauty control everyone’s way of life. However, looks can’t prove whether a person’s intention is pure or not. Although the narrator had different outer appearance, she had a heart of gold. On the contrary, her family and society had quality appearance, but their behaviors and words toward her liked a cruel monster. “The monster” is “the narrator’s family and society who marginalized her.”
The Function of the Term “Lucid Phases”
“Lucid phases” means “the moments that the narrator was not lucid.” The implication of this term to her mental condition is that she felt she was marginalized by her family since she became so sick and deformed. I don’t agree with this perspective offered by her because the term which is probably an irony refers to her loneliness. In order words, those were the moments when she felt she couldn’t be understood by others because of her illness.
The Supporting Details:
(1) The father said “it was after the case of measles, when she was seven. After that.” (P.1, Para.4) Moreover, her family felt the illness was a curse and decided to tell others that their daughter died.
We can figure out the narrator’s family didn’t know how to face the narrator’s illness, so they chose to destroy her life to keep their reputation. On the other hand, their attitude towards her isolated her from them, so she felt it was hard to connect with them.
(2) When the narrator was hidden away from the world, she felt she was alive and physically free because no one could see her and blame her. Eventually, members of her family passed away and her mother left her.
We can figure out the narrator was still in “her lucid phases” because this time she was hidden away from the world. In order words, she wouldn’t have an opportunity to be understood by others.
(3) After years of solitude, the narrator became more visible, either on purpose or accidentally. As she found herself closer to death, she tried to communicate with others. “But now things are coming to an end,” she said, “I’ve become too visible” (P.5, Para.29)
We can figure out the narrator was forced to doom because people in the village viewed her a curse/ monster without understanding her. Even though she tried to talk to them, their discrimination towards her refused her.
