Читать книгу Exploring dystopia - Lea Aures - Страница 5

Margaret Atwood's novel Oryx and Crake tells about the so-called “zero hour”. Humanity was eliminated by a man-made disease. The protagonist Snowman – formerly Jimmy¹ – is the last surviving human as far as he knows. He involuntarily became guardian of the Crakers, genetically engineered beings who are meant to replace the human race. The mad but brilliant scientist Crake, designer of the pandemic as well as of the Crakers, used to be his best friend. He died right at the beginning of the pandemic together with Oryx, with whom they were both in love. Left without the two people he loved the most, Snowman does his best to survive in the post-apocalyptic world. Through flashbacks of his life before the pandemic he gradually unravels the causes of the disaster.