Essay Sample on Analysis of Lusus Naturae by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood’s work was done in a period that is not directly stated. The narrator tells of a young girl undergoing a journey of self-acceptance and recovery and, at the same time suffering from Porphyria. According to the doctor’s diagnosis, the girl is suffering from a forever curse and, therefore, a burden to the family and a shame to the entire village. The name of the narrator is never revealed throughout the story and is only referred to as a freak of nature. Throughout the story, Atwood applies various elements of figurative language, including the first-person narrative. Besides, the theme of isolation is depicted in the story and which plays a significant role in the development of the same.

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The author portrays the story of a woman who suffers from isolation at an early stage of her life. The doctors have diagnosed the protagonist with a condition known as Porphyria. Following the lack of knowledge that exists among the people at this time, she did not get the necessary help in her situation (Seikala & Mikko, 1047). Besides, people perceive her condition as a curse, and therefore she is said to be a burden to her family as well as a shame to the village. The concept brings about physical Isolation as she is kept in the dark. Her appearance is frightening, and none of the outsiders is willing to be associated with her. She is even forced to isolate form her family, which is the only world she knew. The issue of physical and mental Isolation finally results in her death. The author asserts that being isolated and discriminated by society leads to depression as the process of self-acceptance and self-discovery proved in futile. Throughout her life, the young woman has been made to believe that she is not part of society and therefore appeared a reject. As she quoted, “it saddened my mother to have given birth to an item such as myself (Atwood, 231).” The statement depicts that she started being isolated right from birth from her family and now the community. The issue of mental and physical isolation from the outside world eventually leads to her death.

The narrator states that she had to keep away from the rest of the community to save her life. After the demise of her father and grandmother, she decides to explore the outside world and could hide in the brambles to watch people. Her condition could only allow her to come out during the night because light can affect her eyes. Such implies that even nature was not on her favor anyway. The narrator depicts the theme of Isolation when she says that she spent the days in the hayrack during the packing-up and sale of their furniture after her mother sold the house (Atwood, 235). The moving of her mother makes the narrator have some sense of freedom, although she is still curious about other things during her exploration. The curiosity drives her to decide, stopping isolating and staying hidden from the villagers. Her decision to come out of solation leads to her eventual death as the villager’s gangs to kills her following the fact that she is perceived as a disgrace to the community (Seikalia & Mikko, 1022).

Thought her journey on self-acceptance, the narrator seems not contented about her situation. Her condition makes her appear completely different from other people, and she tries to search for her look-alike, but she cannot find one. She is isolated and shunned by a condition that is beyond her control. At some point, the protagonist shows some optimism by speculating that perhaps she will resemble the angels, or the angles will look like her upon getting to heaven (Atwood, 232). The author of this short story seeks to portray the theme of Isolation and the negatives it may breed. Both physical and mental Isolation can lead to the development of depression and anxiety disorders, which affect the well-being of an individual. The journey of self-acceptance and self-discovery requires that an individual get support from the family and the people around her. Her family goes to the extent of staging her death so that her elder sister would get married to a good family. The family bribe the priest to lock away the narrator by stating that she is lucky that she is leading an innocent life. Therefore, she would go straight to heaven as no man would want to pollute her (Atwood, 233). Sadly, this never happened to the narrator, and she ended up being a victim of Isolation, and hunger for exploration contributed to her death. Depression, as a result of Isolation and discrimination from a condition one has no control over, is a silent killer. Throughout the short story, Margaret Atwood tries to portray the issue of Isolation and the implications it may have on an individual. Besides, she depicts how the lack of knowledge can be dangerous, especially when the power of beliefs and stereotypes influences everyone in the community.

The theme of Isolation is well depicted in this short story. The theme centers on the protagonist, who is suffering from a condition perceived to be a curse and, therefore, a disgrace to the community. She, therefore, faces both physical and mental Isolation, which leads to depression. When she decides to come out to quench her thirst for freedom and exploration, the villagers gang up to kill her. The author, therefore, tries to show the effects of isolation, especially when it happens as a result of situations that are beyond an individual’s control.

Works Cited

Atwood, Margaret. "Lusus naturae." McSweeney’s Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories (2014).

Selkälä, Toni, and Mikko Rajavuori. "Traditions, myths, and utopias of personhood: an introduction." German Law Journal 18.5 (2017): 1017-1068.