Sixteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Drawing on Iser’s theory of reading, I argue that Atwood’s novel constantly engages the reader in a “self-correction” process. Embedded stories, fragmentation, and other post-modernist devices make it increasingly difficult to identify “adultery” as a transgressive act in the novel or to build a frame of reference as far as cultural traditions and social norms are concerned. A close examination of significant passages will show that by bringing together various narrative levels, the reader is able to re-establish the missing elements and understand how references to prevailing norms of early twentieth-century Canadian society and value judgements expressed in the text of the novel influence the image-building process. The examples provided will reveal that contextual meaning in “The Blind Assassin” relies, to a large extent, on the established authority of the narrator.