Speaking of Luddites…

One of my favorite authors is Margaret Atwood. She is Canadian (But I can get past that). A profound author, famous for her “speculative fiction”. Similar to science fiction, but as opposed to just spouting science fiction, she takes topics today and implements them into what could happen in the future with the way things are going in today’s society. In two of her books, The Handmaid’s Tale and Oryx and Crake, there are several very good examples of luddites. In The Handmaid’s Tale, the story is based on an extremist religious sect in the United States that took over the country, with the goal of returning to traditional values. Technology was heavily simplified, as was the lifestyles of everyone under control of this religious group. They themselves were luddites, in the sense that they removed most technology with the hope of forcing everyone else to live a simpler lifestyle. They fought not for their lost jobs, but for their long lost sense of comfort and simple.

 

Another book written by Atwood, Oryx and Crake, is about future society where science dominates all. Crake, a character infatuated with the sciences–specifically with bioengineering and genetics– decides that humanity is too flawed. Therefore, he takes it upon himself to eradicate the human race by disease. Although he eradicated all of humanity, he created his own race bestowed with the title of the “Crakes”. He felt that the race he created was flawless, therefore he left it upon a friend of his to watch over them and ensure their survival, hopefully to repopulate the earth.

 

Both these books are examples of luddites in literature, because both books involve huge reform of society (and humanity). The entities responsible for such drastic change do it because they feel that society has been misguided and needs assistance (even to the most extreme extent) “reforming”.