Essay on Margaret Atwood’s Rape Fantasies

Damarcus Fitzhugh Lenore Harris ENG 001B 11/18/2012 In most short stories of the past there have constantly been Heroes and Villains good vs. evil. Whether its the innocent Hansel and Gretel vs. the evil cannibalistic witch authors tended to paint the line separating the two through their uses of certain writing tools. The point Atwood attempts to drive into the lecturer is womens naivety and overall downplay of sack. Margaret Atwood, author of Rape Fantasies, relies heavily on Irony and Characterization to get her point across. In the story Estelle, the fibber and main character, shares her rape fantasies a farsighted .In all of them she is a victim, later in the story, we find out that the reason she has these thoughts about being raped is so that if she ever so is in a situation like one where she might get raped, she wants to be prepared to avoid it and protect herself. This shows an unrealistic and naive view on what rape really is. She imagines the rapist to be the victim instead of her. As mentioned in the text, all the rapists she fantasizes about are victims of some sort of mental or physical trait considered undesirable Atwood uses characterization, specifically in Estelle, with whom she characterizes as condescending, sarcastic and negative at multiplication.She is a young office worker who notes how popular the resign Rape has become in womens magazines. Estelle is playing a game with her co-workers over their lunch hour, when Chrissy, a woman from Estelles office, brings up the topic of rape fantasies. Estelle would rather reasonable continue playing, but instead, the small group of ladies decides to go around the table sharing their own rape fantasies. (1) Darlene, the oldest, and the only divorced women of the group finds these fantasies revolting and ends up turning her back on the different ladies. later she returns, unable to resist the interesting taboo) (1) Chrissy and Sondra are very eager to share their rape fantasies but subseque ntly they do Estelle informs them that they were not legitimate rape fantasies but merely romantic fantasies she then describes a story of a man jumping her in a dark alley, or sneaking into her house when she is sick in bed. In all of Estelles stories the men are pathetic, lonely individuals who have some social function wrong with them either mentally or physically.Here we see Estelle victimize the rapist in order to protect herself. She believes she can talk herself out of being raped. After sharing all the rape fantasies the story goes into a deeper monologue and a new light is shed on why Estelles fantasies (1) all end the way they do. It is because she feels that after getting to sleep together someone and getting a glimpse of what they think and how they feel there is no way a person would be able to rape the other this theory contradicts almost every book that says women are usually raped by someone they know.Irony is introduced within the conversations the women have. Movi ng from woman to woman, Darlene calling the entire thing disgusting, Greta describing a Tarzan-like situation, Chrissy describing hers in a bath, when Estelle, ever the voice of reason, informs them that what they are describing are sexual fantasies Listen . . . those arent rape fantasies. I mean, you arent getting raped, its good some guy you havent met formally who happens to be more attractive than Derek Cummins . . and you have a good time, rape is when theyve got a tongue or something and you dont want to. (1) Angered, the other women insist that she tell them hers. Content, Estelle then describes her rape fantasy where she deflects her rapist by squirting lemon succus from a plastic bottle in his eyes (You should hear the one about the Easy Off Cleaner), and the one where this short, ugly fellow comes up and grabs my arm . . .I say, Oh for Christ sake, and he starts to cry, which prompts a wave of sympathy in Estelle. And therere more, all with Estelle stopping her attacker t hrough talking to him (Ive just found out I have leukemia), or talking him out of it. (1) As the story continues, we become aware that Estelle is talking to someone in addition to the readerI hope you dont mind me holding my nose like this . . . and that person is probably a man (two times Estelle says, But I guess its different for a guy).As the story ends, we realize that Estelle has been in a bar, talking to a man she had just met, she worries about possibly being raped by him. Like, how could a fellow do that to a person hes just had a long conversation with, once you let them know youre human, you have a life too, I dont see how they could go ahead with it, decent? (Last Paragraph) We are left wondering whether this entire story is Estelles deliberate inventions, her attempt to control a dangerous interaction. Citation Atwood, Margaret. Rape Fantasies. S. l. S. n. , .. . Print.