Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Extinction and Evolution in Oryx and Crake


Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Extinction and Evolution in Oryx and Crake
The book Oryx and Crake shows a lot of interest in in human and natural history and also in the history of life and death on earth. Throughout the book we see modificated animals and genes and the construction of new viruses and immunities against illnesses and other things. These things can be described as an acceleration of evolution. There is also a game that actually gives Crake his name in the book. It is called “Extinctathon”, and its purpose is to memorize and catalogue the list of species that have gone extinct.
Bildergebnis für extinction and evolution in oryx and crake
When you read the book, it is easy to understand that Snowman (Jimmy) sees the extinction of his own species, the Homo Sapiens Sapiens, as a great deal and he is really affected by that. The extinction of the Homo Sapiens Sapiens was caused by Crake´s virus, which he purposely invented to wipe out humanity and create space for his own creation, the Crakers. Snowman starts comparing himself to the Crakers. He sees the difference between him and them. While he is suffering with infections and starvation, he sees the Crakers who are perfectly suited to survival in any given circumstances.
The Book Oryx and Crake clearly addresses the human arrogance. Humans go, throughout the storyline, from controlling evolution (creating new species like the Crakers) to becoming an extinct species themselves (wiped out by self-invented virus and replaced by self-invented new species) and being actually replaced by the better adapted Crakers.
Dominik König

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