Interdisciplinary Study of Margaret Atwood’s Novel Surfacing

Abstract

Margaret Atwood’s novel Surfacing is a landmark novel in Canadian literature. It presents a richly layered narrative that lends itself to interdisciplinary interpretation. The paper examines the novel through the critical frameworks of eco-criticism, gender studies, psychoanalytic theory, postcolonial discourse and mythological studies.The young and unnamed protagonist comes back to Northern Quebec, the wilderness in search of her father who disappears. Her journey into the Quebec wilderness in search of her father transforms into a search for her identity. The novel throws light on gender oppression, cultural imperialism, environmental problems and psychological issue. Surfacing is immensely relevant in the present scenario of environmental crisis, gender oppression and cultural crisis. Atwood proposes that authentic survival necessitates confronting truth, reclaiming fractured identity and restoring an ethical relationship with Nature.