The Blind Assassin

The Blind Assassin, published in 2000, is a novel by acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It is set in Canada in 1998 and 1999. The novel is structured in the form of a manuscript written by an elderly woman, Iris Chase Griffen, whose life reflects the span of the 20th Century, although the book mostly focuses on the 1930s and 1940s. It is a work of historical fiction, with some postmodern elements, such as a framed narrative structure.

Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin

Margaret Atwood is a Canadian writer, poet, and literary critic who was born on November 18, 1939, in Ottawa, Canada. She is one of the most celebrated and influential authors of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Atwood has written many critically acclaimed novels, short stories, and poetry collections, exploring themes of feminism, environmentalism, and social justice. Her literary works range from science fiction to historical and postmodern fiction.

Atwood's novel The Blind Assassin was published in 2000, and it won the prestigious Booker Prize in the same year. In the lead-up to writing the novel, Atwood grew up in a period of great social and cultural change in Canada, with the country becoming increasingly urbanized and industrialized in the 20th century. At the same time, Canada was undergoing a cultural renaissance, with writers and artists exploring the country's unique history and culture.

The novel's narrative structure is also significant in the context of contemporary literature. Atwood is known for experimenting with literary form and blurring the boundaries between different genres, such as science fiction and historical fiction, as she does in The Blind Assassin. The novel is considered a landmark novel that demonstrates Atwood's mastery of forms and blended narratives.

Fig. 1 - Margaret Atwood is a celebrated Canadian writer, known for The Handmaid's Tale and The Blind Assassin.

The Blind Assassin: characters

The Blind Assassin: summary

In summary, The Blind Assassin's narrator, Iris, reflects on the story of her life, her family, and their trials and tribulations in the fictional Ontario town of Port Ticonderoga and in Toronto, Canada. The novel explores the complex relationships between two sisters, Iris and Laura, and the political and cultural changes of their time. The novel is structured as a nested narrative, with the main story of the sisters' lives framed by a science fiction story about a blind assassin that Laura wrote before her death.

The novel also switches between her recollections of youth and childhood and her experiences as an octogenarian, which makes the novel a framed narrative. The book takes the form of Iris’ reminiscences, written as a memoir for her granddaughter Sabrina.

The Blind Assassin is a multi-layered novel with a non-linear structure that weaves together multiple narratives. The first opening of The Blind Assassin sees the elderly Iris Chase Griffen in the 'present day' is reflecting on her life and the events that have led her to this point.

Iris receives a newspaper clipping in the mail announcing the imminent demolition of a plant in her hometown, which brings back memories of her childhood and her family's business, the Chase Button Factory. She then recalls the death of her sister, Laura, who died in a car accident at the age of 25. The quote is the first line that opens the novel, immediately establishing the theme of storytelling.

It’s unclear at first whether Laura’s death is an accident - the newspapers believe that it is, while Iris believes that it was a suicide.

The Blind Assassin's nested narratives

The novel follows Iris and Laura from the 1920s to the 1940s. Despite being born to a wealthy manufacturing family, the sister's mother dies young and they have a distant relationship with their father, Norval. The 1930s sees the Great Depression pressuring the Chase business's finances, and Norval fears the rise of communism and workers' dissent. Norval then forges a partnership with Richard Griffen to save the business on the condition that Iris marries Richard, while Laura befriends the politically left Alex Thomas.

Thomas is accused of instigating a riot that breaks out in Chase Town. Laura helps to hide him, which begins their romantic relationship. The newlywed Griffens return to discover the death of Norval Chase, who had drunk himself to death because Richard went back on the deal and the factory was closed.

Iris soon discovers that her sister has been institutionalized by Richard and his sister Winifred for believing in delusions and that she was pregnant. Iris soon loses touch with Laura when she is released in 1937, and when Iris gives birth to her daughter Aimee.

Interspersed in the novel is a novel within a novel, supposedly written by Laura before her death. It tells the story of a love affair between a wealthy woman and a poor writer, who tells her the story of the blind assassin. The novel is science fiction and tells of a man who can time travel and falls in love with a woman from a different world. The story ends with the blind assassin sacrificing himself to save the woman he loves.

The sisters are reunited after World War Two. Laura reveals that she was indeed pregnant and that Richard and his sister Winifred forced her to have an abortion. Iris assumes that Alex was the father, and in a fit of jealousy reveals that she, Iris, and Alex were lovers. There is a strong implication that Alex is Aimee's father. Iris also reveals that Alex died in the war.

On hearing the news of the affair and Alex's death, Laura steals Iris's car keys and drives herself off a bridge.

After Laura's death, Iris then finds out through Laura's notebooks that Richard had forced Laura into having sex with him by threatening Alex. Iris takes Aimee to Port Ticonderoga and publishes the book The Blind Assassin under Laura's name. The novel later reveals that she was always the original author of the novel within a novel, and the narrative of the Blind Assassin was Iris's memories of her affair with Alex.

The publication of the novel draws interest in Laura's life. Thinking his past behaviour with Laura would be revealed, Richard commits suicide to escape the scandal that ensued and ruined his political career. Winifred takes Aimee, effectively ruining her relationship with her mother Iris for the rest of their lives.

The ending of The Blind Assassin

The Blind Assassin: analysis

The plot is a framed narrative - a novel within a novel, supposedly written by Iris’s sister Laura, and also called The Blind Assassin. Chapters of this novel alternate with Iris’ narration. It describes a secretive, furtive romance between a man and a woman, both unnamed. The couple meets in a series of shady, grotty rented rooms and cheap hotels, and, as a seductive technique, the man tells the woman a strange, sensational science fiction story (also called The Blind Assassin!).

The novel Atwood wrote is like reading a Russian doll - narratives concealed within other narratives. The Blind Assassin also includes articles from a local newspaper, which provide a glimpse into the political and social climate of the time.

Through the use of storytelling and weaving together of multiple narratives, Atwood explores the ways in which fiction can help us understand our own experiences and perspectives, as well as the perspectives of others.

Themes in The Blind Assassin

The novel also explores complex and interrelated themes, including memory, truth, storytelling, family relationships, gender roles, and political upheaval. Gender roles and complex family dynamics are recurring themes in all of Atwood's works.

1. Truth: The novel raises questions about the nature of truth and how it can be shaped by individual and societal influences. Iris grapples with the truth about her own life and the legacy of her family's business. The novel suggests that the truth is not always clear-cut, and can be elusive and subjective.

2. Storytelling: The novel is concerned with the power of storytelling and the role of narrative in shaping our understanding of the past and the present. Iris's novel, The Blind Assassin, is a key example of this, as it tells a story within a story and allows the characters to explore their own experiences through the lens of fiction.

3. Family Relationships: The novel explores the complex dynamics of family relationships, particularly between siblings. Iris and Laura's relationship is fraught with tension and misunderstanding, and the novel reveals the ways in which their experiences have shaped their attitudes towards each other.

4. Gender Roles: The novel also explores the roles and expectations placed on women during the time period in which it is set. Laura is a politically active woman who challenges gender norms, while Iris struggles to conform to the expectations of her gender and the social norms of her time.

5. Political Upheaval: The novel is set against the backdrop of political and social change in Canada, including the rise of communism and the impact of World War II. The characters are affected by these larger forces, and the novel explores the ways in which political upheaval can shape individual lives.

Memory in The Blind Assassin

At the heart of the novel are the questions of truth and the unreliable nature of memory. Iris grapples with the way she has remembered her past and the ways in which she has suppressed or ignored certain facts. For example, she has difficulty recalling the details of her sister's death and is forced to confront the truth later in the novel.

The novel suggests that memory is not a fixed, objective reality, but rather a malleable construct that can be shaped by individual and societal influences. The unreliability of memory often features prominently in postmodern historical fiction to question whether historical accounts can be relied on.

The Blind Assassin: key quotes from the plot

The following quotes explore the main themes of storytelling and memory.

This quote reflects the idea that the most compelling and enduring stories are those that explore the darker, more primal aspects of human nature. Atwood suggests that stories about wolves, which are often used as symbols of wildness and danger, capture this quality. She argues that sentimental or saccharine stories that avoid or gloss over the complexities of life are not worth telling.

This quote reflects the idea that uncertainty and the potential for surprise are essential to a fulfilling life. Atwood suggests that the knowledge of the future would rob us of agency, free will, and the ability to experience joy, love, and adventure.

This quote speaks to the fleeting nature of youth and the way in which we often take our experiences for granted. Atwood suggests that when we are young, we don't fully appreciate the value of our memories and experiences, and we tend to treat them as disposable.

This quote is a bit tongue-in-cheek and reflects the idea that hard work and practical tasks can be valuable for developing skills and knowledge. Atwood implies that there is no substitute for the kind of hands-on experience and effort that comes from physical labour.