An Interpretative Study of Margaret Atwood’s The Edible Woman from Foucault’s Concept of ‘Statement’

Abstract

This paper aims to make an analytical study of Foucault’s concept of ‘statement’ as the
functional principle of ‘discourse’ and how the functions served by statements can be
traced in our study of fictional narratives (here Margaret Atwood’s “The Edible
Woman” has been selected for this study). “The Edible Woman” narrativizes Marian’s
story – her living in a consumer society, working for an organisation that promotes
consumerism and having a relation with the consummate consumer Peter. The novel
shows a continuous conflict in between Marian’s self and the society she lives in. The
societal forces become embedded in the actions and behaviours of the characters. This
paper seeks to unfold the manifold ways through which discursive practices intervene
and influence the fictionalised lives of the characters in the said novel.