Grapes of Wrath

4 Pages 881 Words

Life Before Man: Novel Summary and Research


Plot Summary
A) As Margaret Atwood’s Life Before Man begins, the reader is introduced to the initial characters Elizabeth, her husband Nate and their children Janet and Nancy. The reader is also familiarized with Chris, Elizabeth’s former lover who has just taken his own life. The novel begins in Toronto in 1976, ending in 1978. The main storyline, Elizabeth’s affair and the decay of her marriage, is also presented.
B) Life Before Man ‘s inciting incident occurs as Elizabeth changes visibly with the suicide of her lover. Once a devoted wife and mother, she has abandoned cooking and cleaning, opting for hours spent in bed. She gives her husband and children little attention and even banishes Nate to a separate bedroom. She removes herself from reality, but allows no one to enter her world. Nate is forced to give up his career as a lawyer, as juggling both his and his wife’s former role becomes too challenging.
C) The rising action revolves around the complicated affairs that result in the end of Elizabeth and Nate’s marriage. The rising action begins as Nate has an affair of his own, becoming involved with one of his wife’s coworkers, Lesje. Elizabeth then plots revenge, sleeping with William, a man also involved with Lesje.
D) The crisis is observed at Christmas, when Elizabeth invites each of the adulterous characters to dinner. A confrontation is unexpectedly provoked as the guests indulge in an after dinner game of “survival”. In the playing the game, each character must reveal why he or she feels that he or she should remain on the lifeboat and not be thrown overboard. The game results in number of emotional confessions from its participants and Elizabeth, whose family has become threatened by the couple’s infidelities, contemplates suicide.
E) The climax is then reached as Elizabeth asks Nate to move out. She feels their marriage has suffered enough and looks...