The Year of the Flood

In the society depicted in The Year of the Flood, the only agency women have is their sexuality, and thus they are not considered equal to men. As a result, women are often referenced by men as “meat-holes on legs” (102) or “disposables” (336), and they are seen as objects of sexual desire. When women refuse to comply with such roles, they become victims of sexual abuse, and rape is used to exert power and subjugate.

Moreover, Atwood demonstrates how, in a patriarchal society, the female body has an inherent value and consequently becomes a commodity that can be used and traded. Driven by choicelessness, some of the female characters, especially Amanda and Ren, use their sexuality as a form of currency to exchange for various things. Amanda is convinced that in extreme situations, this is normal, because “you trade what you have to. You don’t always have choices” (234). By claiming agency over her body and using it as she pleases, Amanda acquires a position of power: She can decide whether she wants to have sex or not, and when someone forces himself onto her, she knows how to fight back. Yet Amanda’s control over her life is challenged when she is abducted by three Painballers.