Surfacing – Margaret Atwood (1972)

Surfacing, a novel by Margaret Atwood published in 1972, is a haunting exploration of identity, memory, and the human connection to nature. Set in rural Quebec, the story follows an unnamed narrator’s return to her childhood home in search of her missing father. As she confronts her past, the protagonist embarks on a journey of psychological and spiritual self-discovery, framed by Atwood’s incisive commentary on gender, cultural identity, and ecological degradation.

Plot Summary

In the quiet stretch of Quebec’s remote wilderness, a woman returns to the landscape of her childhood, spurred by the news that her father has vanished. She is joined by her partner, Joe, and a married couple, David and Anna. The journey begins with a sense of disconnection, each passenger in the vehicle carrying their private burdens and silences. For the narrator, the trip is not merely a search for her father but a confrontation with the fragments of a past she has long tried to forget.

As they travel deeper into the wild, signs of human encroachment appear—roads widened, signs erected, the forest scarred. The lake, the centerpiece of her father’s isolated home, reflects this tension between untouched beauty and gradual exploitation. The narrator’s memory of her father’s habits and meticulous routines clashes with the unsettling stillness of his empty cabin. The once-familiar space is now strange, filled with a silence that resonates with loss and unanswered questions.

The cabin becomes their base as they settle into uneasy companionship. David, brash and self-assured, occupies himself with an amateur film project, coaxing Joe into half-hearted participation. Anna, charming yet brittle, struggles under the weight of her marriage to David, whose casual cruelty chips away at her composure. The narrator, meanwhile, navigates her internal journey, her surroundings stirring memories of her family. Flashes of her childhood surface—her parents’ quiet endurance, her mother’s stoic presence, and her father’s passion for the natural world. Yet beneath these recollections lie darker truths, long suppressed but now bubbling to the surface.

The days are marked by small excursions and strained interactions. David’s mockery and relentless posturing create friction, while Anna’s attempts to keep the peace reveal the fragility of her own position. Joe’s quiet resentment adds another layer of tension. The narrator finds solace in solitary moments, walking through the forest or diving into the cold, clear water of the lake. The wilderness, vast and indifferent, offers a stark contrast to the entanglements of human relationships.

As she explores the surroundings, her father’s absence grows more palpable. His carefully maintained garden, now overrun, and the untouched supplies in the cabin suggest he left abruptly. A search of the nearby island, where her father often retreated, yields only more questions. In his maps and journals, she finds traces of a man consumed by a deep connection to the land, charting flora and fauna with scientific precision. Yet there is no indication of where he might have gone or why.

The emotional undercurrents within the group begin to shift. David’s relentless need for control culminates in a humiliating game involving Anna, exposing the cruelty of their dynamic. The narrator’s growing awareness of her own detachment from Joe leads her to question the foundation of their relationship. This tension mirrors her internal struggle—a deepening awareness of the ways she has distanced herself not only from others but from her own identity.

As memories resurface, the narrator recalls the traumas that have shaped her. The loss of her mother and the subsequent years of disconnection from her father take on new weight. She confronts the falsehoods she has told herself, particularly about a past abortion—a decision cloaked in shame and regret. The trip becomes a crucible for her unresolved pain, forcing her to strip away the layers of denial and confront her fractured sense of self.

The wilderness becomes both a sanctuary and a crucible. Her bond with the natural world deepens, and she begins to view it not as a backdrop but as an extension of herself. The narrator’s descent into this primal connection culminates in a ritualistic shedding of societal constructs. Abandoning her clothes and the trappings of her former life, she immerses herself in the rawness of the land, seeking a form of purification and rebirth.

As the group prepares to leave, their fragile unity begins to unravel. David’s manipulations escalate, leading to a climactic confrontation. The narrator’s rejection of his domineering behavior signals a turning point in her own journey. She refuses to return with them, choosing instead to remain in the wilderness, determined to find a truth that eludes her in the structured confines of society.

Alone in the cabin, she allows herself to fully inhabit the silence and solitude. Her father’s spirit seems to linger in the spaces he once inhabited, and she comes to understand his retreat into the wild as an act of preservation. In this isolation, she reconnects with the primal aspects of her identity, shedding the expectations imposed on her as a woman, a daughter, and a partner.

The story concludes with the narrator poised between worlds—rooted in the wilderness yet aware of the inevitable pull of the human world. She senses the tenuous balance she must maintain, a fragile understanding that allows her to move forward, neither fully detached nor wholly reclaimed.

Main Characters

• The Narrator: The unnamed protagonist, an artist grappling with her past and identity. Her return to her childhood home triggers suppressed memories and an emotional reckoning as she explores the traumas of her family and relationships.

• Joe: The narrator’s partner, a quiet and brooding man. His emotional detachment and superficial desires create tension in his relationship with the narrator.

• David: A self-proclaimed intellectual and filmmaker. Cynical and domineering, he reflects the toxic masculinity that contrasts sharply with the narrator’s introspection.

• Anna: David’s wife and the narrator’s friend. Anna hides her insecurities behind a facade of charm and humor but struggles with her unhappy marriage and societal expectations.

• The Narrator’s Father: A mysterious figure whose disappearance initiates the narrator’s journey. His love for nature and reclusive tendencies mirror the themes of isolation and humanity’s bond with the environment.

Theme

• Identity and Alienation: The narrator’s search for her father becomes a metaphor for her own fragmented sense of self. Atwood delves into themes of cultural disconnection and the societal expectations placed on women.

• The Human-Nature Connection: The wilderness is both a physical setting and a symbol of purity and truth, juxtaposing modern life’s artificiality with primal instincts.

• Feminism and Gender Dynamics: The novel critiques patriarchal relationships and the limited roles offered to women, as seen in Anna’s struggle and the narrator’s resistance to societal norms.

• Memory and Trauma: Suppressed memories of the narrator’s past resurface, revealing layers of psychological pain, lost innocence, and the need for reconciliation.

• Colonialism and Cultural Identity: The novel explores Canada’s complex national identity, contrasting indigenous traditions and exploitation of the land by outsiders.

Writing Style and Tone

Margaret Atwood’s writing in Surfacing is introspective and rich with symbolism, employing lyrical yet restrained prose that captures the stark beauty of the Canadian wilderness. She masterfully blends psychological realism with surreal, almost mythic elements, creating an atmosphere of mystery and tension.

The tone is haunting and meditative, often shifting between detachment and emotional vulnerability. Atwood uses fragmented memories and sparse dialogue to reflect the narrator’s disjointed psyche, drawing the reader into her internal struggles. The ecological imagery underscores themes of loss, recovery, and the tenuous balance between humanity and nature.