Rewriting Nature: Ethical Implications of Genetic Engineering in Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood is set in a future where people, animals and even laboratory-created life is a blurred line that asks immediate, pressing ethical questions. The paper interprets the novel as an allegorical exploration of biotechnological advancements and their enduring social and environmental consequences. Centring on characters like Snowman and Crake, Oryx and Crake considers the dissonance between scientific progress and ecological responsibility. The research enters current discussions about genetic modification and synthetic biology by means of close reading of the text. Atwood’s tale functions as a warning against human hubris, ecological disaster, and the commercialization of life itself. The book highlights the consequences of scientific exploration that is not bound by ethical practices, and explores the toll it can take on individuals and society to meddle with life forms. In connecting with current global debates about biotechnology, the study draws the reader’s attention to the necessity and pertinence of a balanced, ethically guided approach to genetic engineering that will respect humanity as well as nature.