The posthuman condition: A comparative study of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go and Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake

Recently, numerous scientific and technological advances have taken place and the humanist attitude that man is the measure of all things has been challenged by the flourishing manifestations of trans-/posthumanism. Therefore, what it means to be human has been questioned by various theoreticians like Cary Wolfe, N. Katherine Hayles, and Donna Haraway. In this regard, concepts like Self/Other, human/non-human, body/mind are analysed anew in the framework of trans- and posthumanism. As part of dystopian literature, Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (2005) and Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake (2003) not only indicate a posthuman condition but also illustrate the question of identity regarding the characters. Consequently, this study discloses breaking points which involve issues of authenticity, othering, as well as identity explorations of the individuals based on post-/transhumanist theories and significant issues of the contemporary age. Besides developing self-awareness to gain individual autonomy, the subjects' ability to liberate themselves through the rejection of grand narratives is discussed with references to posthuman ethics in Never Let Me Go and Oryx and Crake in a comparative manner. Key words: Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Atwood, metanarrative, othering, posthuman subject, posthumanism, self-awareness, transhumanism