Author(s): Sahil Kumar

Abstract: Margaret Atwood, a renowned Canadian author, has explored the dynamics of power and its consequences, particularly with her female characters, in several of her novels. The dynamics of power are expertly portrayed by young girls in her novel Cat’s Eye. By using her characters, Atwood deftly portrays the complex dynamics between school bullies and their victims, a theme that has been previously addressed by Graham Greene and William Golding. Constraints on idealism and oppression in all its forms are themes that run throughout Cat's Eye, as they have in Atwood's earlier novels. Atwood posits that women are not just the victims of patriarchal oppression. Women also perpetrate bullying and torment against their less privileged counterparts within their gender. She is subjected to bullying at school by three classmates: Cordelia, Carol, and Grace Elaine Risley, who has faced persecution since childhood, which has intensified during her adolescence. Her transient lifestyle led to her estrangement from her colleagues, making her vulnerable to her environment. Her traumatic memories were a persistent source of distress; however, she sought to reconcile with them through her artistic endeavours.

Keywords: power, gender, patriarchal, oppression, bullying, traumatic

Article Info: Received: 27 May 2026; Received in revised form: 20 Jun 2026; Accepted: 24 Jun 2026; Available online: 30 Jun 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.113.90