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Oryx
The Crakers are the result of Crake’s project “Paradice.” He pitches them as “floor models”—or examples of all of the various genetic modifications that could be sold separately to parents who were willing to pay for more genetically perfect children. But it eventually becomes clear that the Crakers are Crake’s solution to what he sees as human imperfection, and that his plan had been to eradicate humanity as we know it and leave the Crakers in its place. They are strikingly beautiful, with perfect features and flawless skin that is immune to UV damage. They have a digestive system similar to that of a rabbit, so they can survive on a wide variety of simple vegetation, so food is not scarce. Romantic love has been bred out of them entirely: sex occurs as a purely reproductive act, once every three years per female. When a female Crake is ovulating, she gives off a pheromone scent and her backside turns blue (this trait is borrowed from baboons). Then males know they can pursue her sexually, but if a male is not chosen he does not feel any disappointment or anger. The rest of the time, the Crakes are basically sexless, and sexual or romantic frustration is completely absent in them. Crake also tried to breed religion, history, and art out of the Crakers, but it appears he has been unsuccessful. The Crakers ask many questions about where they came from, and with Snowman’s guidance they build a kind of mythology for themselves, where Crake is (ironically, because he would hate any kind of mythology) their god. They also begin, towards the end of the novel, to make art—they build a likeness of Snowman in the hopes that it will help him to return safely from his trip. It is unclear whether or not we should consider the Crakers “human,” but their interest in art and history is distinctly humanistic, and suggests they are more like us than they may seem at first.
The Crakers Quotes in Oryx and Crake
The Oryx and Crake quotes below are all either spoken by The Crakers or refer to The Crakers. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 5 Quotes
On some non-conscious level, Snowman must serve as a reminder to these people, and not a pleasant one: he’s what they may have been once.
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Chapter 7 Quotes
Crake thought he’d done away with all that…God is a cluster of neurons, he’d maintained…They’re up to something though. Something Crake didn’t anticipate. They’re conversing with the invisible. They’ve developed reverence.
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Sex is no longer a mysterious rite, viewed with ambivalence or downright loathing, conducted in the dark and inspiring suicides or murders. Now it’s more like an athletic demonstration, a free-spirited romp.
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Chapter 14 Quotes
“We made a picture of you, to help us send out our voices to you.”
Watch out for art, Crake used to say. As soon as they start doing art, we’re in trouble.
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The Crakers Character Timeline in Oryx and Crake
The timeline below shows where the character The Crakers appears in Oryx and Crake. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
...diary could help him cope, but he knows his writing would have no audience; the Crakers (the beings he had earlier called children) cannot read.
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...himself up. He cannot cool down at the nearby stream and watering hole, because the Crakers play in it, and they make him feel grotesque and ask him too many questions....
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Chapter 5
Toast. Snowman has told the Crakers the story of their origin. He has told them that the Crakers themselves are the...
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...night appears in the sky, and Snowman begins singing “Star Light Star Bright” to himself. Craker children hear him and ask him why he is talking to himself. He tells them...
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Snowman hears the voices of the Crakers coming toward him. They are bringing him his weekly fish. He’s taught them to grill...
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When Snowman is finished the Crakers gather around him and ask to hear about the deeds of Crake. Snowman explains that...
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After Snowman finishes this story, one of the Craker women asks him a new question: How was Crake born? Snowman knows he must give...
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Chapter 7
Before Snowman leaves he must explain his departure to the Crakers. He does not want them to worry that he’s missing and put themselves in danger...
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...ritual where they urinate along the invisible line that marks their territory. Crake designed the Crakers so that the smell of their urine would ward off predators. He gave the ability...
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The Craker called Abraham Lincoln welcomes snowman, and asks him to come across the line. Snowman notes...
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...Snowman is satisfied by the fact that Crake failed to breed religion out of the Crakers, eliminate “the cluster of neurons” where he believed God resided—the Crakers have clearly developed a...
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Snowman takes in the scene inside the Craker circle. Women are tending a fire. They never eat cooked food and the fire is...
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Snowman tells the Crakers he is going to go on a long journey, to see Crake. Children beg to...
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As Snowman leaves the Craker camp, he again feels anger towards Crake. The voice of his father tells him he...
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...can hear laughter, chanting, and singing from the forest. He thinks it must be the Crakers mating. It only occurs once every three years per female, and when she is ready,...
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Snowman leans against a tree and listens to the sounds of the Crakers mating. He wonders why, since there is no longer any jealousy or domestic violence, he...
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Chapter 9
...skies darken, and Snowman realizes a tornado is coming. The Pigoons flee. He hopes the Crakers will be safe, and seeks cover in the security tower. He drinks some bourbon and...
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Chapter 11
...the morning Snowman calculates that this is the third day he’s been away from the Crakers. He gathers al of his new supplies into a sack and manages to squeeze himself...
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Chapter 12
...habitat, with large trees and lots of vegetation. This is Jimmy’s first view of the Crakers. They are naked, but betray no self-consciousness. They are strikingly beautiful, with bright green eyes....
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Crake explains that the Crakers started as modifications of stolen human embryos. But now the Crakers are reproducing themselves. He...
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Crake expands upon the different features modeled by the Crakers (these features, could, theoretically, be chosen one by one by prospective parents looking to design...
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...in Paradice, Crake is showing him how to use the various viewing screens in the Craker observation tower. On the screen Jimmy sees a woman in with the Crakers, naked like...
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...really understand the question, but Crake had then asked him to take care of the Crakers if anything bad happened to him. Snowman curses himself for not taking this seriously. Crake...
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...Jimmy, if she and Crake were to ever go away, to take care of the Crakers. Oryx looks emphatic so Jimmy promises. She tells him she’s very happy, and says she’ll...
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...kills all three. Jimmy is now the only one in the airlock except for the Crakers—he killed the staff because he feels that it is imperative that he not fall victim...
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Chapter 13
Jimmy checks on the Crakers three times a day. They don’t seem to know that anything has changed. Occasionally they...
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When Jimmy is not watching the Crakers he wanders around aimlessly, eating, drinking, and watching the news. It is chaos out there—animal...
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...dome much longer—once the electricity goes out, the airflow will stop and he and the Crakers will suffocate. Jimmy sits down at his desk and writes a note that begins “To...
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Remnant. Jimmy finally shows himself to the Crakers. They marvel at his appearance and at the fabric draped over his body. Jimmy decides...
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He leads the Crakers out of the dome. On the way they pass Oryx and Crake's bodies, crumpled and...
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Chapter 14
...has found in the storage area in Paradice, and makes his way back towards the Crakers, out of RejoovenEsense. He scans the horizon for signs of smoke but sees nothing. His...
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The Crakers ask about Crake’s whereabouts, and Snowman tells them Crake is in Paradice, and that they...
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Sermon. After his meal, the Crakers tell Snowman that others like him have passed through the area. Snowman is shocked and...
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As Snowman prepares to leave in the morning, he imagines giving a sermon to the Crakers about what they should do if these new people mistreat them. He wonders how he...
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