I must say Hairball by Margaret Atwood has got to be one of the more disgusting short story ive read but it in a way is also interesting. You can actually picture the descriptive details from the beginning to the end of the story. When interpreting this story I notice two major themes which are the roles of women in society and dealing with loss of identity. One thing the story pointed out was women’s role in the society, at least what it was like back then in the 1980s. You can see how Kat, the main character, was struggling to be heard in a room filled with men. She was always trying to not let what society has built in place for her and every woman in the world not get to her. She always wanted to be on top and fight for that female superiority but keeps getting shut down by her boss named Ger. She strived to be independent and not like what society commands her to be, which is a housewife while the male represents dominance. The story in my opinion really digs in the emptiness that…show more content… It’s kind of scary that something as describe can grow in someone’s body. She calls it ‘Hairball’ and stores it in formaldehyde on her mantelpiece. She talks to it like it was human but it made her remember about certain instances in her life. Kat’s relationship with her married lover turned started making a turn downhill when he states that he will replace her as the creative director from work. While staring at the “hairball” she fantasizes on how its resembled their failed relationship. It then begins to boil up a rage in Kat and she then realizes how angry she actually is. She ended up gift wrapped the hairball and sending it Gerald and his wife. Through all these instances, Kat seemed to get lost more and more and sadly unable to recognize herself in the mirror anymore because she’s trying so hard to not be this “woman” society calls for her to
