For an instant she felt them, their identities, almost their substance, pass over her head like a wave. At some time she would be - or no, already she was like that too; she was one of them, her body the same, identical, merged with that other flesh that choked the air in the flowered room with its sweet organic scent; she felt suffocated by this thick sargasso-sea of femininity.
In Margaret Atwood's "The Edible Woman," the protagonist experiences a powerful moment of connection with other women, feeling their identities intertwine with her own. This sensation overwhelms her, as if a wave has passed over her, leaving a profound awareness of her shared existence with them. The imagery of merging bodies emphasizes a deep bond among women, evoking both intimacy and a sense of suffocation.
The sweetness of the environment contrasts with the suffocating feelings the protagonist has as she navigates her identity. Surrounded by a dense atmosphere of femininity, she grapples with her own sense of self, recognizing how her individuality is blurred within the collective experience of womanhood. This passage captures the complexity of her emotions, illustrating both a yearning for connection and a struggle for personal autonomy.
