The Sin-Eater by Margaret Atwood
"The Sin-Eater" is a short story by Margaret Atwood that explores themes of betrayal, psychological manipulation, and self-discovery through the lens of a modern psychiatrist's unexpected death. The narrative centers on the experiences of a female narrator who, along with several former wives and female patients of the psychiatrist, grapples with feelings of horror and anger at his demise. The titular concept of a "sin-eater" references a Welsh tradition in which an individual consumes food in the presence of a deceased person to absorb their sins, a metaphor that resonates throughout the story.
As the narrator reflects on her complex relationship with the psychiatrist, Joseph, she comes to realize that his therapeutic role was more beneficial to him than to those he sought to help. Initially, she views him as a figure of strength but gradually uncovers his weaknesses and insecurities, leading her to reassess her reliance on him. The story poignantly illustrates the emotional toll of manipulation and the journey towards recognizing personal strength and independence. Ultimately, through her memories and revelations, the narrator learns to confront the psychiatrist's legacy and gains insight into her own resilience.
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The Sin-Eater by Margaret Atwood
First published: 1977
Type of plot: Psychological
Time of work: The 1970's
Locale: A North American city
Principal Characters:
Joseph , a psychiatrist who has just diedThe unnamed narrator , his female patient
The Story
The title of this story refers to a Welsh tradition in which a "sin-eater" was a person who sat up with the body of someone who died and ate a meal in the presence of the deceased in order to transfer the dead person's sins to himself or herself so that the soul of the dead could go to heaven. This symbolism is the focus of this tale about a modern psychiatrist who dies unexpectedly, leaving several former wives and many female patients feeling betrayed.
When the narrator first hears about the psychiatrist's death, she—like his other women—is horrified, yet also angry with him for having risked his life by pruning a tree, from which he fell to his death. There is a hint that the psychiatrist may have planned his death in order to punish the women who relied on him, forcing him to assume a strength of character that he did not have. His relationship with the narrator was more than professional, but less than intimate. Her sense of his betrayal infects her memories of their therapy sessions and leads her to reexamine her notions of reality and strength. As she tries to find meaning in Joseph's death, if not in his life, she re-creates discussions that always led to his problems, needs, or fears. It is in this context that the story of "The Sin-Eater" is told.
Joseph, the dead psychiatrist, believed himself to be the sin-eater of his generation, absorbing all the problems, fears, and sins of his patients. However, as the story progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that his sessions were more therapeutic for him than for the women with whom he surrounded himself. He was a sad, insecure, and immature man who used women to massage his ego and make him feel important.
When the narrator attends Joseph's memorial service, she discovers that she has more in common with his former wives than with his other patients, whom she calls "crazies." Her past conversations with him now make more sense to her as she realizes that she never really needed him. She recognizes that he was a weak man who needed these women, manipulated them, and devoured their hearts and souls, rather than their sins.
The narrator dreams of meeting Joseph at an airplane terminal, where he offers her cookies, which she recognizes as his sins. At first they seem too much for her, but her fears are overcome by her instinct that her strength will support her in accepting his sins. She now knows that she can cope with life without him.
Bibliography
Cooke, Nathalie. Margaret Atwood: A Biography. Toronto, Ontario: ECW Press, 1998.
Hengen, Shannon. Margaret Atwood's Power: Mirrors, Reflections, and Images in Select Fiction and Poetry. Toronto, Ontario: Sumach Press, 1993.
Nischik, Reingard, ed. Margaret Atwood: Works and Impact. Rochester, N.Y.: Camden House, 2000.
Stein, Karen F. Margaret Atwood Revisited. New York: Twayne, 1999.
Wilson, Sharon, Thomas Friedman, and Shannon Hengen, eds. Approaches to Teaching Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" and Other Works. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1996.