Birds Quote by Margaret Atwood
““We ate the birds. We ate them. We wanted their songs to flow up through our throats and burst out of our mouths, and so we ate them. We wanted their feathers to bud from our flesh. We wanted their wings, we wanted to fly as they did, soar freely among the treetops and the clouds, and so we ate them. We speared them, we clubbed them, we tangled their feet in glue, we netted them, we spitted them, we threw them onto hot coals, and all for love, because we loved them. We wanted to be one with them. We wanted to hatch out of clean, smooth, beautiful eggs, as they did, back when we were young and agile and innocent of cause and effect, we did not want the mess of being born, and so we crammed the birds into our gullets, feathers and all, but it was no use, we couldn’t sing, not effortlessly as they do, we can’t fly, not without smoke and metal, and as for the eggs we don’t stand a chance. We’re mired in gravity, we’re earthbound. We’re ankle-deep in blood, and all because we ate the birds, we ate them a long time ago, when we still had the power to say no.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Handmaid’s Tale (excerpt), 1985
Uses vivid metaphor of consuming birds to explore humanity’s destructive desire to dominate nature, leading to loss of freedom and identity.
In simple terms: We destroy nature seeking power, losing ourselves.
Key Takeaway
Respect nature’s limits.
Themes
environment
power
identity
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- conservation activism
- ethical consumption
- policy making
Key Concepts
anthropocentrism
ecological collapse
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the costs of exploiting nature?
- How can we balance desire and responsibility?
A Different Perspective
Human progress can be hindered by exploitation.
