Death by Landscape

Death by Landscape

Author Margaret Atwood Published 1991-??-?? Type Fiction, Short story Genre Drama Themes Coming of Age, Drama Age Group Adult

Death by Landscape is a short story by Margaret Atwood published in her anthology Wilderness Tips in 1991.

In the story, Lois, an elderly woman, has moved into a small condominium now that her husband is dead. While looking through her collection of paintings, she is reminded of Lucy, a girl she once knew in summer camp when they were both thirteen years old.

Personal

Own?	Yes. In the anthology, Contemporary Fiction: 50 Short Stories Since 1970.
Read?	Yes.
Finished	2024-11-19.

While looking through the table of contents in my anthology, I recognized Margaret Atwood's name. Having loved The Handmaid's Tale, I began reading this story.

Review

Overall:

Good

• The summer camp is realistically described to the point of immersion.
• I like how Lois acknowledges how, even though they didn't have racist intentions, the cultural appropriation of her camp still wronged Native Americans.
• The story, quite effectively, is unsettling.
• How easily Cappie changes from concerned camp councilor to manipulative villain just to clear her own conscience is quite unnerving.

Bad

• I don't quite understand the ending.

Ugly

• Nothing.

Representation

Strong female character?	Pass	Lois, as an adult, is strong.
Bechdel test?	Pass	Lois and Lucy talk about a lot of things, and Lois and Cappie talk about Lucy.
Strong person of color character?	Fail	It seems as if everyone is white, and they appropriate the culture of Native Americans.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no queer characters.

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