Survival theme is a dominant theme in Margaret Atwood novels, she is obsessed with this theme in all her works. Her protagonists seek survival in all its possible vents and shapes. Also, they keep trying to overcome all the obstacles to achieve their survival. Their attempts result either in failure or in marginal success but they keep trying. All of Atwood's protagonists are already aware of their problems and they insist on getting rid of this problem by searching for self-knowledge and trying to realize their identity. Atwood is crafted in weaving rituals of survival in her fiction whether thematically or technically. So, in this paper both rituals will be discussed through analyzing some of Atwood's Novels, Surfacing (1972), Bodily Harm(1981),The Handmaids Tale(1985),and Cats Eye (1988). Thematically, Atwood introduces connections between woman and nature through an eco-feminist perspective which has been clearly depicted in Surfacing (1972). With great craft she weaves together image patterns and themes that draw spontaneous eco-critical attention. Subjugation of woman in a patriarchal society and exploitation of nature in a capitalistic society are the themes which Atwood has quite often taken up for her writings. Technically, through multi narratives, one can see the topic from another point of view, or it can be solved from other perspectives as a critical insight to the inner character which is very clear in both Cats Eye and the Handmaid's Tale.
Atwood's protagonists struggle to realize why they are dissatisfied with their lives and the world around them. They cannot adapt easily with the society they live in. Some go beyond realization of victimization, others try rejection, and some miss but most survive. All of them use one common factor which is creativity, everyone creates her own ritual of survival in a very creative way. All of them are women in typical victimized situations who refuse to accept their victimization and do what they can to fight this situation. Atwood in her novels seeks happy endings for her victimized female figures.So, through rituals of survival, they achieved their survival whether psychologically or psychically, which consequently leads to their happiness by their new life perspective