Point of View

“Habitation” is written from the first-person plural point of view of one of the people involved in the marriage. The point of view is significant because it allows Atwood to emphasize how perspective and perception matters within any partnership, but especially a marriage. The protagonist experiences everything with their partner, and the harshness of the environment they have confronted together stands in contrast to the warmth of the fire they learn how to build. The poem feels open to each reader’s interpretation of marriage, but the unified tone also develops a sense of camaraderie and determination to do the best for each other.

Language and Meaning

Readers can connect with Atwood’s language in “Habitation” as it is not overly verbose, and the vocabulary is relatively simple. The poem’s short length, open-ended style, and linear temporal thread means that readers should also not...