The Handmaid's Tale

Dictionary Definition of Woman

The Handmaid’s Tale is different from any novel I have ever read by far. However, the author was captivating and bold. The feeling of reading something that could be seen as elegant thought is quickly interrupted by the blunt thoughts, opinions, and actions of Offred. 

While these bold uses of language can be seen as offensive or startling, they also give an extremely human feel to the characters. More often than not novels are filled with characters who experience these incomparable emotions that we think we have felt, but in reality never leave novels. The Handmaid’s Tale is able to reach out to those emotions the average person is less than proud of. Examples of these could be the jealousy of the handmaids towards those who are pregnant. Also, Offred trying to sexually arouse the young men outside the store, just to be a tease. No matter what the society, emotions remain the same. 

The novel is also very well written especially through this perspective. Margaret Atwood does a wonderful job of ensuring that both the events of the novel and Offreds thoughts are detailed and convey her point. While Atwood delivers her strong social commentary, there is not one line of the novel in which the commentary takes away from the character. There is no way in which to read this novel without feeling compassion for Offred. I enjoy feeling as though I have come to know characters on a personal level. Also, I am pleased when an author has the talent and bravery to incorporate such bold scenes and thoughts into a text. Margaret Atwood courageously succeeds. 

The Handmaid's Tale

“Oh yes, he said. I’ve read the magazines, that’s what they were pushing, wasn’t it? But look at the stats, my dear. Was it really worth it, falling in love? Arranged marriages have always worked out just as well, if not better.” (220)

Such a shallow man the Commander is, fueled by a society that puts masculinity on a pedestal. The Commander hypocritically attempts to attack love and marriage while he himself yearns for the simplicity of intimacy he has lost with his wife. He wants Offred to kiss him like she means it, something his wife doesn’t do anymore. He also asks her to play scrabble with him. These are signs that he desires the emotions of intimacy.

This may also be why he asks if it is really worth it. His marriage has become this regimented aspect of his life where there is a simple march from Ceremony to Ceremony. Both him and his wife have their role that enables their society to be extremely regimented and work while they both have their private criminal acts. 

The Commander also uses a pet name to refer to Offred. This can be seen as both a term of endearment and a way to minimize her opinions and emphasize the way she is solely valued for her gender and the sex she can provide. He wants her to feel as though he thinks of her as something special, this way he can take advantage of her as their relationship progresses. 

Primarily, however, this passage serves as a statement on this society’s view of love. They eliminate the idea because they feel it can damage the foundation of the society. I felt this passage was extremely important because it is one of the few times in the novel when a clear opinion is put out into the open. This is a real opinion driven by sexuality and elitist views, not the pressure and fear of regulation. 

The Handmaid's Tale

Heartbreak Hotel
Amazing Grace

At the beginning of chapter ten Offred remembers two songs she used to sing before she was a handmaid. She still hums them to herself now and again to remember. 

The first song is Amazing Grace. She says that songs such as that are not sung anymore because they use the word free. This song represents Offreds desire for the past. The first line “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,” represents the search for the true meaning of God and a return to a moral society. This is because, when used in religion grace stands for the salvation God gives to all sinners. Thought Offred has been forced by this society to commit many sins, there is hope that they can one day be saved. This leads into the next line “Could save a wretch like me.” A wretch is an unfortunate of unhappy person, representing Offred. Once again this line expresses the hope of being saved from this oppressing society. The next two line focus more on irony and represent why the song is banned. “Who once was lost, but now am found,” This society believes it is finding a place for everyone to fit, and giving them purpose. What is not realized is that they are causing the people to lose their identity. One can easily lose track of what is right, and what is the truth as the society continues its strive for conformity. The last line works in a similar fashion, “Was bound, but now am free.” This contains extreme irony because the citizens of this society did not realize how much freedom they had until it was taken from them. It is now, that they are bound. Offred is especially bound by the clothes she is forced to wear and the acts she is forced to perform. 

The second song is Heartbreak Hotel. This song choice symbolizes her yearning for the old times and more specifically her husband Luke. The first two line are the same, “I feel so lonely, baby,” This is symbolic simply of how much she misses her old life. She misses the love and intimacy her and her husband shared that she cannot have anymore. The second line is “I feel so lonely I could die.” This final line displays the reoccurring thought that the only escape from this society and way of life is through death. Though she has hope, she believes Luke is dead. Her only way to join him again would be by dying as well. Offred says she doesn’t sing this song much anymore because it hurts her throat. The mention of her throat is a hint too, to the idea of suicide. A song about “feeling so lonely [you] could die” making ones neck hurt is a reminder to Offred of the option that is always on her mind. The one way to escape and once again be with Luke and her child. 

We

"...she threw her head back, and half closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, and this reminded me of something." (Zamyatin, 225)

It is a journey into insanity, or what One State would call insanity. In reality, this novel is the manuscript of an awakening. Poetry and symbolism run wild to represent the commentary of Russian author, Yevgery Zamyatin. We takes the classic theme of a dystopian novel and brings it to such a personal emotional level that it begins to blur the line between never and reality. 

This is not a romance novel. Zamyatin incorporates sex bravely as an element of power, not deep and tender love. The idea of love is called into question many times with D-503’s inability to recognize the strange emotions he feels. This poses the question of: what is love in our society? And, do we take it for granted? 

We also highlights many of the most tragic struggles we face as humans, and displays the danger in power. The idea of being so regulated and not having any choice over what we do with our time is a frightening thought. The Benefactor and his large steal hand serve as a symbol of what occurs when one single figure is given too much power. 

I enjoyed We for its half-way place between a dream and the most shocking reality. The characters had distinct and memorable personalities that are not soon forgotten. We speaks for the minority and encourages the individual. It is a tremendously powerful novel that has made a large impact, and seeped way into my reading choices and approaches to writing. 

We

"She was sitting in a low armchair... But she went on calmly smoking and calmly glancing at me... and knocked off some ashes on my pink ticket." (Zamyatin, 54)



"Yes, epilepsy is a mental illness–pain . . . A slow, sweet pain–it is a bite–let it bite deeper, harder. And then, slowly, the sun. Not this one, not ours, shining all sky-blue crystal regularity through glass brick–no: a savage, rushing, burning sun–flinging everything away from itself–everything in little pieces." (18)

The line is his thoughts, a transformation and poetry. He describes his enjoyment of the music and of I-330 as a mental illness. D-503 uses epilepsy because it is an illness of unpredictable attacks on the mind and body. To him that is I-330. She shows up often when he least expects her to in a way that takes complete control over him. She is, like epilepsy, “Pain… A slow, sweet pain––it is a bite––let it bite deeper, harder.” He uses the ellipsis because these are his thoughts, his words, and he cannot describe her. D-503 is unsure of how to even complete a thought about I-330. He has never felt the feelings he feels for I-330 before. Then as his thought continues he personifies the sun to symbolize his emotions. He knows these are not emotions his society intends for him to feel. They are “Not ours, shining all sky blue crystal regularity through the glass brick––no.” This signifies the the beginning of his changing mentality and his fall to the ways of I-330. He knows she is dangerous and his description of the sun, this other sun, foreshadows what I-330’s role in society is in his eyes. “A savage, rushing, burning sun––flinging everything away from itself––everything in little pieces.” 

This was my favorite passage in the novel due to its representation of the total emotional struggle suffered by D-503. The imagery, as it should, touches the senses with power. He writes about everything being flung away from itself it little pieces, providing the emotions that run alongside confusion and chaos. His syntax and diction are stunning. Particularly in this passage, his alliteration creates a poetic rhythm for what should be unorganized and sporadic thoughts. They embody the beauty of the mind this novel allows us to enter. 

We

Her bite. I-330 had a grip on D-503 that was like an animal clenches teeth on a prey. Only, her bite was not on his body but on his mind. She was able to use her seduction and intelligence to persuade D-530 to become rebellious against One State. Every time they were together she mocked the rules and influenced him to do more and more “illegal” activities eventually leading up to the takeover of the INTEGRAL. Fitting, considering the literal meaning of the word integral is something necessary to make a whole or completion. Her teeth sunk deeper and deeper until she had what was necessary to complete her revolution. 

On every incident that I-330 and D-503 have sex her bite is brought up. This is due to the fact that it is through her seduction and sex that she increases her power over D-503. Occasionally his bite will also be mentioned. This is symbolic of his struggle to keep his identity and values as she continually breaks them down and opens his eyes to the flaws of the society he held so dearly. His bite is followed by him on his knees begging her and acting on her physical desires. Her bites are followed by him falling in line in the direction of her smile and defined brow.