Memory - Handmaid's Tale

Discuss the importance of memory in the Handmaid’s Tale
Memory and its loss is one of the main characteristics of dystopian literature. This concept is essential for writers to effectively portray the way in which a totalitarian state attempts to gain absolute control over society through the psychological manipulation of its citizens. In the dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, Margaret Atwood discusses the important issue of women’s rights, by offering a strong feminist vision in order to warn its readers, especially women, not to take their rights for granted and to appreciate them since they could be very easily lost. In fact, at that time certain religious fundamentalists were advocating a reversal of such rights since some believed that these were posing a threat to society’s traditional values. The importance of memory comes out very clearly in this post-modern novel, since the first-person narrative of Offred, a Handmaid in Gilead, gives the reader an insight of her stream of consciousness, which not only presents us with her current situation but which also presents us with several memories from the past. In fact, a major part of this novel seems to be based upon these memories which are often divided into two; her recent past, which deals with the time in which Gilead first came into being, and her distant past, which deals with the time in which Gilead still did not exist. As a result, the whole novel is presented to us in an achronological order, based on time-shifts in which the reader is being constantly thrown backwards and forwards in time.
Gilead, a totalitarian and theocratic state which was brought into being because of alarming declining rates of reproduction, seems to represent the Far Right Movement, an organisation which wanted a “return to traditional values” in the 1980s. Its oppressive nature comes out very clearly in the absolute control it has gained over the citizens in all aspects of life. In fact, the lack of education and freedom of speech suggest Gilead’s attempt at controlling even the individual’s inner thoughts since by limiting their use of language, Gilead will also be limiting their rational ability. The importance of language is present in other dystopian novels, such as George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty Four”, in which the state of Oceania attempts to maintain its power by controlling the thoughts of its citizens through the use of Newspeak, a new way of speaking which limits their use of language.
Offred introduces us to Gilead’s brainwashing techniques in the very first chapter of the novel, whereby she presents us with a memory of her recent past at the Rachel and Leah Re-education Centre, more commonly known as the Red Centre which is a training facility in which women are brainwashed into submission to their new role as Handmaids. As is suggested by its name, this centre attempts to undo their old education and replace it with a new education which perpetuates Gilead’s ideology. In this way, Gilead also tries to remove all memories of the past in order for the citizen’s to accept their situation more willingly. Memories of the past are very dangerous for Gilead, since through memories individuals would be able to compare their current, horrible and desperate situation with the better conditions of the past. By remembering times in which conditions were better, citizens are less likely to accept their situation and would be more willing to rebel and fight for a better life to which they were used to. The recurrent image of the “palimpsest” suggests that try as it might, Gilead would never be completely able to change or remove the past since it will inevitably remain in the memories of the individuals and would keep on reappearing in the present.
The achronological, fragmented way in which Offred’s memories are presented in the novel, seems to reveal the complex way in which memory works since the present moment is never self-contained but is pervaded by traces of other times and events. Offred’s memory seems to be triggered by the smallest things as even a smell or a simple plastic bag brings back memories of her previous life. Offred’s personal memories mostly come out in those chapters which fall under the section “Night”, a section which deals with the most reflective and intimate thoughts of Offred since it is during these chapters in which Offred is allowed a “time out”, whereby she is free to wander into her own past. During such times, Offred deliberately chooses to have these memories in an attempt to keep the past alive, as this gives her a sense of hope that a better life awaits her. In fact, the use of memories is one of Offred’s many survival techniques which she makes of use throughout the novel since she “intend[s] to last” even in this desperate situation.
The question “Where should I go?” shows that for Offred memories are a form of escapism through which she is able to temporarily escape from her current situation. In this way, she seems to achieve some kind of freedom as the past gives her the possibility of choosing any time into which she can escape from the strict control of Gilead. However, this escapism is only an illusion since as Offred herself states, “Though this is time, nor am I out of it”. This phrase is a literary allusion to Christopher Marlowe’s “Dr. Faustus”, who similarly states that “This is hell, nor am I out of it.” This suggests that Offred would never be able to escape since she is trapped into a situation which is very similar to a living hell.
A great sense of loss also emerges from Offred’s memories which connect us with four of the most important persons of her previous life, these being, Moira, her mother, her husband Luke and her daughter, from whom she has been separated. In fact, Gilead does not tolerate relationships of any kind to take place between its citizens and thus, this loss of intimacy often results in a strong sense of loneliness. This is a form of precaution taken by Gilead in order to make sure that the individuals would not be able to join forces in any way so that they would never be powerful enough to rebel. The theme of loss emerges even further from Offred’s description of her previous life in which she remembers a time in which they had freedom in all aspects of life such as freedom of movement and freedom of education. This does not only bring out the loss which Offred has undergone on a personal level, but it also portrays the extent to which women all over Gilead have lost the rights they once had. Although Offred acknowledges the fact that the time before Gilead also had its problems and that perhaps it was too permissive, she still longs for it since despite its negative side, Gilead’s previous society still offered better conditions than the ones from which she is now suffering. As Offred compares her current situation with her previous life, she realizes how little she used to appreciate the things she used to have whilst she had them. On the other hand, now she yearns to read one of the Bibles she used to have in hotel rooms and which she took for granted.
Sometimes Offred’s memories come quite unexpectedly as they can be triggered even by the simplest things. Offred feels that these type of memories are like “ambushes” which are so painful that they hit her like a “kick”. In fact, the use of short and direct sentences with which Offred describes her memories, effectively show how spontaneous and quickly these memories come to her mind. Memories of the past fill Offred with such overwhelming emotions that she finds it quite difficult to control herself in front of other people and thus, she tries to control her thoughts when she is in public. Perhaps, the most painful of her memories are those of her daughter whom has been separated from Offred at a very young age. Offred is tormented with the idea that her daughter is dead, however, another one of the most painful thoughts for Offred is the idea that her daughter has forgotten her.
The fact that Offred never finds out what truly happens to Luke seems to trap her in time as it makes it much more difficult for her to move forward with her life when there is still hope that she can be reunited with Luke. The failed attempted escape memories are another important aspect of the novel, whereby Offred remembers her attempt to escape from Gilead together with Luke and her daughter. The fact that this memory is narrated backwards creates a sense of helplessness since from the very beginning we realize that they are doomed to failure. This memory not only manages to increase the reader’s pity for the main protagonists but it also brings out quite effectively Gilead’s absolute power which no one seems to oppose.
Despite her attempt to keep the past alive and to resists Gilead’s constant brainwashing, Offred still seems to be forgetting some important memories of her past. This comes out very clearly in her encounter with some Japanese tourists, whereby she is surprised and fascinated by the fact that their skirts reach just below the knee and the legs come out from beneath them, nearly naked in their thin stockings, blatant”. For an instant they “seem undressed” but she soon realizes that once she “used to dress like that”. In forgetting the past, Offred will be in danger of falling into passivity since by losing the capability of comparing the present with the past, her current situation would no longer remain extraordinary but rather it will become an ordinary one which she will be more willing to accept. Thus, it would be much easier for Gilead to gain complete control over her and the rest of society. After all, if Gilead gains control over the thoughts of the individuals it would be able to reduce them to “natural resources”, thus, having a dehumanizing effect through which all individuals would lose their capability of thinking rationally.
The loss of memories also suggests that Gilead would be able to control society much easier in the future, since future generations would have no memory of the past to which they can compare their current conditions. As all traces of the past are removed, it would be impossible to go back to the time before Gilead since with the loss of memory, Gilead would have gained an absolute and complete control over society. Future generations would find it much easier to cope with Gilead’s ideology than those living in Offred’s generation since for them the situation would seem much more normal and ordinary.