Social Criticism: The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood
It has become increasingly popular for authors to produce social criticism narratives based on the other influential texts that have been written throughout history. This makes many of their final works reconstructions that are shaped after other pieces, which may be seem strange, considering the great value that authors place on putting together original criticisms and interpretations. Many literary works of this kind also might draw from religious or biblical texts, and The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood is a clear example of this. This novel has borrowed characteristic traits from the Bible in order to influence certain religious practices or behaviors, divide social groups or classes, and to control usage of language within society.
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An example is how certain ethnic minorities in the novel are referred to as “Children of Ham”. This is evident when a news report in Gilead states: “Resettlement of the Children of Ham is continuing on schedule, three thousand have arrived this week in National Homeland One, with another two thousand in transit” (p.55). This quote shows how the author draws from the Bible and segregates a particular race by linking them to a particular character in the Bible. The author uses the word “resettlement” in order to demonstrate how these groups of people known as the “Children of Ham” are an isolated social group. By stating that the movement of these minorities was “in transit”, it shows how differently they were treated from the rest as they were moved restlessly from place to place, simply because Gilead insisted in dividing certain social classes. Also, the Children of Ham might represent to the society of Gilead what previous African Hebrews represented to the original Hebrews: a cursed threat that must be kept away and maintained in their past. Adding context, the Children of Ham are referred to as the Blacks in Gilead’s society, as they are portrayed as the Children of Ham, who is the son of Noah, and the “land of Ham” is also known as Egypt, where there were many darker skinned people. This is why the word Ham is referred to as Hebrew word for
An example is how certain ethnic minorities in the novel are referred to as “Children of Ham”. This is evident when a news report in Gilead states: “Resettlement of the Children of Ham is continuing on schedule, three thousand have arrived this week in National Homeland One, with another two thousand in transit” (p.55). This quote shows how the author draws from the Bible and segregates a particular race by linking them to a particular character in the Bible. The author uses the word “resettlement” in order to demonstrate how these groups of people known as the “Children of Ham” are an isolated social group. By stating that the movement of these minorities was “in transit”, it shows how differently they were treated from the rest as they were moved restlessly from place to place, simply because Gilead insisted in dividing certain social classes. Also, the Children of Ham might represent to the society of Gilead what previous African Hebrews represented to the original Hebrews: a cursed threat that must be kept away and maintained in their past. Adding context, the Children of Ham are referred to as the Blacks in Gilead’s society, as they are portrayed as the Children of Ham, who is the son of Noah, and the “land of Ham” is also known as Egypt, where there were many darker skinned people. This is why the word Ham is referred to as Hebrew word for