Symbolism In The Handmaid's Tale

But the women in this story are so much more than just child-bearers, servants, prostitutes, or barren. They have identities, personalities, and feelings of their own. And even in this strict totalitarian state, they still find ways in which they can express themselves. They resist what they have been told to do, one small action at a time. For example, Serena Joy and her gardening. Serena Joy was a wife of one of the commanders, and a very important one at that. But her Garden acted as a female space, one that was untouched and uncontrolled by men. It was something for her to maintain and take care of, but it also acted as a symbol for something much larger than just gardening : “There is something subversive about this garden of Serena’s, a sense of
Moira was originally a Handmaid. She made arrangements to communicate with Offred through secret meetings in bathroom stalls. In the center she went to drastic measure and beat and tied up one of the Aunts in order to make an escape. She made it out using the secret underground Femaleroad. Unfortunately she was caught, and was forced to become a jezebel. But she was always brave, unapologetically herself, and never gave in to what she was told, all the things that Gilead did not want her to do. Women were not allowed to read, write, or really have communication with each other or the outside world at all. They are denied and perceptions of reality. This lack of freedom doesn’t stop them from trying to achieve these things. They read whenever they can, and find ways to sneak each other information. The Handmaid’s, despite being told that being silent is better and there is dangers in evil talking, communicate with each other with whispers, touch and lip reading. Even though these women appear to be passively following the orders of Gilead, they reclaim their identities in the codes the make- up, full of “ silent lips, looks, smiles, whistles, and winks” (The Handmaid’s Tale