The Handmaids Tale - Symbolism
The Handmaids Tale
“The use of symbolism can transform the most straightforward theme. “
To what extent do you agree with this statement?
The theme of conformity and resistance reigns throughout the book “The Handmaids Tale” as it follows the life of Offred in a new and restrictive society named Gilead. However, this theme has the potential to be repetitive and boring if the author is not armed with the right techniques. Margaret Atwood, has these skills in abundance. Her use of symbolism creates an extraordinary depth to the book, keeping the reader engaged and thinking about different and conflicting aspects of the story. Atwood uses many contradicting symbols such as the role the symbol of mirrors play compared to the symbol of The Eyes and the standout red of the handmaid’s garments.
Commonly, the colour red holds plenty of significance and meaning, usually through art, though Margaret Atwood’s creation is no exception. The Handmaid’s of the story wear red habits, the wives wear blue, the aunts wear brown and the commanders and enforcers of the law wear black. While other colours of the clothes can be passed off through simpler meanings, the red of the handmaids symbolises something much deeper. The Handmaids sole purpose is for reproduction, in which the red indicates fertility and childbirth. Juxtaposed against this, the red colour is also used as a marker of sexual sin. Technicality, the handmaids are in fact committing adultery, as the commanders are married men. The wives despise the handmaids for this, calling them sluts when they pass them. The red colour symbolizing the ‘marker of sexual sin’ also alludes to ‘The Scarlet Letter’ (a book surrounding the Puritan ideology) when the adulterous Hester Prynne is forced to wear a red A. This symbolism of the colour red creates depth and another dimension to the book, allowing Margaret Atwood to get her point across without actually making mention of it. The colour red is bold and does not
“The use of symbolism can transform the most straightforward theme. “
To what extent do you agree with this statement?
The theme of conformity and resistance reigns throughout the book “The Handmaids Tale” as it follows the life of Offred in a new and restrictive society named Gilead. However, this theme has the potential to be repetitive and boring if the author is not armed with the right techniques. Margaret Atwood, has these skills in abundance. Her use of symbolism creates an extraordinary depth to the book, keeping the reader engaged and thinking about different and conflicting aspects of the story. Atwood uses many contradicting symbols such as the role the symbol of mirrors play compared to the symbol of The Eyes and the standout red of the handmaid’s garments.
Commonly, the colour red holds plenty of significance and meaning, usually through art, though Margaret Atwood’s creation is no exception. The Handmaid’s of the story wear red habits, the wives wear blue, the aunts wear brown and the commanders and enforcers of the law wear black. While other colours of the clothes can be passed off through simpler meanings, the red of the handmaids symbolises something much deeper. The Handmaids sole purpose is for reproduction, in which the red indicates fertility and childbirth. Juxtaposed against this, the red colour is also used as a marker of sexual sin. Technicality, the handmaids are in fact committing adultery, as the commanders are married men. The wives despise the handmaids for this, calling them sluts when they pass them. The red colour symbolizing the ‘marker of sexual sin’ also alludes to ‘The Scarlet Letter’ (a book surrounding the Puritan ideology) when the adulterous Hester Prynne is forced to wear a red A. This symbolism of the colour red creates depth and another dimension to the book, allowing Margaret Atwood to get her point across without actually making mention of it. The colour red is bold and does not