Margaret Atwood raises these questions and many more in her novel The Handmaid’s Tale. She uses the character Offred to demonstrate passive behavior and acceptance of a totalitarian regime after the fall of the United States. In the new Republic of Gilead‚ Offred is a Handmaid‚ a surrogate for the government’s elite. Before Gilead‚ Offred was married with a daughter‚ her mother and best friend were both feminists and she had a decent job. Offred is a controversial character because Atwood makes it
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by Margaret Atwood‚ Penelope‚ the wife of Odysseus‚ is in her grave while she is narrating what happened in her life. Atwood retells The Odyssey by Homer‚ from penelope’s point of view. In this section of the book‚ she is informing the readers about the characteristics of the gods and how their actions were not god like. She is using the chance to reveal the true nature of the gods‚ because if have spoken illy of the gods she would have faced severe punishment. In the Penelopiad‚ Atwood uses judgemental
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In her novel The Handmaid’s Tale‚ Margret Atwood uses symbolism to illustrate the handmaid’s role in the society of Gilead. The handmaids are the women who had broken law of Gilead‚ and were forced into the role of a surrogate mother for a higher ranking couple. The handmaids had no rights or free will. They were under constant surveillance and this caused them to be very cautious. The author characterizes most handmaids as a tentative and distrustful‚ which is perhaps why Offred never puts in words
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In” Moral Disorder”‚ Atwood employs animal imagery to show the consequence of human and animal bonds while conveying Nell’s readiness for motherhood. The first animal that Nell had contact with are “barred owl [teaching] her young to hunt” and “twelve ducklings” (115). The relationship between the animals and the humans is that Tig and Nell are the ones that present the ducklings to the owl particularly Tig. While these events might at first sight be considered normal occurrences in a natural environment
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In the "Odyssey" by Homer ‚ and the "Siren Song" by Margaret Atwood‚ the sirens are portrayed differently for example in the story‚ the sirens are described through the ship members point of view whereas in the poem‚ the point of view is through the sirens. Perspective plays a huge role in this along with tone and imagery. Tone‚ for example‚ represents how beautiful or evil sounding the sirens were. In the story‚ the sirens have evil hoarse voices apparently ‚ "...Ravashing voices...heart inside
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‘Which writer creates the most disturbing dystopian vision of the future- Orwell or Atwood?’ We perceive the idea of dystopia as a state or place in which there is oppression‚ dehumanisation and a totalitarian force: in 1984 and the Handmaid’s Tale this is true. However‚ both writers create this sense of dystopia in different ways. Orwell creates the civilisation of Oceania which governed by the looming totalitarian figure of Big Brother: whose society is under constant surveillance and undergoing
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Trace the development of the bullying. How convincing are the situation and Elaine’s feelings are portrayed. -How it changes and increases We are first introduced to Cordelia and prepared for the future conflict between the two girls when it is mentioned‚ "The third girl doesn’t wave". This lack of warmth towards Elaine is a premonition of what is to come‚ and is at the same time believable- new girls are often wary of each other‚ uncertain of what the other will be like. This key moment also
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“Dreams of the Animals” by Margaret Atwood represents the nature of animals’ dreams. They mostly dream of other animals “each according to its kind”‚ moles dream of “mole smells”‚ and frogs dream of “green and golden/ frogs”. The word “mostly” is used here. Why? That’s because there are exceptions. The poem later states that “certain mice and small rodents/ have nightmares of a huge pink/ shape with five claws descending”. The word “nightmare” doesn’t only mean a bad dream when sleeping‚ but also
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The narrative style and structure of The Handmaid’s Tale’ is something very unique to the novel. Atwood has used a complex structure of four different time scales; the most prominent is the first person present tense‚ where she is a member of the Gilead community and living in the Commander’s house: "Nothing takes place in bed but sleep; or no sleep. I try not to think too much. Like other things‚ thought must be rationed I intend to last." This narrative allows experiences to be filtered through
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Scene 1 The curtain opens to reveal the narrator‚ sitting at the base of a tree. The stage is lit up but a spotlight still shines on him/her. Narrator Many stories are told‚ and are being told‚ in many places‚ in many lands‚ at different times. (Narrator stands up and starts walking around stage talking to the audience and slowly roundaboutly making his/her way to the front and side of the stage) But one story no matter how rebuked‚ old‚ or disclaimed remains relevant even in this day and age.
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