Atwood pictures a male-dominated‚ theocratic totalitarian society‚ set on the geographical territory of the (former) United States‚ called the Republic of Gilead. Due to the impact of several unspecified ecological disasters‚ most women have been found infertile‚ which has made procreation of paramount importance for survival of the inhabitants of Gilead. A movement called the Sons of Jacob has overthrown the United States government and has installed an on the Old Testament-inspired hierarchical military
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A journey is imperative for personal growth and development. In Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ it outlines the inner journey Offred undertakes throughout her life in Gilead and her journey to survive in a repressive totalitarian regime. This journey is also evident in Martin Luther King’s speech ‘I Have a Dream’ and the Negro’s struggle for freedom. Examining these two texts I have come to appreciate and understand the concept of journeys. In order for Offred’s journey
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Throughout the entire text of The Handmaid’s Tale‚ the ruling totalitarian government does what is in its power to attempt to isolate women from society. Not only do are the women isolated from society in terms of sexual contact (or any contact‚ for that matter)‚ with men‚ but they are also individualized within the gender itself and separated from each other. Evidence of this isolation is available throughout the novel in different levels. The first level‚ perhaps the harshest‚ is the division of
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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
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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
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Like almost all of the Handmaids in Gilead‚ she is a common lady who is being appointed to an uncommon circumstance. Offred isn’t really a legend. In spite of the fact that she withstands Gilead inwardly‚ once her endeavor at escape does not work out‚ she submits externally. This lady is not really a women’s activist champion. Her pre-Gilead relationship started to fade out once she became a mistress‚ meeting her commander‚ the officer who
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homosexuality is illegal in Gilead and is punished by death. For example‚ “there are three new bodies on the wall. One is a priest still wearing the black cassock. That’s been put on him‚ for the trial. The rest had purple placards hung around their necks. They must had been caught together”‚ Offred said. People now
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Atwood’s‚ The Handmaid’s Tale‚ the government in power uses various methods to keep control over the people. In this story‚ the United States has been overtaken by a theocracy called the Republic of Gilead. The story follows a young woman through her struggles in this new oppressive nation. The Republic of Gilead displays its dominance by implementing a caste system‚ holding constant surveillance over its people‚ and performing mass killings. This new government differs greatly from the democracy in the
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fiction; all the events which take place in the story have a base in the real world as well as a historical precedent. Atwood establishes the world of Gilead on historical events as well as the social and political trends which were taking place during her life time in the 1980 ’s. Atwood shows her audience through political and historical reference that Gilead was and is closer than most people realize. Atwood closely scrutinizes Colonial America‚ back in the 1700 ’s it was a society founded
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In Atwood ’s fictional Gilead‚ all of the work of twentieth-century feminism has been utterly undone‚ and the text explores the effects of this from a first-person point of view that elicits the reader ’s sympathy. Offred ’s tale functions as a critique of women ’s oppression‚ as we can see from one of her earlier statements problematizing biological determinism: "I avoid looking down at my body‚ not so much because it ’s shameful or immodest
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