Conformity In The Handmaid's

The widely used motto “United we stand, divided we fall” exemplifies the importance of a strong, stable human structure needed to succeed. It may be the structure of an empire, or the biological makeup of the human body, these systems in our world are not only desired by human nature, but are essential for progress. Though it’s true that humans naturally desire patterns, structures and standards in their lives, the underlying intention for these patterns isn’t to provide shelter or refuge, but to rather provide a pathway to function and achieve various goals, moral or immoral.

From the beginning, man sought to be structured. Even the unsettled hunter-gatherers clung together in groups of 50-60 people. This way they could attain shelter. However, more

For instance, Offred, from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, comes into contact with the secret underground organization of rebels in her dystopian society. This organized rebellion did not provide shelter, but rather functioned as a pathway to achieve change. Also, the highly organized structure achieved by the Taliban in A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini was used to maintain totalitarian power. These are two structured patterns that achieve their own goals, though one is clearly more moral than the other. While the secret underground organization worked towards creating a positive change in society, the Taliban created operative grounds that allowed them to mold society according to their own cruel views. Though the goals differ from each other in moral values, they do both achieve their motives through structured patterns. Therefore, patterns don’t provide a refuge or safe haven in many cases, but rather a manipulative means to attain success. Human nature strives to develop certain patterns that build a strong framework for functionality and achieve broader