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the theme of feminism in the “the handmaid’s tale”
the freedom in the handmaid tale
literary analysis for the handmaids tale
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Recommended: the theme of feminism in the “the handmaid’s tale”
There are two kinds of freedom: freedom to, and freedom from. Historically, women in the United States have fought philosophical battles in and out of the home to achieve "freedom to" and have been successful.
But what if society suddenly took away these freedoms? What if American women were suddenly returned to their cloistered state of old in which their only freedom was the freedom from the dangers of the surrounding world? Then again, did women ever truly achieve "freedom to" at all?
Such are the difficult-to-answer sociological questions raised in Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale. In this thought-provoking work, two societies with completely opposing ideologies and concepts of freedom are juxtaposed as an attempt to answer these same questions.
The first society is Modern America with its relatively liberal mores and customs, and the second is Gilead, a totalitarian Christian theocracy which takes control of America in the late 1980's in order to “save” it from its pollution and dwindling birthrate.
The novel's protagonist, Offred, uses two sets of images to document the history of these contrasting societies. She recounts to the reader with a startling poignancy and photographic clarity the images of her memories of her past life as an American woman, and those of her present life as a Handmaid, or uterine slave, to the Republic of Gilead.
Ironically, the images of Offred's life in Gilead, which are much more fantastical than Offred's past as a middle class American, are recounted in the present tense, giving them a more solid tone and seeming reality than is used to describe her past life.
The descriptive imagery used by Offred to describe her experi...
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...ture allows a freedom that simply taking a picture could not afford. Atwood has created a society employing not only visual images, but also images of societal ethics and forgotten traditions. Perhaps the devices used to create such a society are complex, but the expected result is simple.
Although Offred does not plainly pass judgment on her experience herself, the imagery of the Handmaid's Tale vividly employs the use of contrast between old and new so that readers may come to their own morals conclusions.
It is obvious, though, from Offred's devastation that dehumanization of women for any purpose is reprehensible. Although this dystopian novel may seem like a fantasy, the politics it criticizes are very real.
Atwood's images may never be captured on film (another essay?), but they have just as many repercussions for an understanding reader.
Pete Maravich was one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His spectacular moves and awesome footwork helped him to get better everyday. His incredible passes and being able to control the court caused his teammates to like him even more. “His playground moves, circus shots, and hotdog passes were considered outrageous during his era” (NBA Encyclopedia Playoff Edition). His love for basketball was instilled by his father Peter “Press” Maravich.
After suffering from numerous wars, including the Mexican-American war and the Mexican civil war of 1858, the 19th century country of Mexico was nearly reduced to bankruptcy and impoverishment. This left the country unable to pay back the many foreign debts that had accumulated over the years, and as a result, gave way to the invasion of English, Spanish, and French troops into Mexico. Within a year, English and Spanish troops withdrew after civil negotiations, but Napoleon III of France decided to take this opportunity to establish a Latin empire that would further progress the nation’s tyrannical regime. By late 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed the port city of Veracruz, landing a large French force that drove the Mexicans into retreat. Moving on to the capital of Mexico City, the French sought to obliterate any Mexican resistance, taking over Mexico City and thus the country. Upon getting to the small town of Puebla, however, the well-armed, well-trained French soldiery encountered heavy resistance. The 8,000 strong French army attacked the smaller, poorly trained Mexican army of 4,500. Although the odds appeared to be stacked against the inadequately prepared Mexican army, the Mexicans prevailed on May 5th, 1862. Known as “the premier army of the world” at the tim...
Throughout the majority of the novel, Offred recounts on her mother’s character, whom she thinks is dead. She was a single mother and a proud feminist. In the first quarter, Offred recounts on a flashback of her mother burning porn magazines, claiming that they are degrading to women. However, towards the end of the novel, Offred learns that she is in fact alive, yet is living in the Colonies. Moira had seen her in a video about women living the Colonies, which is completely contrasted from the beginning, when Offred viewed her mother in a documentary protesting. This shows how Gilead has significantly changed her as a person. Living in the Colonies is just as bad as death because although she is alive she is required to do menial and even dangerous labour like cleaning radioactive waste. Earlier in the book, during Offred’s flashbacks, her mother was always a strong female character. She was always speaking and acting on behalf of women’s rights, yet now she has not fulfilled these expectations. She has been subjugated and indifferent like the rest of the women, not at all optimistic and energetic like she was in her previous life. Her complicity shows the reader how oppressive the society is and how even the toughest characters become
Throughout Thoreau's “Walden”, he lays out many suggestions that some may take as significant or just senseless. Thoreau brings forth many concepts about things such as necessity, news, transcendentalism, and labor which would benefit modern society. Yet, his views on isolation and frugality are unattainable in a technology-driven society. Even though the ideas that could benefit society may not be totally agreeable, the main reasoning for them are valid. Those ideas of isolation and moderation are clearly not possible in a world where people crave to be social and live to obtain any and everything they want.
...t create a feeling of disorientation towards the reader. Atwood does this to enable us to understand just how disjointed life is in Gilead. Offred continuously involves the reader, she directly addresses us and anticipates our response and even feels she has to justify some of her actions, she is a self-conscious narrator. Atwood is also preparing us for the revelation in the Historical notes that Offred is recounting her story into a tape recorder. The story is open ended; we are not told what exactly happened to Offred, Atwood does this in order to have more of an impact on the reader.
At first glance, the idea of Confucianism and democracy seem very contradictory. After all, isn’t the whole principle of Confucianism the rule of the elite while democracy is the rule of the people? The incompatibility between these two concepts seems obvious, but many scholars have weighed into this debate saying the opposite and I will argue how they are not only compatible, but also how Confucianism helps to resolve a lot of problems with democracy.
Those are many of the reasons that the non Jews should have fought back against the German Nazis for the Jewish. The non Jews probably could have save almost all of the lives if they had just stood up and at least tried to help all of the Jews in the concentration camps. The Nazis had hurt innocent people and became feared, hated, and ruthless. Jews could have Forsooth been freed from the brusque concentration camps.There could have been many lives saved. The Nazis could have been seized.
The official name of Panama is the Republic of Panama or (República de Panamá). Panama is located on the narrowest and lowest part of the Isthmus of Panama that links North America and South America. This part of the isthmus is situated between 7° and 10° north latitude and 77° and 83° west longitude. Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina, approximately 77,082 square kilometers.
The ability to create life is an amazing thing but being forced to have children for strangers is not so amazing. Offred is a handmaid, handmaid's have children for government officials, such as Commander Waterford. Offred used to be married to Luke and together they had a daughter but then everything changed; Offred was separated from her family and assigned to a family as their handmaid. The society which Offred is forced to live in shaped her in many ways. In The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood uses cultural and geographical surroundings to shape Offred's psychological and moral traits as she tries to survive the society that she is forced to live, in hopes that she can rebel and make change.
Offred, among other women depicted in this novel, tries to overcome this dominion. In her own way, she attempts to do this by ensuring the Commander’s expectations of her behavior which could result in her freedom. Thus, there is a present power struggle between the Commander and Offred throughout The Handmaid’s
Sin Nombre is an adventurous, action thriller that spoke about a Honduran family and a teenage girl named Sayra trying to migrate to the United States, and a boy named El Casper who’s trying to escape from his dangerous gang life with the Mara Salvatrucha also known as the MS-16.
...otism is established in a seemingly simple testament to a dead soldier. What better way to honor the dead than to personify Lady Ireland through his character! The passion that Yeats subconsciously incorporates into his poem equals that of his love for Ireland. An Irish Airman Foresees His Death begins on a low and desperate note, but reaches its’ climax upon Gregory answering Ireland’s call, and ends by, essentially, posing a question to the reader. ‘As a collective people, which side of the teeter-totter do we belong?’ He leaves his hero (Gregory) hanging in the balance of an important national question. The poem may be about Yeats’ character foreseeing his death, but the fact remains: he is in the act of ‘foreseeing,’ he is not dead yet…and neither is Ireland.
...tember 1913, there were only a few people that made huge sacrifices for independence in their country while others had contradicted their efforts and only focused on themselves. It was seen as if the heroes died in vain. In Easter 1916, the reader is able to notice a change in the people’s views and see that they are now the ones who are fighting for Ireland’s independence in honor of their previous leaders. The change Yeats talks about is that the result of the 1916 rising and the execution of some of its leaders. In turn the country revolted into the War of Independence. The Free State resulted in dividing the country both geographically and passionately along with those who had accepted the Free State and those who didn’t.
W. B. Yeats is one of the foremost poets in English literature even today. He was considered to be one of the most important symbolists of the 20th century. He was totally influenced by the French movement of the 19th century. He was a dreamer and visionary, who was fascinated by folk-lore, ballad and superstitions of the Irish peasantry. Yeats poems are fully conversant with the Irish background, the Irish mythologies etc. Yeats has tried to bring back the “simplicity” and “altogetherness” of the earlier ages and blend it with the modern ideas of good and evil. Almost all his poems deal with ancient Ireland ...
This refrain enforces his disgust at the type of money hungry people that the Irish have become. In the third and fourth stanza, however, Yeats completely changes the tone of his poetry. He praises the romantics of Irish history, such as Rob...