Importance Of Intimacy In The Handmaid's Tale

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What exactly is intimacy? Intimacy plays a big part in The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood, and is a topic that has numerous definitions. When talking about the word "intimacy," most quickly direct their attention to "sexual tension" or something to this degree. However, it is defined as the state of being close to someone. This could mean family, friendship, or relationship. If one is intimate with someone else, it does not have to mean anything sexual. Intimacy shines down on Offred and is a vital part of the novel and shapes her character by giving her independence, imagination, and freedom. All of these help Offred escape what is actually happening at the time and shapes her character by being more of an independent, strong woman …show more content…

The only time anyone in the city is allowed to have closeness with one another is when they head out on their walk, which can only be in groups of two, or private times during the day when no Guardians or superiors are watching. So, when Offred sees the chance to "break" the law, she feels like she has to take the chance and make the best of it. There are several experiences that Offred sees, mainly with Nick, and will chase after them even though she has a husband by the name of Luke. When this happens, they are usually alone or nobody is around to prevent them. Offred seems to be the one that starts it all because she does get a sense of independence, imagination, and freedom that associates with it. However, if caught, there will be punishment. If it gets as far as having sexual relationships and are caught, they could even be …show more content…

The city does not allow women to read and strips them of the ability to read and think for themselves. However, Offred is always given the ability to use her imagination. "It's so good, to be touched by someone, to be felt so greedily, to feel so greedy. Luke, you'd know, you'd understand. It's you here, in another body" (Atwood 99). She meets Nick in the kitchen and does not pass the moment to relax her mind. This is controversial because she will be cheating on her husband, Luke, if she commits sexual acts with Nick. However, Offred sees Luke inside of Nick and therefore thinks it is okay to go through with whatever may happen. This is her imagination getting the best of her. It allows her mind to escape from what is actually happening and put her body in a state that she extremely enjoys, even though she does not want to cheat on Luke. It has been a long time that someone has held on to her and she has left loved, so when Nick did this it startles her in a way. She was not expecting anything like that to

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