The Color Red In The Handmaid's Tale

In the first paragraph, an abundance of emphasis is placed on the colour red, specifically pertaining to the red smile and the red tulips from Serena Joy's garden. The paragraph then goes on to express how Offred needs to decipher which situations she needs to ignore and which she can pay attention to. The second paragraph focuses on her reaction and feelings to the hanged man, as well as the woman who was standing beside her's reaction.

In the first four lines, the word 'red' is repeated five times. The colour red holds a high significance in the Handmaid's Tale. Initially, it is used to symbolise fertility, however, in this instance, it is used to symbolise good and evil. Atwood uses the colour in this context to demonstrate how good and evil can appear similarly, although they are still very different. Offred realises that the red smile is the same red as the

tulips in Serena Joy's garden. "The tulips are not tulips of blood, the red smiles are not flowers." (line 3). This line is Offred understanding that something pleasant, like the tulips, can appear the same as something unpleasant, the red smile, though they should not be associated with each other. The tulips symbolised fertility, and the happiness, joy, and serenity that comes with motherhood. The red smile symbolised despair, anger, and discontent. Two objects that appear the same, but have near exact opposite meanings.

The hanged man represents the horrors Offred has to deal with in her life.

"Each thing is valid and really there." (line 6). Offred is thinking about the man and the tulips. She is beginning to understand that terrible things and good things can live in existence with one another. In the previous line she thinks, "The tulip is not a reason for disbelief in the hanged man, or vice verse." (line 5). She is stating that just because one exists does not mean the other cannot, and, even if someone has only experienced one, they should not believe the other does not exist. This applies to today's society because war and poverty exist, but so do health and love. If a person has only experienced love it would be ridiculous for them to think that war does not exist. "It is through a field of such valid objects that I must pick my way,", (line 6). Offred must decide, to her best judgement, what she is to ignore or act indifferent to, and what she should respond to. In her dystopian life, she witnesses quite a number of horrific incidents, but she cannot express her feelings, as she is an oppressed

minority.

The idea that she needs to repress her feelings is reinforced further in the second paragraph. "In what way can it make her look good?", (line 10). Offred suspects that the woman beside her is crying over the man. However, in this society, women only cry for comfort and attention, to 'look good'. This woman crying over the hanged man is a direct display of emotions that would not be to her benefit, thus rendering it unnecessary. "I won't give anything away." (line 12). Offred refuses to display her emotions, letting everyone know what she feels, which would be a useless act of emotions.