The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel told through the eyes of Offred, the main character. Within the novel, a totalitarian style government called the Republic of Gilead takes over the United States. The new established government restricts the freedom of citizens in many ways. As a result from being oppressed, people within society rebel against the government secretly. It is inevitable for people to want freedom; therefore, people will always find a way to obtain this freedom even if they must keep it hidden. Throughout the novel, Offred shares her experiences which contribute to the ongoing theme of rebellion and secrets. In addition to the government being stringent, the people are suffering from declining fertility …show more content…

The Commanders and Handmaids are supposed to have detached consensual sex with one another. However; Offred’s Commander seems to want more than this. For example, one day Nick tells Offred that the Commander wants to see her in his office late at night. Offred arrives to his office and the Commander asks her to play a game of Scrabble with him. Reading is prohibited for Offred; therefore, this game is another violation on top of being in his office alone with him. The relationship between Offred and the Commander only grows more complex. In the beginning the Commander seems to want a friend and a sympathetic ear. However, after a couple of visits he asks Offred to kiss him like she means it. Offred also tells the reader that during a ceremony night “He reached his hand up as if to touch my face; I moved my head to the side, to warn him away, hoping Serena Joy hadn’t noticed…” (209). The unorthodox interaction between Offred and the Commander helps reveal the Commander’s true desires. Unattached sex isn’t enough for him because he feels it is impersonal. He desires some sort of emotional connection. Offred’s acquaintance named Ofglen makes a remark about Commanders seeing their handmaids in private, “You’d be surprised….how many of them do” (288). Ofglen’s statement suggests the idea that many Commanders deal with similar emotions and go against government

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