The Handmaid`s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a novel that displays a vast amount of issues. One of those main themes in the novel is identity. In the Handmaid`s Tale the main character and narrator of our story deals with issues of identity. She battles throughout the story trying to find out who she is and remembering who she was. She constantly makes comparisons and contrasts with the life she is living in Gilead to the life she lived before the regime. As readers we notice the lack of identity of this character since the beginning. The narrator often tries to resolve her issues of identity by rebelling and finding a sense of purpose for her life. She does this by maintaining illegal relationships and reminding herself who she was. Towards the They were prohibited from communication to any other human. In this novel we find that women had a dress code even. Depending on their rank they wore a certain color. Wives wore blue, handmaids wore red and Martha’s wore green. The distinction of colors tells us a lot about color symbolism in the book. The narrator is a handmaid so she had to wear red. Red can represent love and passion even power. In this case the color red for the handmaids is merely represented as fertility. The main character didn’t quite like the idea of the dress code. Powerless and without a say in the way she should dress she thought red was not as bad for her color skin. The handmaids were deprived from all human communication and individualism. On page 22 she says: “ I enjoy the power; power of a dog bone, passive but there”(Atwood, 22). She was referring to the way she could move her hips as she passed by in front of the guards to attract their eye. She again was striving not only for hope and desire of the future but also from individualism and power. The power in this quote is referred more as control. She felt like her actions could make the guards look at her and enjoy the attention. She could control the way she moved and have a reaction from the men that were looking. She was needed that control, power and attention to make her feel alive
Red cloaks, blue cloaks, green cloaks, men. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is like any dystopian future in that its themes are guided by the past. From Ender’s Game and Hunger Games to Fahrenheit 451, moralistic issues in society are challenged through the pages of these novels; The Handmaid's Tale is no exception. Made a handmaid to produce babies and curb a declining population, Offred transitions in her mental state through dramatic changes as she metamorphosizes from a women hesitant and resistant to her newfound role to one accepting of it, and new ideologies infiltrate her such as the honor of her position and the righteous, goodness of Iliad--a future society riddled with imperfections, where Offred now resides. She is a red, a
In the dystopian novel, "The Handmaid's Tale" written by Margaret Atwood, the color red is a reoccurring, significant symbol throughout the book. The dominant color of the novel, the color red is paired with the Handmaids. The Handmaids are always seen in their red uniform, even down to their red shoes and red gloves. From the opening pages of the novel we are informed that they are trained at the “Red Centre,” and we are introduced to the importance of the red imagery as Offred, the narrator and protagonist of the novel, describes herself getting dressed: “The red gloves are lying on the bed. Everything except the wings around my face is red.” Which reveals to us how the handmaid’s are required to wear all red, representative of the way they are visually defined, and therefore confined within their role in the caste system as sexual servants to their Commanders.
Offred is a handmaid, in the novel The Handmaid’s Tale written by Margaret Atwood, who no longer desired to rebel against the government of Gilead after they separated her from her family. When Offred was taken away from her family the Government of Gilead placed her in an institution known as the Red Center where they trained her along with other women unwillingly to be handmaids. The handmaid’s task was to repopulate the society because of the dramatic decrease in population form lack of childbirth. Handmaids are women who are put into the homes of the commanders who were unable to have kids with their own wives. The Handmaids had very little freedom and were not allowed to do simple tasks by themselves or without supervision like taking baths or going to the store. There was an uprising against the government of Gilead and many people who lived in this society including some handmaids looked for a way to escape to get their freedom back which was taken away from them and to reunited with their families which they lost contact with. Offred was one of the handmaids who was against the government of Gilead before she was put in the Red Center, but she joined the uprising after she became a
In Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, women are subjected to unthinkable oppression. Practically every aspect of their life is controlled, and they are taught to believe that their only purpose is to bear children for their commander. These “handmaids” are not allowed to read, write or speak freely. Any type of expression would be dangerous to the order of the Gilead’s strict society. They are conditioned to believe that they are safer in this new society. Women are supposedly no longer exploited or disrespected (pornography, rape, etc.) as they once were. Romantic relationships are strongly prohibited because involving emotion would defeat the handmaid’s sole purpose of reproducing. Of course not all women who were taken into Gilead believed right what was happening to their way of life. Through the process of storytelling, remembering, and rebellion, Offred and other handmaids cease to completely submit to Gilead’s repressive culture.
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
Margaret Atwood uses the culture of how handmaids dress to psychologically change how Offred sees and thinks about the world and others. On the way home from shopping with her partner Ofglen, Offred sees a group of tourists who are dressed how women used to dress before the war. Offred and Oglen stop and watch the tourists; "We are fascinated, but also repelled. They seem undressed" (28), Offred then remembers that she too used to dress like that. Offred's reaction shows that being a handmaid and having to dress so modestly can alter how you think about yourself and
Imagine if you can, living in a world that tells you what you are to wear, where to live, as well as your position and value to society. In Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale, she shows us the Republic of Gilead does just that. Offred, the main character, is a Handmaid, whose usefulness is her ovaries. Handmaids are ordered to live in a house with a Commander, his wife, and once a month attempt to become pregnant by the Commander. Throughout Atwood's novel, you will notice she uses different colors for her characters clothing that correspond to their position and place in the Republic of Gilead. They become aware of people's statuses by the color of their garments. The colors of dress that have been used are red, blue, green, white, black, and khaki. Going into detail, I will show the social rank that each color represents in the novel, and my interpretation of them. The Handmaids are the only ones wearing red dresses, and several references are made towards the comparison of blood. "When Offred is in the room, which she refuses to call her own, she hears the bell to signal her time to go to the market. Getting up she puts on her red shoes and her red gloves, all the while thinking, everything except the wings around my face is red: the color of blood, which defines us. The dress she wears is also red, being ankle-length as well as long sleeve. The only item she wears that isn't red is the white wings around her face to keep her from seeing, as well as from being seen. Leaving the room, she walks down the hall, and heads for the stairs. She knows there is a mirror on the hall wall. If she turns her head so that the white wings framing her face direc...
One can only be torn to threads by society so much before they are no longer themselves. Societies are constantly ruling the people and telling them how to live and in Margaret Atwood’s book, The Handmaid’s Tale, no one is more to blame than the society of Gilead. Gilead is a society where every basic human right is taken from women and their role in society is specifically and only to provide their uterus to a qualifying male. In most novels, the character overcomes their weakness or struggle in life and they become the better person or the hero of the novel. Offred in this case, does not rise to the occasion and become the hero. It is partially her own fault and partially the society's fault. In the dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, by
Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale depicts many aspects of humanity at times of crisis as the protagonist, and narrator, of this novel is experiencing and seen through her eyes throughout the novel. The form of government in this novel is totalitarian with Christianity guidelines in which men have higher roles and women are put into submission and into supporting roles with no equal footing as it one was before and where Offred is forced to adjust with these new restrictions. Throughout the centuries, women have been put into submitting rules mainly due to their physical appearances; the dainty hands, smooth skin, and their natural motherly nature are seen as weak and should be an object of protection. It is true that women do not possess the physical strength that the male sex do, as it is seen throughout Atwood’s novel where the male military Commanders wield considerable power over the lesser male roles, women such as Offred are highly valued not for their strength but for their fertility. Although women have made considerable progress in putting themselves in an equal standing in society today, as can be seen with the number of women in government and highly appointed job positions, there is still that underlying prejudice that women are inferior. “Women hold 17 percent of the seats in Congress”, says Jessica Valenti in the popular newspaper The Washington Post, and follows with the argument that “more than 85 percent of counties in the United States have no provider; women work outside the home, but they make about 76 cents to a man's dollar and make up the majority of Americans living in poverty”.
Cora’s unpleasant reaction towards Offred, when she arrives at their home, represents how other classes automatically feel superior over Handmaids. When Offred walks in, she instantly is judged after she sees Cora “frowning...[Cora] tears out three tokens and hands them to [Offred]. [Cora’s] face might be kindly if she would smile. But, the frown isn’t personal: it’s the red dress she disapproves of, and what it stands for” (Atwood, 10). The tokens given to Offred symbolize the oppression of Handmaids throughout Gilead, since these women are handed money with no value. Granted, that the tokens have no worth outside of the imperialized area, this shows how women like Offred are looked at worthlessly. Handing out tokens instead of real money demonstrates how the government does not trust Handmaids; they believe these women will use legitimate money to escape Gilead, or rebel by accessing black market goods. With Handmaids associated with reproductive organs, and thought of as vessels for this process, the women wear red to exploit their societal intentions. Being that the color red symbolizes impregnation, it displays the advantage Handmaid’s attain over resentful women in society; this advantage is ironic due to the fact that higher classes in Gilead look down on Handmaids even though...
In the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, The main character of the story are classified by the title of “Handmaids”. A “Handmaid” is a fertile female who bares the right to reproduce for a wife. They are separated away from the rest and dressed differently so they can be identified. A “Handmaid” must wear all red, dress and gloves, with the exception of their white wigs. The Handmaid breaks the rule of freedom and women rights. In this text the women have no say so to what they want or need they have to go by life according to their title.
Aunt Lydia illustrates the white wings (head covering) as a privilege instead of imprisonment. If all handmaids, wives, and marthas wear the exact same modest clothing, gives an idea of group identity and self identity is not needed. Handmaids wear the color red. Red is commonly known for being the color of passion, something handmaids must never know. Modesty also plays a major role in fashion. Modest does not allow temptation, and
The Handmaids Tale is a story that sets in the near future of the Republic of Gilead---a
Throughout the novel the reader often gets forced into or tends to question him/herself about what really a fictional novel is. Handmaid’s tale is a novel that is fragmented in its plot and theme, and often this leaves the reader to play the role of piecing together and looking at the larger picture of the theme and plot, but often this causes certain times in the novel involving ambiguity. This type of fragmentation is part of postmodern literature. This novel unlike the conventional structure of novel, often points out to the reader itself that the story is somehow linked with the main character and the reader, and this link is where the main theme and the intellectual knowledge of the character in the story lies. The evidence of this unconventional structure lies in the thoughts are quotes said by Offred, the main character, “I would like to believe this is a story I’m telling. I need to believe it. I must believe it. Those who can believe that such stories are only stories have a better chance. If it’s a story I’m telling, then I have control over the ending. Then there will be an ending, to the story, and real life will come after it. I can pick up where I left off “(49 Atwood). This quote is in the end of chapter 7 and it reveals the underlying connection between
The Handmaid’s Tale shows acts of rebellion throughout, but when we as an audience first see a sort of rebellion push through the strict control of Gileadean society is when the Commander and Offred have their first evening together. Offred’s metaphor “If I press my eye to it, this weakness of his, I may be able to see myself clear.” is a foreshadowing of the idea that maybe through these evenings with the Commander she may be able to ease her way out of Gileadean society. “It’s like a small crack in the wall, before now impenetrable.” Use of simile in her language gives the audience a glimpse into the hope she feels, that maybe she may be able to escape, maybe she has another chance at a normal life. Offred’s first time seeing the Commander’s