Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale :: Margaret Atwood The Handmaids Tale

I Tell, Therefore I AmIn Margargont Atwoods, The handmaidens Tale, women argon subjected to unthinkable oppression. Practically both aspect of their life is controlled, and they are taught to believe that their only purpose is to lose children for their commander. These handmaids are not allowed to read, write or speak freely. Any quality of expression would be dangerous to the order of the Gileads strict society. They are conditioned to believe that they are safer in this new society. Women are purportedly no longer exploited or disrespected (pornography, rape, etc.) as they once were. romanticist relationships are strongly prohibited because involving emotion would defeat the handmaids sole purpose of reproducing. Of course not all women who were taken into Gilead believed aright what was happening to their way of life. Through the process of storytelling, remembering, and rebellion, Offred and some other handmaids cease to whole submit to Gileads repressive culture. W e learned to whisper almost without sound. In the semidarkness we would stretch out our arms, when the Aunts werent looking, and touch each others hands across space. We learned to lip-read, our heads flat on the beds, turned sideways, watch each others mouths. (Atwood, p4) The handmaids whisper to each other to supervene upon information. They engage in this conversation to keep alive the nature of relationships amid people. It is very lonely for these women, for they cannot say what is on their mind, they are only allowed pre-approved phrases from Gileads authorities Without this contact it would be impossible for the women to reminisce and be comforted. some other way of keeping the past real to Offred is to remember old stories from in the lead the revolution. She spends a lot of her time thinking about her husband Luke and how the metropolis used to look before, Lilies used to be a movie field of force here, before. Students went there a lot every spring they had a Humphr ey Bogart fiesta with Lauren Bacall or Katherine Hepburn, women on their own, making up their own minds (Atwood, 25). These small rebellions that Offred and other handmaids participate in are very significant. The simple fact that they prefer to engage in these insurgences shows that they still cling on to their more except and free past. They still have a notion of truth and are keeping it alive. Having these passions and feelings causes the structure of Gilead to truly not work, and will probably (The Handmaids Tale was left open ended) lead to its demise.