The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

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The sexual assault and rape of German women by Muslim refugee men in Cologne, Germany mirrors a few of the major issues in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Chancellor Angela Murkel’s decision to take in refugees from neighboring regions resulted in men groping and robbing scores of women during New Year Celebrations. Furthermore, Cologne police has received complaints from 90 victims but has made no arrests. The injustice in Cologne mirrors the Republic of Gilead through the men’s power over women, the violence against women, and the issue that stems from the assimilation of a foreign religion into another society. The power that men possess over women is evident through the female victim’s lack of justice and is similar to the power …show more content…

Women reported being groped and robbed, and one woman said “she had been raped.” Witnesses described the atmosphere as “aggressive and threatening,” much like the environment Handmaids constantly live in. The Handmaids live in constant fear due to the implied around-the-clock surveillance by the Eyes, anonymous spies in disguise that are legally allowed to abduct if treason is suspected. The constant reminder of possible punishment is delivered through the display of people hung on a wall labeled with their “crime” adds to the grim and dangerous atmosphere. Offred sees a black van the Eyes use for the first time, “cold travels through” her and she is frozen from the fear that the Eyes’ target is her. The prevalence of the men’s dominance encourages the mentality of entitlement, and results in the indifference towards the women and their rights, for in the eyes of the oppressor, their rights no longer matter. Sex is no longer enjoyed; furthermore, it is unwanted and a forced chore evident in Offred’s mental commentary telling herself to “get this over with or” she will “be here all night (255).” The women in both Cologne and Gilead’s rights have been waived and disregarded as they are forced into unconsented acts of indecency with men who are complete strangers.

Women And Women In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood
1964 Words | 4 Pages
Margaret Atwood is famous for many things. She is a poet, novelist, story writer, essayist, and an environmental activist. Her books are usually bestsellers and have received high praises in the United States, Europe, and her native country, Canada. She has also received many Literary awards, like the Booker Prize, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the two Governor General’s Awards (“Margaret Atwood” Poetry). Through her books, she has written about what she sees in society towards women. She discusses how gender equality was corrupted in the past, but still is far from being reached, and women’s roles in society (“Spotty-handed”). Atwood also takes events in her life; like the Great Depression, Communism, and World War II; and applies it to her works. Margaret Atwood's works, including her novel The Handmaid's Tale, reflects women’s fight in equality, how society determines
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The Quintessence of Humanity in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
2515 Words | 6 Pages
Often in life, people take their freedoms, a gift that allows them to express their individuality, for granted. However, in the dystopian societies of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, people are reminded of just how easily their freedoms and humanity can be stripped away. Attwood and Ishiguro urge people to never lose sight of the core values that define who they are. The compelling novels chronicle the life journey of two protagonists as they fight to define their own existence and worth in life. Offred, the central character in The Handmaid’s Tale is exploited as a baby making machine, while Kathy, the leading role in Never Let Me Go, is degraded as a lifeless android in a sea of clones. From Atwood and Ishiguro’s provocative coming-of-age novels emerge two beautiful and inspiring heroines. Whether it is through their remembrance of the past, their loss of innocence, their capability to hope, or their ability to establish relationships, Offred and Kathy prove that they are every bit as human as the rest of society. Ultimately, despite the many differences in their distinct masterpieces, Atwood and Ishiguro share the same intent in their haunting portrayal of the protagonists’ dehumanizabtion—to shed light on the true essence of what it is to be human.
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The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
661 Words | 2 Pages
In The Handmaid’s Tale, much use is made of imagery; to enable the reader to create a more detailed mental picture of the novel’s action and also to intensify the emotive language used. In particular, Atwood uses many images involving flowers and plants.
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A Handmaid's Tale
1650 Words | 4 Pages
A new society is created by a group of people who strengthen and maintain their power by any means necessary including torture and death. Margaret Atwood's book, A Handmaid's Tale, can be compared to the morning after a bad fight within an abusive relationship. Being surrounded by rules that must be obeyed because of being afraid of the torture that will be received. There are no other choices because there is control over what is done, who you see and talk to, and has taken you far away from your family. You have no money or way out. The new republic of Gilead takes it laws to an even higher level because these laws are said to be of God and by disobeying them you are disobeying him. People are already likely to do anything for their God especially when they live in fear of punishment or death. The republic of Gilead is created and maintains its power structure through the use of religion, laws that isolate people from communication to one another and their families, and the fear of punishment for disobeying the law.
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Humanity In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood
1147 Words | 3 Pages
Many texts that were published from different authors have introduced topics that can be related in today’s society, but Margaret Atwood’s creation called, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, gives voice to the thoughts and revolves around the narrator Offred, a woman whose rights have been deprived due to political issues. However, the information shared by Offred to the reader to the text is not reliable for the reason that she only touches upon her own perspective. Through the text, Atwood depicted what the United States of America would be in the future based on the actions of humanity during 1980’s. The text is set up in an androcentric and totalitarian country called Gilead, where the government attempts to create a utopian society. Thus, in order to attain this society, the authorities generated their legislation from the teachings of the Holy Bible in an attempt to control humanity. The governing
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The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
1401 Words | 3 Pages
The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel in which Atwood creates a world which seems absurd and near impossible. Women being kept in slavery only to create babies, cult like religious control over the population, and the deportation of an entire race, these things all seem like fiction. However Atwood's novel is closer to fact than fiction; all the events which take place in the story have a base in the real world as well as a historical precedent. Atwood establishes the world of Gilead on historical events as well as the social and political trends which were taking place during her life time in the 1980's. Atwood shows her audience through political and historical reference that Gilead was and is closer than most people realize.
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To America And The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood
1911 Words | 4 Pages
What is Freedom? Freedom is a word that has been used many times and in many places throughout the course of time. Freedom is defined as the state of being free from physical constraints or external regulations. This is a very simplistic definition of freedom. In actuality, freedom has many meanings.
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Handmaids Tale Analysis
917 Words | 2 Pages
In Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale, social turmoil after a staged terrorist attack has led to a totalitarian Christian regime. In this dystopian future, the roles of men and women are much different than in today’s society. In The Handmaid’s Tale, women are unequal because they have no choice about their bodies, their dress, or their relationships.
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The Handmaid's Tale Offred By Margaret Atwood
1058 Words | 3 Pages
According to Bella DePaulo, a psychologist at the University Of Virginia, most people lie to someone else at least once or twice a day. The question this brings about is how does one differentiate the truth from falsehood? In Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid’s Tale Offred, one of the many characters who is facing oppression in the society of Gilead is struggling to know if her story is true or false. The lack of confidence that Offred has makes the readers question whether or not to believe her story.
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Handmaids Tale
3082 Words | 7 Pages
Many of the principles of Gilead are based on Old Testament beliefs. Discuss Atwoods use of biblical allusions and their political significance in the novel.
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The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood
1718 Words | 4 Pages
Sexuality is a part of human nature, it is unchangeable, resolute, and inalterable. Yet when a society is aiming to eliminate this unique function in men and women, a devastating effect will occur. Similarly, when one is trying to decrease the size of a plumped balloon by pressing it with all of his strength, no matter how much strength one uses, the balloon still remains the same size. Eventually, the balloon explodes as it cannot stand the pressure, this idea is greatly explored in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. As the story unfolds, readers see how Offred, the protagonist, is being mentally afflicted by a strictly ruled society, Gilead, through Offred’s narration.
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The Handmaid's Tale
904 Words | 2 Pages
Handmaids are also branded like cattle, a numerical tattoo on their ankle consisting of an eye and four digits; similar to the tattoos on Nazi prisoners, prevents them from escaping. Offred refers to it as, ‘’ A passport in reverse.’’ (pg. 75 ) this reference implies that there is no escape or leaving her situation, as a passport would allow a person to leave a country. Atwood uses this tattoo to display the society’s exploitation of power, and has been related to that of the cruel regime of Nazi Germany.
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Rebellion in The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood
2652 Words | 6 Pages
of rebels and rebellions. It is not fair to say that the form of rebel
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Atwood's Handmaid's Tale
896 Words | 2 Pages
The Handmaid's Tale presents an extreme example of sexism and misogyny by featuring the complete objectification of women in the society of Gilead. Yet by also highlighting the mistreatment of women in the cultures that precede and follow the Gileadean era, Margaret Atwood is suggesting that sexism and misogyny are deeply embedded in any society and that serious and deliberate attention must be given to these forms of discrimination in order to eliminate them.
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The Handmaid’s Tale
1075 Words | 3 Pages
The Handmaid’s Tale and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? draw on different narrative techniques to establish our relationship to their protagonists. Margaret Atwood allows the reader to share the thoughts of the main character, while Philip K. Dick makes the reader explore the mysteries behind the story. Atwood’s style works because she can directly show her readers what she wants. Dick’s opposing style works for him because he can present paradoxes and mysteries and let the reader form the conclusion. Both of these styles are skillfully utilized to create complex stories without losing the reader along the way.
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The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

Women And Women In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

The Quintessence of Humanity in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro