Unorthodox In The Handmaid's Tale

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Among dystopian literature, The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood is one of the most abstract. In a world where individualism is eliminated, this book is a terrifying attempt and failure of creating a utopia. Various characters in the novel portray both orthodox and unorthodox characteristics, but the more dangerous of the two is unorthodoxy. In Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaids Tale, the most unorthodox characters are Offred, Moira, and Serena Joy. Offred is the main character and narrator of the novel. She is the handmaid of the house and also the most unorthodox. Offred’s mission is to bear a child for Serena Joy and the Commander, and if Offred fails she will meet her demise. Even though Offred never reveals her real name, she tells her …show more content…

Serena Joy’s real name is Pam, although she never outright admits this part of her past life. Pam’s pride and joy has become knitting and gardening; while despising handmaids in the meantime. Offred seems to be one of the few who can recall the former Serena Joy. Offred says, “Her speeches were about the sanctity of the home, about how women should stay home” (Atwood 45). This dim light shone on to her past is ironic because it seems as if Serena is disgusted with the way society has become, although women do stay home. Some subtle examples of Pam’s distaste can not only be seen by the way she treats Offred, but in her way of life and various decorations in her house. Serena Joy often wears perfume and, “Perfume is a luxury, she must have some private source” (Atwood 80). This private source is the black market. There is an embroidered pillow left in Offred’s room that reads the word “faith”. The handmaids are not supposed to be allowed to read, but “somehow it’s been overlooked,” in this case (Atwood 57). Serena Joy may be more privileged than the handmaids, but that does not make her any less unorthodox in this strange society that undermines

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