What Does The Flowers Symbolize In The Handmaids Tale

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Margaret Atwood created The Republic of Gilead, a society based on fertility and being able to have children, in her book The Handmaid’s Tale. Gilead is in the former United States of America. This area has become highly polluted and has caused the birth rates to significantly decline. Gilead was able to take over the United States’ government by killing off every single Congress member. While in a state of shock and panic, The Republic of Gilead took control by helping to “save” the population. The men are now either a part of the military or are a Commander. Commanders run a household and are responsible to “make” the babies. Women are either shipped off, domesticated servants or walking wombs. The Commanders each receive a Handmaid. Handmaids are the one who becomes impregnated. The Handmaids are heavily protected, since they are the only woman left with viable …show more content…

A simple yet complex, beautiful, living, everyday object. One would have never predicted that flowers could hold such a significant value in a society whose population is remarkably declining. Flowers are often considered symbols of beauty or fertility. Coincidentally, flowers are also the part of the plant that contains the reproductive organs. Flowers are grown in the gardens by the Wives. The flowers are constant reminders of the fertility that most of Gilead women lack. The Wives are able to grow fertile flowers, unlike children. They then choose to purposely butcher their flourishing garden. “She was snipping off the seedpods with a pair of shears. [...] She was aiming positioning the blades of the shears, then cutting with a convulsive jerk of the hands” (Atwood 153). One can assume that the Wives destroy the flowers the same way they want to do to the Handmaids. Being envious of their fertility, makes the Wives act in this vicious, aggressive and brutal way to the innocent, delightful and pleasurable gardens. In a way, the Handmaids are the fertile “flowers” of The Republic of

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