In regards to civic responsibility, women should have a choice on their level of involvement and contributions to society. Every woman has different circumstances and thus makes it impossible for one standard of involvement to be set. Every individual woman has a different level of comfort in regards to political involvement, work place involvement, reproductive involvement, and familial involvement; all of which contribute to the well being of society in different ways. Authors Margaret Atwood and Octavia Butler both support the idea of different roles for different women in their books The Handmaid’s Tale and Kindred. In The Handmaid’s Tale Atwood shows the negative consequences of a society where women have no role in government and politics. …show more content…
Both Atwood and Butler are in agreement that women should be employed as to avoid feeling useless and spending their days at home accomplishing nothing. In The Handmaid’s Tale Offred enjoyed her job and the stability it provided her. Upon losing her job, Offred returns home and is restless almost immediately. She “couldn’t seem to sit still” and “wandered through the house from room to room” (177). Atwood is showing us the restlessness that sets in almost immediately after a woman looses her job. She emphasizes this restlessness by placing importance on the fact that Offred “couldn’t seem to sit still.” Offred begins to seem childlike as she “wandered though the house.” This passage invokes feelings in readers of a child who skipped school and doesn’t know what to do while they sit at home all day. Offerd comes off as helpless. Atwood is showing the negative effects that unemployed women face. Through the women’s bank accounts closing, Atwood later goes on to show that not only do unemployed women have to deal with boredom, but they also have to rely on their husbands or others financially and feel as if they are a burden. This again, Atwood drives home the idea of unemployed women being helpless and unable to fend for themselves. In Kindred we see a similar instance with Margret. “Margret in her boredom, simply rushed around and made a nuisance of herself” (94). Making a “nuisance” of …show more content…
In The Handmaid’s Tale Offred refers to Handmaids as a “two-legged wombs” “sacred vessels” and “ambulatory chalices” (136). While “two-legged wombs” is fairly literal both “sacred vessels” and “ambulatory chalices” have religious connotations. This relates back to the idea that Handmaids are used to bear children for the benefit of society and God. “Vessels” and “chalices” both remind readers of physical objects, such as communion cups, used by the church. The Handmaids are seen as religious objects by their governments and by the Commanders that they have to have sexual relations with. Atwood is trying to tell readers that bearing children is something that should never be forced on a woman, for religious reasons or not, either by the government, or more realistically in today’s world by a man. We can see a different message regarding reproduction being given by Butler. “‘See,’ Nigel told me later with some bitterness. “‘Cause of Carrie and me, he’s one nigger richer’” (161). Butler exposes the problems with slaves being dehumanized and seen as property. It’s important that Nigel was bitter about this situation. His child was being seen as making a white man “one nigger richer.” Slave owners saw their slaves as a form of currency rather than human beings. While Atwood critiques the government’s view of reproduction Butler is critiquing the slave owner’s view. Both
They were formed after the revolution when an extremist group named “Sons of Jacob” took control and abolished the United States Constitution after they attacked the capital killing the President and most of the Congress. These extremists goal is to increase the birth rate that has been drastically dropping due to war and pollution. In other words these extremists believe that the world has been overrun with sin which is causing the drop in birth rates as well the increase in birth defects. With this being seen as the cause of sin, although maybe not the true source of the problem: “The reasons for this decline are not altogether clear to us. Some of the failure to reproduce can undoubtedly be traced to the widespread availability of birth control of various kinds, including abortion, in the immediate pre-Gilead period.” Theses social classes, Handmaids, Wives, and more, are put in place to bring salvation back to the land. The Handmaids are represented as salvation for the people of Gilead, in this way the Handmaid’s Tale can be seen as a Noah story, with the Handmaids even being referred to as the animals on Noah’s ark when Offred describes her routine shopping trips where she has to be accompanied by another Handmaid. “We aren’t allowed to go there except in twos.” To restate, the animals on Noah’s ark are the salvation for the future of the world whereas the Handmaids
Gender inequality has existed all around the world for many centuries. Women were seen as property of men and their purpose of existence was to provide for the men in their lives. Men would play the role of being the breadwinners, whereas women played the role of being the caregiver of the family and household and must obey the men around her. The Handmaid’s Tale, written by Margaret Atwood portrays how women in society are controlled and demeaned by men, and how men feel they are more superior over women.
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...
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
In the Handmaid's Tale women are supposed to be more secure then they have ever been. Their bodies and their ability to reproduce are worshiped by society. Crimes against women have been erased. There is no longer rape, or domestic physical and mental violence against women. There is also no abortion. For women to exist in a space like this, one would think that they had the freedom to be powerful, strong women. Yet they are enslaved to this idea of being "protected." Atwood tries to define a woman’s security as being powerful, but really she just contributes to the idea that women are incapable of taking care of and protecting themselves.
Margaret Atwood's renowned science fiction novel, The Handmaid's Tale, was written in 1986 during the rise of the opposition to the feminist movement. Atwood, a Native American, was a vigorous supporter of this movement. The battle that existed between both sides of the women's rights issue inspired her to write this work. Because it was not clear just what the end result of the feminist movement would be, the author begins at the outset to prod her reader to consider where the story will end. Her purpose in writing this serious satire is to warn women of what the female gender stands to lose if the feminist movement were to fail. Atwood envisions a society of extreme changes in governmental, social, and mental oppression to make her point.
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
In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, there is an apparent power struggle between Offred and the Commander. The Gilead Society’s structure is based off of order and command. This is what creates a divide between genders and specifies gender roles in this novel. Without this categorization of the roles and expectations of women, the society would fall apart at the base. Thus, the Commander, being the dominant gender set forth by the society, has control over Offred.
Feminism as we know it began in the mid 1960's as the Women's Liberation Movement. Among its chief tenants is the idea of women's empowerment, the idea that women are capable of doing and should be allowed to do anything men can do. Feminists believe that neither sex is naturally superior. They stand behind the idea that women are inherently just as strong and intelligent as the so-called stronger sex. Many writers have taken up the cause of feminism in their work. One of the most well known writers to deal with feminist themes is Margaret Atwood. Her work is clearly influenced by the movement and many literary critics, as well as Atwood herself, have identified her as a feminist writer. However, one of Atwood's most successful books, The Handmaid's Tale, stands in stark contrast to the ideas of feminism. In fact, the female characters in the novel are portrayed in such a way that they directly conflict with the idea of women's empowerment.
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.
In The Handmaid’s Tale there are three types of women: handmaids (the breeders), wives (the trophies), and the marthas (servants.) The narrator of the novel is Offred, who is a handmaid. Handmaids are women with viable ovaries. Every two years, handmaids are assigned to a commander; the leader of the household. Weekly, the handmaid and Commander try and conceive a
Throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, the author Margaret Atwood gives the reader an understanding of what life would be like in a theocratic society that controls women’s lives. The narrator, Offred gives the reader her perspective on the many injustices she faces as a handmaid. Offred is a woman who lived before this society was established and when she undergoes the transition to her new status she has a hard time coping with the new laws she must follow. There are many laws in this government that degrade women and give men the authority of each household. All women are placed in each household for a reason and if they do not follow their duties they are sent away or killed. Atwood bases the irrational laws in the Gilead republic on the many
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.
The hierarchy of women goes as such: Commander’s Wives, Aunts, Marthas, Handmaids, Econowives, and Unwomen. Commanders are at the head of their household. Every woman within these ranks has settled into their roles as part of the Republic except for the Unwomen, those who refused to become a part of their society under any circumstances--those who are sent to work camps and separated from the rest of the world. Aside from them, the rest of the Republic's women all serve men in one way or another. Women are made to believe that the roles assigned to them are to be seen as a great honor. Outwardly, women accept these roles with little to no retaliation, but inwardly and amongst each other, many perform small acts of rebellion against their overseers. One woman who partook in many of these acts is referred to as Offred throughout the story; however, her real name is never revealed.
As The Handmaid’s Tale is considered an allegory of the social injustice women face against traditional expectations of their role in society, the symbolism of the Handmaids and other women as a whole for repressed feminine liberty and sexuality allows Atwood to connect her work to the theme between gender and expectations in her society. As Handmaids in the Republic of Gilead, females are stripped of their previous identity and are defined as a tool of reproduction for the men who is assigned them. At its core, these females are forced against their will to be mere tools, experiencing unwanted sex at least once a month, which Gilead names “The Ceremony”, hiding its true nature as a form of rape. Offred