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Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The Handmaid's Tale
For this blog, I would like to discuss how in the book The Handmaid's Tale Offred was treated and how in days as of today that is wrong. I could not believe the type of things that happened to all of the women in this book even the Commanders wives. Although a lot of parts in the book struck me as odd one in particular part that really caught my attention was when Offred is in the study room with her commander and she says "my presence here is illegal. Its forbidden for us to be alone with the Commanders." I guess I am not to sure why they cannot be with the Commanders alone, I understand that the Handmaid's are basically for reproduction only but don't you think if the two knew each other a little more better it would be easier to have sex with them? I think that in a certain mind set if you do not enjoy the sex (which in this case who would) but then it may become harder to become pregnant in a way I feel as if your body knows when you are happy and when you are not along with your hormones. It is also to think that the women in general not just the Handmaid's could not read, write or in some cases talk. I believe this is just outrageous. I do not see how taking away a women's ability to read and write with help in anyway making her become pregnant. Making a women helpless is going to make them want to rebel and I cannot believe that more women in this story did not rebel. As for Moria I believe that she made the right decision although I am sure that is not something she wanted to do in life was work in a so called "whorehouse" but at least she can do what she wants. For instance when they are sitting in the ladies room at the "club" and Moria asks Offred "you want a cig?" (pg, 243) Handmaid's are not allowed to smoke because it makes getting pregnant harder, even though I find this not to be true it is one of the rules for the women. Part of me really loved this book and the way it made me open my eyes and realize how good I have it and how life is not all that bad. The other part of me really disliked this book because I do not find out what really happens at the end. If I could make an ending it would be a good one, where all the women that were made to do something they did not want to do had the chance to escape and go somewhere where they loved and wanted to be. Rather then dread everyday of their lives.
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I agree with you Miranda when you talk about how shocked you are that women have not rebelled. It's REALLY odd that women let these things happen despite that some, such as Moira, chose a different pathway. You would think that more females would not put up with the control that they are being put through. Comparing Gilead to today, I feel like if that was to happen in today's era there would be many outrage fights and serious rebellion being led by women. I for one would not partake in this kind of new society- I would rather die fighting for my own independence than living in a society where I am controlled on everything I do like what is the purpose of your life then? Such nonsense that Gilead is portrayed as!
ReplyDeleteYou raise a great point about the complacency of women in Gilead. Why don't they rebel? Is it too dangerous? Are they lulled into submission? What about Offred--what keeps her from being more active in the resistance?
ReplyDeleteYou make some good points in your blog about the odd structure of Gilead. You would think that if reproduction is of utmost importance, everything would be geared toward making that happen, yet it seems the rules fly in the face of facts and are more about stroking the male ego. Perhaps this is the author's way of saying that men should stay out of the business of women's reproductive rights?
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with you about the reading and Moira. I think knowledge is the thing most feared by regimes like this because the more people know, the more they can try to fight, which is why this regime's first "strike" was to get rid of the sources of knowledge and make the women helpless. I don't think Moira was any less helpless than Offred. She may have had a bit more freedom within the building, but she was still forced into it (because she didn't fit anywhere else) and was still guarded and punished. A prisoner is a prisoner, no matter what the cage looks like.