Type 1: The clitoris is held between the thumb and the index finger and amputated with one stroke of a sharp blade. Type 2: Then the labia minora and the labia majora are lacerated. Type 3: Finally, the remaining tissue is sewn, leaving a 2-3 mm hole where a twig can be inserted for urine and menstrual fluid. Tie the legs from hip to ankle together for 6 weeks in order to help the tissue bond. No anesthesia is to be used. Hygiene need not be taken into consideration. Side effects include bleeding, tetanus along with other infections, painful sexual intercourse, long delays during childbirth, and death. Psychological effects such as depression, anxiety and PTSD are also common in the women who undergo this procedure.…
Past and present, Offred’s peers play a huge role in how she narrates The Handmaid’s Tale. In the last few chapters of this reading, Offred encounters her old friend, Moira, who is now working as a prostitute at a secret club. In the times before biblical religion was the only form of governance, Moira was described as a fiery and rebellious woman, who was always there for Offred. While in the center, she teaches Offred how to care for the other women and keep her wits about her during this horrific transition period. However, the next and final time Offred sees her friend, Moira appears to have been tamed by the system and succumbed to Gilead's way of life. Offred is defiant to the way her friend has become as she states, “She is frightening…
A motif in The Handmaid's Tale is the color red and Handmaids in Gilead wear red. The biggest and obvious example is the Red Center where handmaids are trained. Red symbolizes oppression since the women are being forced to become handmaids. The great thing about literature is everything is up for interpretation, therefore red could mean various things. Salvagings take place by The Wall, which is described on pg.…
Offred lived a normal, American life when all of the sudden, her family was taken from her so she could go have somebody else’s baby. The Handmaid’s Tale is about a woman’s tale of her life, her story, and her struggles in a new society and how she got there. This story by Margaret Atwood tells the life of Offred, a handmaid for a wealthy couple and her daily struggles trying to adapt to her new world. Offred tells how she makes deals with her Commander and his Wife with hope of getting out and how that changes her life. The progress in this book is not as one would probably describe progress, but it is as follows: the government and society had to make major changes in order to bring about the new system and laws, Gilead is thinking of and executing ways to raise the birthrate in their country, and handmaids and women in general are protected at all costs.…
The author offers that Handmaids Tale, “Atwood’s novels became part of a new wave of fiction writing by feminist who wrote both to entertain and to dramatize the plight of women.” He goes on about all the contributing factors that inspired the new fiction writing. He covers the plot and gives quotes from the book specifically from the women and their perceptions. He goes on to explain the different categories of women and their roles. The confinement and objectification of women are evident in the analysis. Government and religion are discussed in great detail and their part in Gilead societies. The religion influences the government entirely and women pay the price. Rape is discussed is perceived as being provoked that women ask for it. The…
The feelings of the ladies in Gilead is parallel to the emotions of the females in the 1960s and ‘70s. Both report to a male “guardian” who have no legal right to property or money. Also, in each society, it is difficult or forbidden for women to hold an occupation. By creating a realm of female suffrage in The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood was able to criticize the social issues of anti-feminist viewpoints that she witnessed growing up. Although women have more liberties today, the message of The Handmaid’s Tale should not be forgotten- no gender alone can run the…
She is also sacrificing her rights and privileges because women in the Gilead society are not allowed to work, pick who they want to marry, or speak up for themselves. Offred has also been suffering in which she is constantly thinking about her lost daughter, not knowing if she is alive or not. To worsen her suffering, Serena decides to give her hope by showing a picture of her daughter to her knowing that she will not be able to find her or do anything about it. Another reason why Offred is suffering is because of the deaths of the other handmaids. She has had to witness a handmaid being hung for being a “slut” and also her friend, Ofglen, who hung herself because she knew she was not going to escape from the bad people coming after her. In Chapter 14, under the list of what makes Christ himself, is that he was “thirty-three years of age when last seen.” In The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred described herself as “thirty-three years old ...[with] brown hair.” Atwood suggests that Offred has trouble remembering how she used to look like and seldom gets the chance to look at herself. The way that Offred is describing herself reveals that she will not stay 33 years old and will not always have a head full…
A rebel is defined as a person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler. In Margaret Atwood’s book, The Handmaid’s Tale, I characterized Moira to be a rebel. She showed much resistance against Gilead and wanting to be treated like the old ways, before the city was taken over. She also shared many of the same qualities as Offred’s mother, Janine, and Aunt Lydia.…
Quote- “My heart racing, I drive fast on the paved town roads, heading for the colored part of town. I’ve never even sat at the same table with a Negro who wasn’t paid to do so. The interview has been delayed by over a month.”(167)…
Atwood has always enjoyed writing Sci fi novels. The feminist and environmental views stemmed great from Atwood’s own personal advocacy of such things (Atwood, Interview by Rosenburg).…
The issue that has been persistent for as long as one can remember is Misogyny in the society. The belief that women are inferior to men has been contaminating the human mind. The issue can be commonly seen in the society in form of domestic abuse, violence, objectification in name of advertisements, and especially in the music industry where the lyrics are filled with hateful messages towards women. Even though the governing laws consider men and women as equal, but the mistreatment of women continues to be the headline of every newspaper.…
"The Handmaid's Tale" written by Margaret Atwood paints a realistic picture of a what a government ruled by a Christian theocracy would look like. In this country, men are the ones with power and women have virtually no rights. In the country of Gilead, there are many possible positions in society that a woman may be assigned. One of the lowest positions in society is the handmaid; their sole purpose is to bear children for their Commander. One such handmaid, is the narrator of the novel, Offred. Prior to Gilead, Offred was an average woman with a family, but she was split from them after the Gileadean government came to power and was forced to become a handmaid. In "Handmaids Tale" by Margaret Atwood, Offred is a somewhat average handmaid…
All throughout history women and men have been seen differently. Men have always been seen as strong, smart, tough, and natural leaders. Women have been seen as weak, timid, nurturing, and always following a man’s lead. As you can tell they are very different. Less than 100 years ago women didn’t have rights in America. They weren’t allowed to vote, own property, or pretty much do anything without a man’s approval. The group “ United Society of Believers in Christ second coming” were adovocating for women’s rights a century and a half before women had the right to vote, according to news wise .com.…
Figurative language was used by Margaret Atwood, through the persona of Offred, to illustrate The Handmaid’s Tale. Figurative Language consists of similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, hyperbole and idioms.…
The novel also portrays a government which is lacking a distinct line separating church and state. Gilead used theological beliefs to back up their laws, which made it more difficult for people to stand up against them. The reader sees a clear picture of what a totalitarian government may look like and in order for there to be a totalitarian stance, a large group of people will suffer greatly. The lesson taken away from The Handmaid’s Tale is that while change within a government and politics is a good thing, a drastic “all or none” approach leads to inequality, hatred, violence and…