Isolation In The Handmaid's Tale

Question: Analyse how Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale imaginatively portrays individuals who challenge the established values of their time.
Texts are not created in isolation. They are reflective of the values, attitudes and beliefs present in their compositional milieu. Margaret Atwood’s critically acclaimed novel The Handmaid’s Tale (1986) narrates the story of Offred, a woman who is forced to become a Handmaid and bear children for elite couples that have problems conceiving. The character of Offred successfully illustrates the isolated nature of Handmaids, through the depiction of the protagonist as an oppressed being who is emotionally and physically detached from the world. Through the narration of Offred’s thoughts, the novel
As a result of the harsh conditions under which Gilead is ruled, the government of Gilead is extremely susceptible to actions that challenge its structure and nature. Therefore, there is a need for armed forces to guard and protect the country. Despite the attempts of the Gileadean regime in maintaining a patriarchal, loveless, sex-deprived society that suppresses women, the subversive actions of the men and women in Gilead emphasise its inhabitants’ overall disapproval of the system. Even though power has been taken away from the occupants of Gilead, various characters represent that even a lack of power allows them to find a way to maintain control over themselves and others. This power is represented through the indirect rebellion of Offred. The way in which she subtly flirts with an Angel by looking into his eyes and sways her hips, demonstrates the power of women. “They touch with their eyes… and I move my hips a little… I enjoy the power.” Offred also illustrates the extent of her power through her emotions and thoughts. The only real freedom Handmaids are given is freedom of thought. Nonetheless, despite the subtlety of her actions, these actions reflect Offred’s disapproval of the