What Is The Purpose Of The Handmaid's Tale

The Author’s purpose in writingThe Handmaid’s Tale, is to illustrate to readers her bleak outlook on future if society does not change its path. The story follows the narrator, Offred as she goes about her life living under the oppressive regime of Gillead, a nation governed by religious fundamentalists. Through the narrators internal thoughts and daily life we see what is a possible outcome of feminism and patriarchy influenced by religious and governmental totalitarianism.
Atwood writes in the first person point of view of the narrator. Through her perspective we see how she is stripped of individuality and forced into a role that is practically glorified sexual slavery. The narrator who serves as a “handmaiden” is primarily considered the property of her male commander whom she must have mandatory intercourse with for the purpose of procreating. Offred’s internalized oppression is expressed through her inner dialogue as she begins to accept that her only usefulness as a person is in her reproductive abilities. On the subject of her
In the story Offred plays scrabble with with the commander which is symbolic in the sense that it is a game of language. Whoever can come up with the best words, wins. This is a metaphor for the way the Gilead government uses language as tool to manipulate its people. Women are dehumanized by being named wholly in respect to their relationship to the men they serve: Of-fred, Econwife, Unwomen. This shows how the language is skillfully manipulated to suit the nations political ideology. Another metaphor used is the colour the handmaiden’s wear. All handmaidens are uniformed in red which is traditionally associated with sexuality and sin. While the hand maidens are said to be in an esteemed position they are often looked down upon and by wearing the red are symbolically marked with the adultery they are made to commit with the married