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Examples Of Defiance In The Handmaid's Tale

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Ebonyrose Campbell Ms. Milliner EES21QH-03 October 19, 2016 Novel Based Essay In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood utilizes language to emphasize on many aspects of the Gilead’s society. Themes of feminism, power and defiance are littered throughout the novel. In the Gileadean society language is important to the government as well as to Offred, even if it is limited. It can be used as power to further oppress the women but it can also be a way to escape the harsh society in which Offred now finds herself in. The different roles language plays in the novel drives the thoughts of Offred and heavily influences her decisions. In the Gileadean society women have been robbed of their freedom of speech, leaving in its wake biblical terms as formal communication. …show more content…

Due to women's’ freedom of speech being taken away, their freedom of thought is stronger than ever. Through this is where Offred gains her means of escape. Offered often rebels against the government through reading, which is forbidden for handmaids. In her room there is a cushion that has the word “faith” knitted in it. Knowing she’s rebelling gives her a sense of freedom. Such a small act of defiance opens a wide range of thoughts that resist against the society and give her life more meaning. As Atwood states, “The minimalist life. Pleasure is an egg. Blessings that can be counted, on the fingers of one hand. But possibly this is how I am expected to react. If I have an egg, what more can I want?” (Atwood 124). In this quote Offred considers the possibilities of being pregnant through the double meaning of egg, as in being fertilized. It is the handmaid’s job to become pregnant for their host couple but it is a rare occasion. Pregnant handmaids are considered lucky in the society so Offred contemplates why she doesn't feel she would be satisfied if she were to become pregnant. This thought shows her discontent with her life and a feeling of wanting more from it. She hasn't come to terms with her life as a handmaid and that in itself is an escape since she isn't completely consumed by the Gileadean society. There are many other instances where Offred plays on the double meanings of words to accommodate

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