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Examples Of Rebellion In The Handmaid's Tale

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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Rebellion is the resistance to or defiance of any authority, control, or tradition(Dictionary.com). Rebellion is mandatory for a change to happen in a society because it brings about change. To willingly risk yourself and others in danger to try to rebel against the harsh restrictions you face as a society is a burdensome task. In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, rebellion is first seen when Offred’s husband convinces her to flee the country with their daughter and escape the harsh restrictions they live within. Furthermore, rebellion is also seen in the relationship between the Commander and Offred. Moira is a great illustration of how restriction leads to rebellion as she is persistent in escaping. …show more content…

After being under the influence of restrictions for so long they decide to break the conventions and rules and rebels. A specific way the commander does this is when he brings Offred to Jezabels. “He is breaking the rules, under their noses, thumbing his nose at them, getting away with it(Atwood 273).” This specifically refers to how he breaks the rules and shows Offred he does in fact have power. He is showing Offred off to the group of men at Jeezbels which is also prohibited. For example, when the Commander requests to see her, the narrator says, “My presence here is illegal. It’s forbidden for us to be alone with the Commanders... So why does he want to see me, at night, alone” (At wood 136). This quote exemplifies that the commander was going against the rules to see Offred. Being under strict rules for so long is understandable to break them which proves that restriction leads to rebellion. Also, women are not allowed to read and he lets Offred play Scrabble. “‘I’d like you to play a game of Scrabble with me (Atwood 160).” This is considered an act of rebellion because women were prohibited from reading, they were not allowed to read words. This further emphasizes how the relationship between the Offred and Commander is a rebellious act. Another example of a rebellious act is the Commander letting Offred read magazines which are strictly prohibited. For example, “Staring at the magazine, as he dangled it before me like fish bait, I wanted it. I wanted it with a force that made the ends of my fingers ache” (Atwood 179)”. This shows the desire caused by restriction leads people to rebel. Too much restriction leads people to find ways to secretly get around the harsh restrictions. Through the romantic relationship between the Commander and Offred it was obvious that rebellious acts and disobedience were taking place, proving that

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In the novel, The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood shows the significance of Offred's role as a rebel by highlighting her transition from powerless to powerful. She makes this transition by investing in specific relationships which build up her societal standing and increase her power. Offred shares information with individuals in order to gain power over them, and in all things she has a specific motive before acting. Offred is seen manipulating people through building seemingly deep relationships, while making some mistakes on the way with the Commander, Serena Joy, and Nick.

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