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How Does Margaret Atwood Use Language In The Handmaid's Tale

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In the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood shows a dystopian society and a place where the use of literacy is limited among the citizens. There are not many languages that uses specific names that are used to explicitly best describe what is being referred to. However the narrator, which was given a name that is not their real name but only to classify their statues in the society is already an example of how the novel shows the limitation of literature and how a certain word gives power to the society. For instance, the narrator is named, Offred, which shows the service she contributes to the society will gain the respect of others to her. The limitations of literature also shows in the novel through the use of neologism, biblical languages, and language musing. Towards halfway reading the novel it shows types …show more content…

The last example of neologism is, All Flesh, which means the shop to purchase various type of meat. The reason why this is classified as neologism because the use of generalization to describe a particular aspect and the limitations used in literature. Biblical languages are used to show the relationship between language and power of words. For instance, the name Martha, in the novel the name is used to classify the housemaids in the house, and serve other people that have higher statues than them. This again shows irony, how the name is used with limited respects compare in the bible, because the name translates to ‘lord’ or ‘master’ which is opposite and the bible tells how people are respecting the person Martha. Language musing is another way to prove the power of words in the novel. The word ‘things’ is used by the narrator to describe the different ways a male can mistreat a woman in both physically and verbally. To conclude the relation of words by neologism, biblical and self-musing shows effects of power in the

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