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Symbolism In 'The Handmaid's Tale'

1284 Words6 Pages

List three instances where each symbol appears in The Handmaid's Tale -- copy the text or describe what was happening in that section (including page numbers). Then write an explanation of the significance of that appearance (why was it important?). Last, write a paragraph analyzing the broader meaning of the symbol in The Handmaid's Tale.
The Color Red: Chapters: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8,11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19
Offred mentions,
The bell that measures time is ringing. Time here is measured by bells, as once in nunneries. As in a nunnery too, there are few mirrors. I get up out of the chair, advance my feet into the sunlight, in their red shoes, flat-heeled to save the spine and not for dancing. The red gloves are lying on the bed. I pick them up, pull them onto my …show more content…

In The Handmaid's Tale, the red lipstick on the Japanese tourists represents that they are excited because they have the freedom to wear what they want and they are excited about touring the Gilead Society (28). On the other hand, the Handmaids are forced to wear red cloaks and white wings (8). The significance of red is is the color of the dress that the Handmaids wear because their job is to get pregnant. The color red represents that the Handmaids are meant for having children and the red represents that they have viable ovaries. The color red represents birth because the Handmaids are used for reproduction purposes. The Handmaid's job is to get pregnant because of the declining population. The Handmaids who fail to get pregnant are considered Unwoman and are sent to the colonies. In the colonies, the Unwomen are exposed to toxic chemicals. The Handmaids get pregnant by their Commander during the Ceremony (91). The color red also represents blood, which means that the Handmaids menstruate. The Handmaids are the only group of people that are used for reproduction purposes and they are possibly the only group that

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