ipl-logo

The Handmaid's Tale 5 Paragraph Essay

516 Words3 Pages

Ankita Singh Ms. Beca ENG4U1-02 15 January 2018 The Handmaid’s Tale Literary Paragraph Throughout the novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, it is evident that being a man in Gilead is just as hard as being a woman in Gilead. Although most may disagree with this statement, many examples from the novel can be shown to prove this statement. Firstly, it is hard to be a man in Gilead because men are not allowed to act upon romantic feelings and have relationships. Men cannot show any signs of feelings towards another individual because if they do it could result in consequences. They cannot even go as far as to wink at an individual. Offred, a Handmaid, a found herself in this situation with Nick, a Guardian, and when she sees Nick wink …show more content…

Secondly, being a man in Gilead is difficult because men become sad and lonely. They do not have many things that they can do or people that they can be with or talk to and because of this, they sometimes have to break the rules. It is even visibly noticeable to Offred, who secretly visits the Commander, that he is sad when she mentions: “He was so sad” (176). This remark came after the Commander tells Offred that he wants her to kiss him. He also tells her that he wants her to kiss him as if she meant it. This connects to the first point about how men are not allowed to engage in relationships or anything that has to do with love. This rule results in the Commander needing to ask this of Offred even though it is not allowed, but since he is sad and lonely, he does it anyway. Finally, being a man is as tough as being a woman in Gilead because men do not have a purpose. The Commander begins to tell Offred how, “The problem wasn’t only with the women… The main problem was with the men… There was nothing for them to do… I’m not talking about sex… That was part of it, the sex was too easy. There was nothing to work for, nothing to fight for” (263). He tries to get Offred to understand

Show More
Related

Hamlet And Offred Analysis

1394 Words | 6 Pages

Just like Hamlet, Offred was also unable to trust anyone other than her best friend, Moira because of the situation she was placed in. Since Offred was a handmaid nearly all of her human rights were taken away, because of this she was unable to build relationships of trust with other people. She had lost all connections with people she loved, with the exception of Moira. Gilead, a world where all the citizens are obligated to obey those in power, none of the people had any meaningful relationships such as friendship or companionship. As shown by Offred 's statement: "We aren 't supposed to form friendships, loyalties, among one another" (Atwood 353), people were expected to not create new relationships.

Read More

Examples Of Panopticism In 1984

1114 Words | 5 Pages

Offred’s “isolation as well as her fear (of the Eyes, of spies among the handmaids, and of the never fully specified punishments if found out) severely limits her involvement” in society (Hansot 58). Even when Offred comes across an interpreter and a group of Japanese tourists,

Read More

The Commander In The Handmaid's Tale

1341 Words | 6 Pages

She is used by Commander for sex and companionship and had an affair with Nick (higher preganancy chance). Most of her actions are being forced “Which of us is it worse for, her or me?”(151) meant the sex between the narrator and commander is unbearable to the point of watching your husband having sex with another women right infront of you. Her only defiance done totally by herself is “I will use the butter later that night.” (113), everything else including escaping the Gilead, having an affair with Commander, having an affair with Nick and leaving the Commanders house are all stimulated by others. Offred represent those who does not stand against oppresion, being pushed around and used for sex.

Read More

Control Of Women In The Handmaids Tale

678 Words | 3 Pages

“You wanted a women 's culture. Well, now there is one. It isn’t what you meant, but it exists. Be thankful for small mercies.” (Atwood 124) Offred is looking back on her past life to a story her mother once told her.

Read More

Symbolism In The Handmaid's Tale

1410 Words | 6 Pages

It is narrated by the protagonist, Offred who is a handmaid forced into sexual servitude. Facing a plunging birth rate, the fundamentalist regime treats women as property of the state. Handmaids are the few of the remaining fertile women and their sole purpose is to help the government into re-populating their society, where a lot of people are left sterile. The Handmaid’s Tale deals with the theme of women in subjugation to misogyny in a patriarchal society, primarily. It shows the struggle that women have to go through in that society, as a Handmaid or as not being able to be one.

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of NAFTA

1060 Words | 5 Pages

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” - Ronald Reagan. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was started in order to boost trade between North American countries, and as time went on, the interests of countries started shaping into different things, tradewise. The countries have remained peaceful in this conflict because leaders of each country are able to handle the conflict. Varying views about NAFTA about economic interests as well as lack of clarity about when steps are to be taken cause uncertainties about where NAFTA is.

Read More

Theme Of Marxism In The Handmaid's Tale

2035 Words | 9 Pages

Works of literature often portray ideas relating to Marxist theory, this is why in a dystopian society, class distinctions dominate the social climate, using Marxist ideologies as a tool to define the lives of the narrator and those around her. In Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, ideologies from Marxist theory dominate the society in which Offred, the narrator, lives in, evidenced by the strict class systems and limited interaction between them. In writing the novel, Atwood makes a point to create a world that could exist using technology and ideas already accessible in today’s society, meaning the events that take place in The Handmaid’s Tale could happen in present day. Offred lives in a reality where class distinctions dominate society, and women, especially fertile women. These women are displaced downwards, although there are those women who attempt to resist the grip of society.

Read More

The Handmaid's Tale Analysis

952 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout the novel, Moira’s use of informal language and slang is apparent. This is significant because Moira’s crude vocabulary is dramatically different from how the Handmaids are taught to speak, marking her as a dissenter under the restrictive rule of Gilead. For instance, Moira scoffs that the Red Centre is “a loony bin” in Chapter 13. The use of the colloquial noun ‘loony’ to describe the Red Centre establishes a conversational, almost childish tone of voice. This contrasts from the rather mechanic and automated voice Offred has when she becomes a Handmaid, replying with contrived phrases such as “praise be” to other Handmaids.

Read More

Essay On The Oppression Of Women In The Handmaid's Tale

1620 Words | 7 Pages

Throughout history, women have often been subjected to prejudice and an inferior status to men. Due to sexist ideologies of men believing that women are not capable of controlling their own lives, women have often been reduced to the status of property. This concept is prominent in many pieces of literature to demonstrate the struggles women have to go through in a predominantly, male structured world. In the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood, the author illustrates a woman’s battle in an extreme society ruled by men to express the misogyny occurring in the time period when it was written, 1894. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia summarizes Atwood’s story as one that “depicts one woman’s chilling struggle to survive in a society ruled by misogynistic fascism, by which women are reduced to the condition of property.”

Read More

Renaissance Vs Religion

455 Words | 2 Pages

When the Middle Ages ended in 1450, it was the Renaissance that picked up where we left off. In the 50 years remaining that century, the Gutenberg Bible was created and Christopher Columbus discovered America. Between 1500 and 1600, there was a reformation and William Shakespeare came out with his romantic tale of forbidden love: Romeo and Juliet. In this era, there was a rebirth of human creativity, exploration, adventure, curiosity, and a sense of individualism; it was known for its humanism, and people back then were mesmerized by the Greek and Roman cultures and focused on terrestrial life and its winnings rather than life after death.

Read More

Resistance In The Handmaid's Tale

928 Words | 4 Pages

At the same time, the Historical Notes reveal that other records of those who lived in Gilead also exist (346). Though Offred has never participated in a coordinated regime subversive activity, her story, along with those of other survivors, now form a polyphony of resistance. Storytelling in The Handmaid’s Tale performs various functions: it is Offred’s way of resistance, her survival strategy, her intellectual pastime, and a testimony to the future. By telling herself stories she escapes into memories, shape and change her experience, and substitute the lacking communication. She uses storytelling to preserve herself, to validate her existence, to prove her life matters.

Read More

Resilience In The Handmaid's Tale

1462 Words | 6 Pages

Despite being stripped of her identity and forced into a subservient role as a Handmaid, Offred remains determined to survive and find her daughter. This is evident when Offred says, "I'll say anything they like, I'll incriminate anyone. Just don't send me to the colonies. I'll do anything," (Atwood 72). This willingness to do whatever it takes to survive demonstrates Offred's resilience in the face of Gilead's oppressive conditions.

Read More

The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

1101 Words | 5 Pages

Imagine a nation in which its government commands by a religion where women are separated into different titles and must conceive children for their commander. Their rights from before this regime, and anything deemed unholy by the government, are a thing of the past. This situation is the one represent in the Republic of Gilead, where the rules of society and its traditions are not taken lightly if broken. In the novel The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood shows that an oppressive government leads to the inevitable neglect and remiss of the rules through Offred’s characterization, irony, and flashbacks. Offred 's character development can show that her actions change .

Read More

Political Issues In The Handmaid's Tale

988 Words | 4 Pages

It projects a patriarchy of elite white men who repress the majority of the population through sexist and racist policies. In this puritanical state, Commanders are political leaders and lawmakers who support and contribute to the rise of Gilead. Each Commander possesses a big house, a Wife, Marthas, a driver, and a Handmaid, epitomizing wealth and power. The Gilead society uses Biblical allusions to justify the role of the Commanders. During the Women’s Prayvaganzas, the Commander expresses, “For Adam was first formed, then Eve” (221) where Eve was made as a helper and to complement Adam as a servant rather than function as an equal.

Read More

The Importance Of Freedom In The Handmaid's Tale

731 Words | 3 Pages

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). The Commander told Offred to see him at night which is forbidden.

Read More

More about The Handmaid's Tale 5 Paragraph Essay

Related Topics

Open Document