The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

In The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood, the main character, Offred, often has flashbacks and dwells on her past. These common recollections compare the differences in her life now and before the republic of Gilead was established. Her past experiences influence her current day to day life. Thoughts of her mother, the freedoms women used to have, and the longing for her husband Luke and her daughter directly affect how Offred’s actions, attitudes, and values progress throughout the novel, and make her hopeful, but full of regret and longing.
A point in the novel where we see the regret Offred has is when the readers learn more about her mother. Offred recalls her mother as a sort of hippie who was always protesting and rallying for women's rights. It can be inferred that the women’s rights campaigns Offred talked about was foreshadowing the segregation that was to come.

She often compares the rights she has now, which are close to none, with the lives women used to leave. Many of her flashbacks display happier times, which increase the mood of the novel for a split second. When reality comes back crashing down on Offred, her and the readers are reminded that these women are living in hell on earth, and they would do anything they could to go back to how things used to be. These memories affect Offred’s actions and attitudes negatively. They make her more depressed and make it harder for her to keep what little hope she has left. When analyzing The Handmaid’s Tale, as a whole, these past and present comparisons add reinforcement to the idea of taking action about societal issues, such as feminism, freedom, and individuality The comparisons add a sort of fear into the reader’s minds. Atwood s revealing how everything we take for granted could be gone in a split second. The little bit of hope Offred still has comes from her longing and love for her daughter and her husband