What Is The Representation Of The Female Voice In The Handmaid's Tale

How and why do narratives represent the female voice in differing contexts?

Narratives represent the female voice in differing contexts as the female voice ranges from multiple experiences, and though there are similarities in each female voice, one cannot cover one whole context or voice. Which is why female voices are represented in narratives in differing contexts so that each female voice is heard and understood in their respective contexts. This is done through the novel ‘Vox’ by Christina Dalcher, written in the 4th feminist wave in 2018 and the novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood, written in the 2nd feminist wave in 1985. Both of these novels represent the female voice but in differing contexts through how patriarchy is used

This initiative is placed on women by men, where men get to speak freely and they are aware of the power of speech they have. For example, “I refuse to think they do understand, that they’re baiting her, teasing out words. But at eleven, they’re old enough to know. And they’ve seen what happens when we overuse words”, Jean’s sons are asking their sister questions about her school day, requiring a full response rather than a yes or no answer, knowing that she can't answer. The repetition of pronouns of ‘they’, expresses a tone of accusation even though Jean (the female protagonist) tries to ignore the accusations, showing how this patriarchy has driven a wedge in parent-child relationships. ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ shows patriarchy and how it is used against the female voice through how the Gileadean society has placed women in roles of labourers and handmaids. For example, “He is demonstrating, to me, his mastery of the world. He’s breaking the rules, under

In Vox, the women have been silenced by their counters and reduced to their role as a housewife or labourer. For example, “We've turned into necessary evils, objects to be fucked and not heard.”, Jean uses a metaphor and describes herself as an object for male pleasure and as a necessary evil, meaning she is something that is not desirable but has to be accepted, as they need women to fill the role of housework and motherhood for males. In ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, women have been reduced to objects for the sake of men where the women are either put to work as labourers, housewives or handmaids. For example, “There’s hardly any point in my thinking, is there? I say. What I think doesn’t matter. Which is the only reason he can tell me things.”, where the Commander is aware that Offred cannot make any changes to her life and uses her as an outlet for his thoughts on the society that he has contributed to making for women. The use of a rhetorical question and truncated sentences, show a train of thought and a strong defeated tone, showing us as readers how aware Offred is of her situation. Both ‘Vox’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ have shown how the female voice is reduced to merely an object for men similarly, as both females in each narrative are put to work in certain roles for the sake of men. Both narratives show the female voice in their different contexts of time and situations, showing