The Handmaid's Tale
In The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Atwood has created an Orwellian society. Atwood uses The Handmaid's Tale as a warning of what could happen in the future if we are not careful. Present day society could easily go along the same route as the Republic of Gilead by lack of freedoms, sexual discrimination and lack of privacy. Offred is our guide to lead us against an Orwellian society.If we are not careful, we will become like the Republic of Gilead and have no freedoms. The oppressive regime in Gilead has restricted all forms of freedom as a way of protection. "There is more than one kind of freedom . . . Freedom to and freedom from . . . Now you are being given freedom from" (Atwood, 24). The government is trying to prove that the lack of freedoms is a way to protect the general society. However, the lack of freedoms is just a way for the government to retain power and to protect its best interests. A lack of freedoms would lead to more rebellions like there are in Gilead. At the Salvagings, crimes can no longer be read aloud, as they " . . . found that such a public account, especially when televised, is invariably followed by a rash . . . of exactly similar crimes" (259). It proves that Gilead is a state so
Atwood described the ceremony quite graphically to show us what Western society to could possibly be faced with in years to come. "The sun is free, it is still there to be enjoyed" (159). Totally erasing any privacy in public. No one is even able to have a private conversation. The Commander is treating the act of procreation like it is some right of passage to God's doorstep, effectively removing the sensuality from the act. Atwood is once again underlining the possibility that maybe George Orwell and she shared a common vision for the future; a common vision that could prove itself true. If one person or one network of people were able to access all the video cameras there could easily be a society like Gilead. Not only would there be lack of freedoms, but also sexual discrimination. There is a whole network of people spying on their own family, friends and fellow countrymen. "You are always safe out of doors, no mikes, and why would they put one here?" (158). If our society went the way of Gileadan society, there would be a great deal of sexual repression. In a world with no freedoms, complete sexual bias and a lack of privacy, there would be no humanity. The spying in Gilead is outrageous and society today is slowly moving toward the same.
Common topics in this essay:
Gilead Salvagings,
Gender Treachery,
Republic Gilead,
Offred Ofglen,
Handmaid's Tale,
KGB Ruthlessly,
London England,
Gilead Atwood,
Gilead Cameras,
George Orwell,
lack freedoms,
sexual discrimination,
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handmaid's tale,
freedom freedom,
network people,
freedoms sexual,
republic gilead,
common vision,
freedom,
lack freedoms sexual,
freedoms sexual discrimination,
freedom,
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Acceptance Essays
