Atwoods The Handmaids Tale A Study of Rebellion
Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale: A Study of Rebellion "Rebels defy the rules of society, risking everything to retain their humanity. If the world Atwood depicts is chilling, if 'God is losing,' the only hope for optimism is a vision that includes the inevitability of human struggle against the prevailing order." Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale analyzes human nature by presenting an internal conflict in Offred: acceptance of current social trends (victim mentality) -vs- resistance for the sake of individual welfare and liberties (humanity). This conflict serves as a warning to society, about the dangers of the general acceptance of social evils and boldly illustrates the internal struggle that rebels face in choosing to rebel. Offred is a Handmaid in the republic of Gilead and while she seems unhappy about this, she is confused about her identity and even starts to accept the role that has been imposed upon her. It seems strange that one might accept such radical changes so easily. Offred has been manipulated into believing that this sinister system was designed for her own good. . . .
She acknowledges her humanity and sees the necessity in trying to maintain it. It is a great sacrifice that rebels make for the sake of their fellow man. She even starts to measure her self-worth by the viability of her ovaries and this negatively affects her self-image. First she sees that the system isn't perfect and even the guardians feel a need to rebel at times. Gilead has attempted to eradicate any semblance of the "corrupt" past, but they failed to see that you can't wipe out the memories of the human heart. We can try to argue tht Offred's unwillingness to resist was due to fear, but there's more to it than that. "(146) Rebellion is an instinct and all people have. " (Atwood,327) At least Offred identifies with rebels, but she is either too scared or too conflicted. She states: "Offred has sunk too far into the incestuous little house she serves. Offred is driven by a thirst for freedom to love and be loved. She can remember years before, when she had a husband and child, when she had a job, money, and access to knowledge. Offred won this conflict and decided that her humanity was worth the risk and Atwood wants us to do the same. By calling it a choice she has shifted the blame from her oppressors to herself and labeled the blatant crime as a mere ritual. "(!53) This small act of defiance represents the internal hope that Offred has built up.
Common topics in this essay:
Prescott Offred, Mersault Offred, Jane Gardam, Atwood327 Offred, Mary McCarthy, Victoria Glendinning, Handmaid's Tale, Lehmann-Haupt Offred, CARBORUNDORUM Offred's, Offred Handmaid, internal conflict, social evils, atwood's handmaid's tale, acceptance social evils, current social, social trends, sense security, false sense, provides false, victim mentality, current social trends, provides false sense, freedom fighter, false sense security, acceptance social, |
Acceptance Essays
