How does Atwood use the character Moira to present or explore themes of control and resistance?

by rach12345 (student)

Moira is presented as a character that gives in to resistance and control throughout her time in Gilead but, throughout the novel it becomes obvious that Moira will never get a lot of freedom and will always be controlled by men.

Moira is presented as a character who gives in to resistance and control from the beginning and in chapter 1 the group of girls “stretch our arms out when the aunts aren’t looking” to show that she has no control over her actions with the status she has and that she lives for her own identity, and to be noticed as the rebellious character she is. Atwood presents her to the reader this way to show the lack of control Moira has over herself and that Moira is naturally brave by going against Gilead’s rules that we see more of later on in the novel.

Atwood then comes to present Moira in a more vulnerable position after her first and failed attempt to escape Gilead. The aunts are the ones controlling her at this point by physically hurting her so she could no longer have the ability to escape because “her feet would not fit into her shoes, they were too big” and this shows Moira being controlled and dragged around very roughly. Atwood has done this to inform that reader that if a woman gives in to resistance or tries to give themselves a little control, there will be consequences but, not bad enough that they can’t play their role as it doesn’t require them using their feet and Margaret has shown Moira as an example because of her rebellious attitude.

During Moira’s second escape, she has been presented very heroic towards Offred and the other Handmaids because of her bravery. This event shows Moira gaining more control over her body and giving in to resistance by attacking Aunt Elizabeth with the pointed lever and saying “Ill puncture your lung”. At this pint however Moira still has some resistance in her but, she decides to control it because she knows the consequences shell have to face if she were to get caught. Atwood has presented Moira this way to give the handmaids inspiration by showing that someone has successfully escaped by ...

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The last time Moira is shown, she is presented as a failure because we see that she no longer craved for the excitement and feeling of being free from men and this changes our perspective of her. Offred says she’s “dressed absurdly” to show that the person she once looked up to has now faded and she is no longer seen as her heroic and rebellious friend that she knows so well. This shows that Moira’s character that the reader comes to love has gone and that Offred sees her as a stranger now and not the friend she once had. Atwood has presented Moira this way to show that there is no real way of escaping for women and they will always be controlled by men and put into places such as Gilead and jezebels the play their part in society.

Going back, Moira shows a rebellious attitude as soon as she goes to Gilead by secretly meeting Offred in the bathroom and talking about how she’s going to escape. She does this when she says “ill fake sick. They’ll send an ambulance” and this shows that Moira’s character hasn’t changed from what we learn about her in Offred’s use of memories and that she has always had rebellious features such as rings and hair accessories. Moira is used to do this to show what every woman faces when she starts off at Gilead and not just from Offred’s view to show that every woman is treated the same and not a different individual. However, Moira shows that she can be noticed as ‘Moira’ and not just another number. This shows Moira’s dedication to freedom and her own rights which is why the reader seems surprised when she is presented as a failure in jezebels because she no longer wants to escape anymore and comes to accept that this is where she has to be and there is no real escape for her.

Moving on, memories is a good technique that Atwood uses to show Offred’s past life compared to her present life and to show the reader how much has changed for Offred and all women. Moira is shown as a good, supportive friend when Offred loses her job and has no right anymore to access her bank account. This shows how women slowly stared to lose control over their lives but, people like Moira don’t let it get them down which is shown when she says “she was not stunned the way I was“. This explains that Moira doesn’t let the power of men take control over her thoughts and she doesn’t change who she is because of the amount that she is able to do. This shows Moira has no resistance and shares her thoughts with Offred so she can escape easier. Moira is shown in this memory to show that some things have changed but, some things have stayed the same such as Moira’s character and that’s what makes Offred look up to her as her brave friends throughout most of the book.

In conclusion, Atwood has used the character Moira to show resistance and her lack of power in Gilead. Moira is a person who gives in to resistance and is seen very heroic because she went against the rules and took control over herself however, she is also shown as a symbol in jezebels to show that there is no real escape from men and they will always be controlled by the men surrounding them.

Rachel Little English Coursework (Ms O’Malley)