Compare the ways in which narrative perspectives vary in 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' and 'Hawksmoor'.
Compare the ways in which narrative perspectives vary in 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' and 'Hawksmoor' Although there are many different perspectives taken in the two novels that shape the overall theme of each plot, comparisons can be drawn between them to show that they share a few fundamental similarities in the way that the authors present their narrative. By looking at the this presentation, it is possible to extract that the authors share common ground in the role that they take in the novel, the post-modernist way they seem to perceive their own role as a novelist and their perspectives on the theme of time in a novel. These factors combine to suggest that the novels, which have very different stories, actually are very similar in the way that they break the conventional moulds of story telling. Without a doubt, the author plays the greatest role of all in construction of a novel but it is not often that this role is furthered by involvement in the plot, or questioned in the way that these two authors do. Both novels have aspects of this but show it in different ways: for example, in 'Hawksmoor', Peter Ackroyd adopts multiple narrative voices and presents himself to the reader in different ways, whereas John Fowles literally places himself in the book and also hides behind some other subtle characters. Ackroyd creates three different narrative voices that appear and
Compare and contrast the narrative structures in 'White Teeth' and 'Beloved' and how the past affects the present.
Sarah Lister 13KW Compare and contrast the narrative structures in 'White Teeth' and 'Beloved' and how the past affects the present. The novels 'White Teeth' by Zadie Smith and 'Beloved' by Toni Morrison both explore many different issues. However, a principle theme that appears to be common in both is the way in which the past influences the present profoundly and both authors use the narrative structures of the books to present this idea to the reader. The exploration of the relationships between characters through time, the past haunting the present and the way in which history and culture is revealed through the past are important devices used to show the emotions and further the plot. Each author does this in a very different way though and this is the power of the narrative structure and the way in which it can be used in a variety of different manners in order to achieve a similar effect. The narrative structure of 'White Teeth' is very logical. The novel is divided decisively into sections in order to present the reader with the emotions and views of the main characters. The four sections 'Archie 1974, 1945', 'Samad 1984, 1857', 'Irie 1990, 1907' and 'Magid, Millat and Marcus 1992, 1999' provide the reader with a clear cut structure to the novel, with the past and present accurately intertwined. The separate 'books' in the novel help the reader to understand how
"The Handmaid's Tale" Societies Assignment.
Diego Pérez 10-2 August 29, 2003 "The Handmaid's Tale" Societies Assignment "The Handmaid's Tale", written by Margaret Atwood, is set in two different times simultaneously, both being separate societies, with unlike moral principles. While Atwood describes the pre-Gilead society as one dealing with an unmanageable amount of injustices regarding women, since pornography, prostitution, and violence against women were getting out of the government's hands. Nevertheless, women were allowed to read in the pre-Gilead society, and had a wide amount of liberties compared to the ones handmaids in Gilead receive. Also, the society before Gilead was formed suffered from conflicts between religions and racial tensions, also known as the "Sect Wars". On the other hand, Gilead, being the present society in the novel, shows a much more distant difference in liberties between both sexes. Women are used as procreation tools, and cannot have privacy whatsoever with the laws enforced by the system, such as not letting handmaids close their bedroom's door completely. Also, women aren't allowed to read, like in the previous society, so that they cannot gain any knowledge. Ironically, it seems that both genders were having a better life in the previous society, which is described as chaotic, rather than in Gilead,
All around us we see evidence of the way in which belief is institutionalised and abused. Consider Atwood's portrayal of religion in Gilead
Jonathan Newcombe January 2003-01-15 All around us we see evidence of the way in which belief is institutionalised and abused. Consider Atwood's portrayal of religion in Gilead Many modern day beliefs have been used as excuses for war, or as a way of suppressing groups of people. In 'The Handmaid's tale' Atwood has taken abuse of belief and religion to the extreme, using it to create a worrying futuristic dystopia where all laws are based on extracts from the bible and the texts have been twisted to suit the more powerful members of society. It is impossible for handmaids, or many other members of Gilead to check the authenticity of the extracts that rule their life as they are forbidden from reading and the bible is kept locked up. In 'The Handmaid's tale' free will is nothing more than a memory, different Christian branches are at war with each other. The bible is used to justify the regimes and practises of Gilead and sexuality has been suppressed into something shameful and dangerous. Chapter two offers the reader their first decent example of how religion is used within the society of Gilead. It is in the simple use of a name that Atwood is able to immediately establish a link between her dystopia and the bible. 'Her usual Martha's dress'. In the bible Martha is the sister of Mary who would devote herself to the housework while Mary went to hear Jesus speak.
The Handmaid's Tale Essay
The Handmaid's Tale Essay The Handmaid's Tale is set in the futuristic Republic of Gilead. Sometime in the future, conservative Christians take control of the United States of America and establish a dictatorship. Many women in Gilead are infertile after being exposed to pesticides, nuclear waste or leakages from chemical weapons. The few fertile women that remain are taken to camps and trained to be handmaid's, birth mothers for the upper-class. Infertile lower-class women are sent either to clean up toxic waste or to become "Marthas", house servants. No women in the Republic of Gilead are permitted to be openly sexual; sex is for reproduction only. The government declares this a feminist improvement on the sexual politics of before when women were seen as sex objects. The purpose of this essay is to explore how chapter 31-39, called Jezebel's contributes to the development of the novel. Just by glancing at the title 'Jezebel's' you can see that these chapters will show something to do with women's role in society and how they are looked upon by men. The name Jezebel's is derived from the Bible (1 Kings). In glaring contrast to all of the good women of the Bible, Jezebel has gone down in Bible history as the very worst example of evil. Jezebel was the deceitful wife of king Ahab; she bought wickedness upon his kingdom. Jezebel was a fanatical worshiper of the heathen idol
The Handmaids Tale summary - Chapters 33-36
The Handmaids Tale summary - Chapters 33-36 Top of Form Chapter 33 Ofglen and Offred attend a "Prayvaganza" with the other women of their district, held in what used to be a university building. The Wives sit in one section with their daughters, the Marthas and Econowives sit in another, and the Handmaids kneel in a section cordoned off by ropes. Janine walks in with a new Wife, and Ofglen whispers that Janine's baby was deformed, a "shredder" after all. She adds that Janine slept with a doctor to get pregnant. Offred remembers a strange episode in the Red Centre when Janine sat on her bed staring off into space, speaking to an invisible customer in a restaurant where she worked before Gilead. Moira slapped Janine and shouted until Janine came back to her senses. Chapter 34 Women's Prayvaganzas are weddings for the Wives' daughters, mass ceremonies in which girls as young as fourteen get married. In a few years, the brides will be girls who do not remember life before Gilead. Offred remembers a conversation with the Commander, in which he insisted that while Gilead has taken away some freedom from women, it has guaranteed them safety and dignity. Now all women have spouses, and they are not left alone to care for children, or beaten, or forced to work if they do not want to. They can "fulfill their biological destinies in peace." Offred noted that they do not allow love,
Explore the way in which Margaret Atwood presents Moira 'The Handmaid's Tale'. Refer closely to any literary and linguistic approaches where necessary.
Explore the way in which Margaret Atwood presents Moira 'The Handmaid's Tale'. Refer closely to any literary and linguistic approaches where necessary. Within 'The Handmaid's Tale' Atwood presents us with many characters that are emotionally weak; Janine, Offred and even the Commander residing in the higher echelons of society all possess a deprivation of spirit brought about by the oppressive and restrictive nature of the Gileadean regime. In contrast to this we are presented with Moira and through her Atwood is able to create tension, conflict and a rebelliousness that is otherwise only seen in the recollections of Offred's mother. Moira acts as a representative for independence and liberty in the novel, she defies her oppressors and is seen by Offred as a role model that she finds impossible to aspire to. Moira constantly battles the status quo; she parades her lesbianism and manages on two occasions to defeat the system at the disgrace of the much-hated Aunts. She is confidant in both manner and speech. '"Don't move said Moira or I'll stick it all the way in"' The boldness of this imperative paired with the violent connotations attached to the verb 'stick' gives Moira the sinister tone she needs to intimidate Aunt Elizabeth. Moira is portrayed as an activist, she does not merely contemplate the possibilities of freedom as Offred does and
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood, 'Discuss the Gileadean concept of "Freedom from, freedom to".
English Literature The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood 'Discuss the Gileadean concept of "Freedom from, freedom to" The dystopian novel, 'The Handmaid's Tale' implies the fact that there are two types of freedom, freedom to and freedom from. It is the paradox between 1980's America and Gilead that is examined continually throughout the novel and it's the ideas of 'freedom to' being a society of broad-minded morals and 'freedom from' the more controlled, restrictive society with an imposition upon individual freedom that are most prominent. In Atwood's thought-provoking novel, two societies with conflicting ideologies and concepts of liberty are juxtaposed through a series of flashbacks in an attempt to examine how people would cope when society suddenly deprived its people of freedom and denied them of information. The first society of modern America with its liberal customs, is compared and contrasted to the second society of Gilead, a totalitarian Christian authority which has taken control over America in the 1980's to save it from its declining birth rate and high levels of moral corruption. The protagonist of the novel, Offred, documents the history of the two contrasting societies as she recounts with both sentimentality and clarity, the images and memories of her past life as an American women and those of her present life living under the Gileadean regime as a
What contribution to the novel is made by the character Moira?
What contribution to the novel is made by the character Moira? Moira is a main influential character throughout the novel especially to Offred. During this novel I am going to look at the importance of Moira and her as a character, focusing on her opinions, rebellions and her relationship with Offred. Also how the role in Gilead leads to her feministic actions to escape to a better place that most women only fantasize about. As Offred's best friend from college, Moira is an opinionated, strong lesbian and a dependable feminist. She is an important symbol that embodies female resourcefulness and independence. This is seen through her defiant nature contrasts so obviously with the behaviour of the other women in the novel whom simply let Gilead society rule them blocking out their own opinions and freedom. Margaret Atwood chooses a character like Offred to be the narrator as she is simple and average women who is appreciative of past times whilst lacking imagination. This is done so that characters such as Moira are able to stand out as a symbol of strong feminism contrasting to the normal situation. We see this when Offred when meets Moira who has been recaptured and is working as a prostitute at Jezebel's, servicing the Commanders. Margaret Atwood by placing Moira not as a handmaid but as a prostitute represents an alternative to the lower subservience and acceptance of
The Handmaid's tale - the character of the Commander
Commander The Commander is a fairly confusing character because it is never completely clear whether he truly cares for Offred and believes in the Gileadean regime or not. The Commander slowly becomes more comfortable with Offred and begins to treat her as a daughter as the novel progresses. By meeting with Offred at night he is trying to make her life more “bearable” (Atwood 236). Also, “[w]hat he wants is intimacy” from Offred as he asks to talk to her every night and asks for her opinion on the Gileadean regime (Atwood 264). It seems as though he genuinely likes and cares about Offred. However, he also suggests to Offred that he does not believe women can add or write. Clearly, he agrees with Gilead’s perspective on women’s roles in society. He also shows Offred off to the other men at Jezebel’s, often treating her more as an object than as a person. Finally, he demonstrates that he has no true concern for Offred’s safety when he continues to ask to meet with her at night although he knows that the previous handmaid, who he met with as well, hung herself after Serena found about her relationship with the Commander because she was so afraid of the possible punishment for her actions. Ultimately, Offred describes their relationship best when she thinks, “ If your dog dies, get another” (Atwood 236). The Commander does seem to feel a certain amount of