Discuss the Narrative Structure of The Handmaid's Tale
Discuss the Narrative Structure of The Handmaid's Tale Offred's narrative begins in the middle of the (more-or-less) present although, as the narrative progresses, we realise that she is narrating from some point in the near future even though she is using the present continuous (that is, the events in the present are told as if they are happening now). Offred uses flashbacks combined with limited hindsight to fill us in on the details which lead up to this present, and this has the advantage for her as a narrator of, in effect, having a double hindsight: that is, she can locate the events in the past in contrast to the circumstances of the present, and she can situate the present in the context of these hindsights whilst moving the story along to its conclusion. This complex narrative structure ensures that the reader is forced to work a little harder for comprehension. For instance, in the first chapter, Offred is in the gymnasium where women like her have been brought to be trained as handmaids (we only find this out in later chapters), and this gym is used as a point of reference for the pre-Gilead world. At this stage, Offred does not explain how or why she and the others are where they are. Her senses tell her things which go beyond immediate perception, however, and she smells, as an "afterimage" (an interpretive frame used constantly through the novel), the
Handmaids tale -flowers.
Handmaids tale -flowers In The Handmaid's Tale, much use is made of imagery; to enable the reader to create a more detailed mental picture of the novel's action and also to intensify the emotive language used. In particular, Atwood uses many images involving flowers and plants. The main symbolic image that the flowers provide is that of life; in the first chapter of the novel Offred says "...flowers: these are not to be dismissed. I am alive." Many of the flowers Offred encounters are in or around the house where she lives; it can be suggested that this array of floral life is a substitute for the lack of human life, birth and social interaction. The entire idea of anything growing can be seen as a substitute for a child growing. The Commander's house contains many pictures; as they are visual images, "flowers are still allowed." Later, when Serena is "snipping off the seed pods with a pair of shears... aiming, positioning the blades... The fruiting body," it seems that all life is being eradicated, even that of the flowers. The colour of the flowers is also of vital importance. When Offred first enters the house of the Commander and his wife, she notices "... a fanlight of coloured glass: flowers, red and blue." In the Republic of Gilead, Handmaids wear red and Wives wear blue; these colours are intended to reflect the owner's "personality" - the wanton Handmaids in
Do you think the commander is a sympathetic or corrupt character with in the book?
Ana Sekulic 12 EH Ms Ferguson English Literature Essay Do you think the commander is a sympathetic or corrupt character with in the book? Total words (1345 words) We first met the Commander within Offred's description of his appearance just before the impregnating ceremony. 'His black uniform, in which he looks like a museum guard. A semi-retired man...midwestern bank president...' his appearance, in Offred's eyes is morphing which ultimately means that his personality is too altering and changing. We can see that there is no clear way of distinguishing his true character and that throughout the book we will have to question his intentions. Later in the same chapter he's eyes are described as being 'falsely innocent' and his personality 'he's given no evidence of softness'. This forms an image of corruption and pretence. We don't meet the Commander again until the 23rd chapter and in this chapter a drastic advance takes place he wants Offred to meet him in his office, again Atwood is playing with our minds she keeps us wondering about what he wants. Straight away we find out from Offred that ' this act tells me he hasn't brought me here to touch me ...against my will' and 'the smile is not sinister or predatory', again we don't know he motive and the operative word in this sentence is 'act'. Is he just acting to make Offred like him? We don't know. He asks her to play
Margaret Atwood is a poet as well as a novelist. Comment on some of the recurring images used by Atwood in the novel.
Margaret Atwood is a poet as well as a novelist. Comment on some of the recurring images used by Atwood in the novel. Margaret Atwood does indeed use a variety of different and recurrent images throughout the novel. Her use of imagery makes the story challenging, whilst at the same time painting a more visual understanding for the reader. Two important themes run through the story, biblical images relating to the ideology of Gilead and on the other hand more personal and feminine imagery portrayed by Offred. This makes the novel more human in my opinion. The first quotation in the book draws our attention to Genesis, 30:1-3: 'And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children...' This refers to the story of Jacob and his two wives, Rachel and Leah, and their handmaids who are required to bare children for them. It is repeated many times in the text, and there is a reminder of it in the name of the Rachel and Leah Centre and also in Offred's remark: 'Give me children, or else I die' (Chapter 11, page 71) There is also a long passage from the New Testament (1 Timothy 2:9-15): 'I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel....' and further on; Notwithstanding, she shall be saved by childbearing...' (Chapter 34, page 233) Biblical names are given to the characters in the novel; for example, the law enforcers are named 'Guardian Angels' or 'Eyes of the Lord'.
Examine relationships between women in the novel "The handmaids tale".
Alex Hayes English Essay 2 01/01/2005 Examine relationships between women in the novel Gilead is a dystopian society constructed by men such as the Commander who lay down rules by which women's lives are defined by their roles. Offred's role is that of procuring children for couples, Commander and wife, who are unable to have their own. A Handmaid "A two legged womb" Offred is now forbidden any kind of communication and made to lead a life bound by slavery in this totalarian state stripped of all personal possessions, families, memories and finally identities, the women of Gilead are categorized objects, made to wear uniforms named after their Commander. The powerlessness of all women in Gilead prevents them from recognizing their common enemy, the males and the power and control they have over Gilead. When Offred and Serena first meet there is a scene of tension to see how Serena, a fertile old woman with a chin "like a clenched fist" is going to accept a younger better looking fertile woman into her house to sleep with her husband. "I want to see as little of you as possible" Serena coldly spurts out to Offred, "I was disappointed, I wanted, then to turn her into an older sister, a motherly figure, someone who would understand and protect me". Offred clearly has been welcomed not as she was expecting, however Offred and Serena are both alike in this state, they both
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood - Consider the way Atwood presents Professor Pieixoto's conference speech in the'Historical Notes'. What is the significance to the novel as a whole?
English Literature The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood Consider the way Atwood presents Professor Pieixoto's conference speech in the 'Historical Notes'. What is the significance to the novel as a whole? The anti-utopian novel, 'The Handmaid's Tale', tells the futuristic story of Offred, a Handmaid of the oppressive Gileadean regime, a society immune to any form of external influence and governed by an elite. It is the 'Historical Notes' at the end of the novel that help the reader to put one woman's autobiographical record into historical perspective by acting as an epilogue to the tale of Offred. Although not part of Offred's narrative, the notes are part of the novel, working as an essential supplement to the story in a hope to answer some of the many unanswered questions evoked throughout the novel. The notes stand as a framework with which one can use to reflect on Offred's narrative from a point in the distant future, where Gilead is long gone, along with all of the main characters of story. The 'Historical Notes' are a transcript of a convention held in 2195, two-hundred years after Offred's existence, taking place at the University of Denay, Nunavit in Arctic Canada. The symposium is lead by a male archivist from the University of Cambridge named Professor Pieixoto, proving the notes to be of a view from outside of America. The introduction to the main text of
Discuss the use of the historical notes in the Handmaid's Tale.
English Essay Ms Ferguson ANA SEKULIC Discuss the use of the historical notes in the Handmaid's Tale. The historical notes are part of the novel but not part of Offred's narrative. They are there to provide an explanation of what happened to Offred and put her story into historical perspective. The historical notes are set 200 years after the Gilead regime. They are a parody of an academic discussion about Offred's tale. The main speaker whilst being a woman is also a Native American. This can be seen in her name Professor Marian Crescent Moon. As the conference graduates it becomes evident that most of the scholars are Native American e.g. Professor Pieixoto. This is unusual as traditionally whites on Natives usually study anthropology. However Atwood chooses to turn this around to make the reader puzzled and makes a racial statement. The conference is held at the university of Denay in Nunavit. Denay is in northwest Canada which suggests that they control the Northwest of Canada as they appear to have a high social status. This reflects the time in which Atwood was writing as in the 1980 there was a fiery debate concerning this issue, in this and in her version the minority won and dominated. Atwood firstly uses the historical notes to make fun of academic conferences. This is obvious as the scholarly jargon is self-conscious and the humour extremely unfunny and
Illustrate the Significance of the 'Night' sections in the 'Handmaid's Tale'
By Louise Fell Illustrate the Significance of the 'Night' sections in the 'Handmaid's Tale' The chapters in the Handmaids Tale are named after an event or a time that is relevant to Offreds situation as the story progresses. The sections called 'Night' are very important chapters in the novel because this signifies the time when Offred is alone and silent remembering her vivid memories of her past. It is only at night that Offred chooses to remember her past because she is by herself, quiet and in her own personal territory. She feels that this is the only time she is totally cut off from the oppressive society and regime that she is living in. As a day ends and Offreds bedroom door closes, it is then that her mind wanders her sea of memories and feels at one with herself. Offreds mind holds precious memories of her past life and former self. They also give the reader information about her family background, her relationship with Luke and escaping over the border to get away from the rapidly changing society. The Night sections are extremely significant in the novel, not for just explaining Offreds past and current situations, they also show how oppressive the society in Gilead must be. For Offred to feel too on edge to remember her memories in the day time or when she and Offglen do daily walks to collect groceries, shows that Offreds mind is constantly buzzing with a fear
In close analysis of Nick’s character discuss whether he is Offreds saviour or her down fall.
In close analysis of Nick's character discuss whether he is Offreds saviour or her down fall. Offred changes people names to hide their true identity for many people like Luke she uses bible names, Mathas are another example of this. However, there is one exception to this and that is Nick, which is another name for the devil. Due to the new Gilead system Offred has lost Luke who was a huge part of her life. She had no one to talk to she felt isolated her only need that was being fulfilled was sex but without touching "nobody dies from lack of sex its lack of love we die from." Then all of a sudden her knight in shinning armour came into her life and changed everything round her he released her. He is the romantic element and the human factor that she can relate to the stuff that all good fairy tales are made from. Nick is the driver for the commander and lives in a room above the garage by himself. He has a French face, lean with all the angles and "creases around his mouth where he smiles." He dresses in dark clothes so if she wants to fantasise about him she can, tall, dark and handsome. Nick is mysterious to us at first as we did not know if he an eye or not he wears the uniform of the Guardians but his "cap is tilted at a jaunty angle and his sleeves are rolled to the elbow." This suggests that he is rebellious and likes defying the system "he has a cigarette stuck in
How does Atwood present 'hope' in the novel 'The Handmaid's Tale'?
Mandip Dhillon 2N How does Atwood present 'hope' in the novel? The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood describes the story of Offred, a Handmaid, that is a woman ascribed a breeding function by society, and who is placed with a husband and wife higher up the social ladder who "need" a child. Through Offred's eyes we explore the rigidity of the theocracy in which she lives, the contradictions in the society they have created, and her attempts to find solace through otherwise trivial things. The heroine is never identified except as Offred, the property of her current Commander, she was a modern woman: college-educated, a wife and a mother when she lost all that due to the change in her society. Tale can be viewed from one perspective as being a feminist depiction of the suppression of a woman, from another perspective it can be viewed as being highly critical of some aspects of feminist dogma. the word hope it self means many things, for example; hope is a wish or a feeling of desire and expectation or if you hope that something will happen or hope that it is true, you want it to happen or want it to be true. In this essay I am going to discuss the topic of 'hope' and how it is presented through out the novel, by Atwood, using the definition of 'hope' in this novel being 'something that you have waited for, and are 'wishing/praying' for it to come true in the future.