In many ways the ideas in this dystopian novel are more important than the characters - with the exception of Offred and Moira. The other characters tend to function as members of groups or as representatives of certain ideological positions.
CHARACTERISATION In many ways the ideas in this dystopian novel are more important than the characters - with the exception of Offred and Moira. The other characters tend to function as members of groups or as representatives of certain ideological positions. However, as Offred insists, every individual is significant, whatever Gilead decrees, and her narrative weaves in particularities: she continually writes in other voices in sections of dialogue, in embedded stories and in remembered episodes. It is a feature of Atwood's realism, even within a fabricated futuristic world, that she pays dose attention not only to location but to people and relationships. OFFRED Offred, the main protagonist and narrator, is trapped in Gilead as a Handmaid, one of the 'two-legged wombs' valued only for her potential as a surrogate mother. Denied all her individual rights, she is known only by the patronymic Of-Fred, derived from the name of her current Commander. Most of the time she is isolated and afraid. Virtually imprisoned in the domestic spaces of the home, she is allowed out only with a shopping partner and for Handmaids' official excursions like Prayvaganzas and Salvagings. At the age of thirty-three and potentially still fertile, she is a victim of Gileadean sexist ideology which equates 'male' with power and sexual potency, and 'female' with reproduction and submission to the
Postcolonialism and Canada: A Readingof Margaret Atwood's Surfacing and Alias Grace
Postcolonialism and Canada : A Reading of Margaret Atwood's Surfacing and Alias Grace. Historians, literary critics, and social scientists use the idea of post colonialism to examine the ways, both subtle and obvious, in which colonization affects the colonized society. Notwithstanding different time periods, different events and different effects that they consider, all postcolonial theorists and theory admit that colonialism continues to affect the former colonies after political independence. By exposing a culture's colonial history, postcolonial theory empowers a society with the ability to value itself. The most questionable aspect of the term "postcolonial" is the prefix of the word, "post." In order for there to be a postcolonial period, colonialism must have experienced a finite end within the colony. Despite the official recognition of national independence in their countries of origin, the books we have read suggest a more pervasive, continuing colonialism, a more prolonged interaction between British and its colonized societies. Canada is one of the major countries which have been under the colonial rule for a considerable period of time. During the latter part of the twentieth century, Canadian writers have looked at the effects of colonialism on the original native population. The culture of the indigenous peoples and the oral tradition used, was for a long
Compare and contrast the ways these authors present the oppressive society of their dystopias and the effect these techniques have on the reader.
Atwood: 'The Handmaids Tale' Orwell: '1984' Compare and contrast the ways these authors present the oppressive society of their dystopias and the effect these techniques have on the reader. Both novels stimulate the reader's anxieties and fears as they explore the dystopic worlds of 'Airstrip One' and 'Gilead'. All of the aspects and issues that are portrayed in the societies are conveyed using a number of techniques such as the manipulation of the familiar and comfortable with the alien and unnerving that Airstrip One and Gilead come to represent. The basic literary techniques and depth of detail are paralleled in both of these pieces of prose and go someway in highlighting the similarity in style yet the backgrounds and eras of the authors set the texts apart and the means (characters, motifs, symbols and experience) they use to deliver the chilling messages behind the novels. '1984' is a political novel written with a purpose of warning readers about the dangers of totalitarian states and in one part says that if you want to see a picture of the future ' imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever'. It is a horrific view of the destruction of totalitarianism. Some of what Orwell prophesised came true in Russia, to some degree. In Stalinist Russia, documents were destroyed as in the 'Ministry of Truth' and there was a 'beautification' of a leader, like there is
Alienation in 'Le Vice-Consul', 'Elise ou la vraie vie', 'Pluie et vent sur Télumée-Miracle' and 'The Handmaid's Tale.'
Alienation in 'Le Vice-Consul', 'Elise ou la vraie vie', 'Pluie et vent sur Télumée-Miracle' and 'The Handmaid's Tale.' Alienation occurs as an overriding theme throughout each of these novels and is presented through the narrative voice, character, plot and setting. Alienation is described as a form of estrangement; transference of ownership; mental disorder, and the failure to recognise familiar persons or things. To be alienated or estranged from someone or something means becoming a stranger to something or somebody one was closely related to. The term alienation, as was once defined by Rousseau, started as soon as man was separated from his 'natural' condition. Alienation for Duras often signifies both disjunction and harmony, couples are most often estranged from one another in a sustained desire for the absent other. Alienation often occurs as a form of madness, as there would normally be a communion and sharing of love, although due to a breakdown in identity the notion of the isolated individual is created. As Duras' novel evolves, the shift from negative connotations of alienation to more positive meanings of disjunction and destruction is evident. In 'Le Vice-Consul' Anne-Marie Stretter appears as a central figure as the wife of the French Ambassador to Calcutta, where they have lived for seventeen years. What we learn of her is that she is Venetian, she
'The Handmaid's Tale' - Based on your reading of the text so far, what do you find interesting about the way Atwood presents the character of Offred?
Jonathan Newcombe 'The Handmaid's Tale' October 2002 Based on your reading of the text so far, what do you find interesting about the way Atwood presents the character of Offred? 'The Handmaid's Tale' is a novel written in the early 1980's by Canadian author Margaret Atwood and published in 1986. 'The Handmaid's tale' reveals an eerie dystopia that is set in our future, we learn about a society called Gilead where every law is based on manipulated extracts from the bible. As a result of the new society reading has been outlawed, women's bodies are used as instruments and education doesn't exist. 'The Handmaid's tale' combines a bleak futuristic reality, feminism and politics to create a dystopian atmosphere that draws the reader into questioning the rules of the new society and those of their own. In the opening chapter the reader is quickly introduced to a new world and to Atwood's chosen style of narration. We are introduced to novel by one of Offred's memories, a time in her past but in the reader's future. Offred and some other girls are sleeping in what used to be a school gym. As Offred describes her surroundings she suggests that something has happened to America. 'Army issue blankets, old ones that still said U.S'. Although we are not sure what has happened this heavily suggests that the U.S no longer exists. This is the first time the reader is
'Don't ever ask for the true story' - an examination of the narrative methods used in "Alias Grace" and "Affinity."
Abigail Rawlins JSL 'Don't ever ask for the true story' - an examination of the narrative methods used in Alias Grace and Affinity. Both Alias Grace, a fictionalised account of a true story and Affinity, a modern novel, display contrasting and comparable features within the narrative structure. They are also both similarly set within the depths of a woman's prison providing an insight into a particular female prisoner. Margaret Atwood has been thorough in her research for Alias Grace and has brought to life a fascinating story. The narrative methods and structure play a vital role in how we perceive each character and whether or not we consider the narrator to be a stable, trustworthy storyteller, or whether, as a reader we are being manipulated and starved of the truth. The central figure in Alias Grace is a young girl called Grace Marks. She is one of the most "celebrated" women of her generation, having been convicted of murder in 1843 at the tender age of sixteen. Dr Jordan, a young Doctor intrigued by insanity and memory loss takes up Grace's case in an attempt to help recover her memory. (compare dr jorden with margeret here). Inspired by a true story, Alias Grace arouses many uncertainties within the finished piece. Interspersed with Dr Jordan's own problems, Grace's story unfolds in her own words. She is brought to life, provided with first person narration,
'Despite Atwood's portrayal of Gilead as soulless and destructive she has nevertheless succeeded in giving the reader a sense of optimism.' How far foes this accord with your reading of the novel?
'Despite Atwood's portrayal of Gilead as soulless and destructive she has nevertheless succeeded in giving the reader a sense of optimism.' How far foes this accord with your reading of the novel? 'The Handmaid's Tale' is set in the futuristic republic of Gilead. Everybody has somebody controlling what they do and only a minority have control over other people. In the first chapter alone we learn of the system of control within the Handmaids' residence. There are the angels, who are responsible for the Aunts, who have responsibility for the handmaids, i.e. the narrator. This system has the sole purpose, reproduction: "we are for breeding purposes...There is supposed to be nothing entertaining about us, no room is to be permitted for the flowering of secret lusts...We are two-legged wombs, that's all: sacred vessels, ambulatory chalices." The narrator of takes on a role based on the Biblical story of Jacob's wives; when they failed to conceive, he fathered children by their handmaids. In a world in which the fertility of both sexes has dropped dramatically, it is the role for which young women who have demonstrated their ability to bear children are destined, rather to the chagrin of the Wives who have to house them. For this regime to function effectively it is important that a high level of control is exerted and more essentially, that the people within the regime
Is Offred a Rebel?
Is Offred a Rebel? 'Rebel' is a term, which is highly weighed down with emotion. In society today we perceive a rebel to be a figure opposing a much stronger majority. We distinguish the rebel to be a character who fights for his/her own ideals. We see a person that will do anything almost being ruthless to destroy the boundaries set up against him/her by the stronger mass. We witness the rebel as an individual who deliberately defines a battlefield and two fighting fronts. The rebel is constantly is resisting. The only way he/she can defend his morals and values are to strike the greater that condemns his/her values and morals. Unfortunately today there are many misconceptions and preconceptions relating to the essence of a true rebel. Society tends to comprehend the rebel to be figure fighting on the front lines, spilling blood for his cause. Especially the media has delivered this image of a rebel. We must acknowledge the fact there are other forms of rebels and rebellions. It is not fair to say that the form of rebel that is described above is not valid, but still we must make a suitable distinction. We must not always consider the rebel to be an individual like 'William Wallace' who fought for his country's independence by using violence as his primary weapon. In the course of history we have witnessed another category of rebels. Characters such as Mahatma Ghandi, Dr.
What is Atwood's message in The Handmaid's Tale?
What is Atwood's message in The Handmaid's Tale? The Handmaid's Tale covers many topics and through Offred's discussion of events we see how Gilead has warped bible messages, torn apart families and condones legalized rape. The democratic society she once took for granted has been exchanged for a strict patriarchal fundamentalist dystopia, leaving her as nothing more than a "cloud congealed around a central object" the object of course being womb. I think that considering the depth in which Atwood explores the relating issues it would be impossible to only have message, so in this essay I hope to outline the ones that I can distinguish. The first, and main, message I believe is to serve as a warning. Atwood makes many but sometimes subtle references to the 'time before' in which we currently reside. She is a Canadian writer but has given the narrator an American nationality, and states that the regime 'hasn't spread as far as Canada', which I believe is relevant as the Aunt's slogans out rightly twist and manipulate old sayings and bible references ("Blessed are the silent") in order to make them conform to and reinforce their instructions. The Aunts also create words such as "Prayvaganza" which seem to enter normal vocabulary without much hesitation. This mimics American society in that advertising campaigns and commercials do the same in order to sell their products, the
What is the importance of Nick in Margaret Atwood's 'Handmaid's tale'? Consider the ways in which the writer presents this character.
What is the importance of Nick in Margaret Atwood's 'Handmaid's tale'? Consider the ways in which the writer presents this character. Nick is a very complex character. The author presents us with an uncertain character that we're not entirely sure about. Firstly Nick is a male and males in this society are very different from normal society. Males in Offred's life; the Commander, Luke, Nick is all so different from each other. But Nick is probably the most mysterious since we know exactly where we are, as the reader and Offred stand with the other two. Nick on the other hand is an enigma, a man with secret intentions, questionable loyalty and uncertain motives, even Offred's character isn't sure of him showing a lot of suspicion in the end of the novel when he was taking her away. Nick to me is very important to the whole story, he is the mystery factor of the novel, the Cigarette-Smoking-Man (X-files) of the plot, the one who knows things others don't, which I think every story through history has. From the very beginning Nick is introduced in a very intriguing manner. Unlike other people in the society, he appears confident, happy and even jaunty. He had his hat on in a jaunty angle, cleaning a car like he was caressing a lover, whistling, indulging in the forbidden pleasure of a cigarette and even made eyecontact and winked at Offred which is very highly forbidden.