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Colour Red In The Handmaid's Tale

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In Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, colour symbolism is important, as it provokes abstract thoughts or concepts that help us understand the novel better. The colour that stands out the most is red. It is a significant symbol throughout the novel. To begin with, the red outfits the Handmaids are forced to wear cover their entire body. “Everything except the wings around my face is red: The colour of blood, which defines us” (Atwood, 8). The colour red is a reference to the female reproductive system. It symbolizes fertility, the Handmaids role in their society. The colour red could also represent bad things such as sin. The Handmaids are forced to have sexual relations with their commanders who are married men, therefore committing

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