Passivity In The Handmaid's Tale

My body seems outdated.” (63). She said also in describing the figuration of her body: “I can’t think of myself, my body, sometimes, without seeing the skeletons: how I must appear to be an electron. A cradle of life, made of

Not because she doesn’t like it, but because it makes her lose her identity and value because the environment in which she lives classified her as something she doesn’t want to be just because of her body. In the book “The Handmaid’s Tale” the author, Margaret Atwood portrays women in a futuristic society that in a way revolves around women. Not the feminist way that women would want however, but these women are told and obligated to be happy for what they have. The society the book is written in see women as property even though they have an important role in this book. Women have different roles and titles in this new society and some are based on their physical attributes.

After the overthrow of the American government, a new strictly patriarchal nation arises. The “New America,” is known confidently known as Gilead (GUY-Lead). The name itself, exemplifies just how dominant the male influence is in the new society. Women in this age have no voice (literal and figurative) and are bound to the titles given to them by men. In Gilead, women are property, and they are reminded as such with their names: Ofwarren, Ofglen, Offred, etc.

She tends to arouse controversy. Firstly, Patient Griselda represents other women as the weak and really hopeless creatures who do not have any rights and are totally dependent on the men. Without men's instructions and help they are not able to do some particular activities. It means that wives should be fully submissive to their husbands who do not show any respect for them. That is why, the acts of Griselda seem to be absurd.

These quotes show how Mildred feels no type affection toward anyone. Society has trained and brainwashed everyone to only care for themselves. Convincing people that nothing else, other than their own well being, matters. Not even those they are closest to. Mildred has become self-centered, robotic, and unfeeling due to the ways of society.

Women were reckoned as faultless and were believed to keep this image and reside very subtle lives, making little change in the workforce and society. Jane in the novel disagrees with many of these gender roles and thinks that she needs to be who she is and not who the society wants her to be. The traditional Victorian woman would do things because it was what she should do or because it was recommended. They didn 't convey their own beliefs if it didn 't follow the social standard.

Due her experiences, she has trust and attachment issue. Although she has a thing with Carl, there is no commitment expressed between both of them. Grace character shows the audience how women are able to support themselves without the reliance to a man. Although it was expressed that the only thing women were supposed to do is take care of her family, while being dependent on the husband, Grace illustrate how women don’t require anyone, but themselves and can’t be labeled to do one thing. Clearly, Grace Hoylard, is an independent women who break the stereotype of women in the

Lucy despises this notion almost as much as she loathes her mother and struggles with it daily. One concept she finds very repulsive is the importance of a woman’s image. She is disgusted by Dinah’s obsession with beauty and comments that “among the beliefs I held about the world was that being beautiful should not matter to a woman, because it is one of those things that would go away” (Kincaid, 57). Later on she mentions that “for the first time ever [she] entertained the idea that [she] might be beautiful”, but declares that she will “not make too big a thing of it” (Kincaid, 132). Lucy’s rejection of society’s emphasis on appearance frees her from the insecurities that are brought upon by a self-image based on looks.

Macduff has unknowingly categorized Lady Macbeth because she is a woman into someone who is weak and

20-77). The women are therefore seen as people who cannot give any pieces of advice in whatever manner. In most cases in the novel, the women are treated as victims. The novel also brings out

Theme for “Lusus Naturae” Rejection can make one feel alone, helpless, and out of place, and it’s a feeling that can make someone feel like they are no good, or that they aren’t worthy of a good life. All throughout the story, we are given examples of how the young girl is shamed and rejected. She was never accepted for who she was and this made her do things, sometimes extreme to help out her family. She knew she would never fit in, and her actions proved just that.

When women got married, their husbands were basically in control of them,

Because you 're doing it out of fear” (Dessen, 265). Remy’ mother who has had multiple relationships tells Remy that giving up on people and keeping boys away to prevent getting played doesn’t make her strong. It makes girls weak because they are scared and don’t want to take chances on people. Remy is told that her fear is letting go and giving into love. Remy comes to realizes that love is a need for

Would they believe her or would they think it’s a desperate cry for attention? Accepting what has happened is more difficult than just pretending like it never happened. Her environment at home was also not as accepting as most. Melinda felt there was no point in telling her parents because she felt they wouldn 't trust her word. The lack of friends affected Melinda greatly throughout the book too.

Language is a major themes in both novels “1984” by George Orwell and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwool. Language are heavily reshape in both novel in order to crave a goal to control individuals. “1984” creates authority over citizens through altering and reducing the English language to its most basic form. To “return” to the root of English, the Party have to eliminate the complexity of the language - synonyms and subtle meaning of words -from the existence of the people minds in the apparent belief that there is no justification from antonyms and ‘shades of meanings’, and only one concept should only subsist . However the true purpose of simplifying language and destroying words is to eliminate concepts that might led to the idealism of rebellion and disobedience; The Party does not want the thoughts of rebellion and disobedience to exist therefore they have to destroy and simplify to a huge extent.