The symbol of the tulips contributes to my thesis by describing Serena’s flowers as sex organs, but they will be in vain since Serena Joy negligent about their fruits. The tulips are parallel to the handmaids because they are both are fertile and covered in red. As can be seen in Chapter 6, Offred claims, “The red of the tulips in Serena Joy’s garden, towards the base of the flowers where they are beginning to heal. Each thing is valid and really there” (Atwood 40). In other words, Offred is saying red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while tulips to Serena Joy represents false love. The effect of the red tulips emphasizes Offred birth and fertility, how she’s afraid to give away a child. Power and education have been taking away from the handmaids. And even though they will “begin to heal”. …show more content…
However, there are deficient expressions of femininity. Through the use of the symbol of the red tulips In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood shows how flowers are given special attention as objects; these flowers can grow at a time. However, not a lot of women can. The overall passage in this passage is the handmaids are parallel to a red tulip. The author includes this chapter in her book to show everybody has their own purpose in society. For instance, in the novel, Serena needs Offred and Offred needs Serena because Offred is her necessity, she’s been forced to produce. From this passage, I learn more about Offred through the red color that pertains to her as far as the tulips. Offred is here to give fertility a physical representation. One can observe how red stands for Offred fertility and the relationship between Serena and
Even though Doodle was not strong, the red can give the idea of Doodle's blood. Present with the flowers also is the phlox flower that represents love, the love for Doodle. The description of the rotting flowers and the red colors gives a dark and grim feeling. Another example of how Hurst shows grim through diction. In the middle of the story, Brother is teaching Doodle how to walk and says.
Offred’s description of the red tulips depicts symbolism, as her past is reflected in her narrative of the tulips. The primary focus of the tulips isn’t on its blooming color, but the dark color, which Offred refers to as “cut”. Offred herself could’ve been similarly “cut”, in that something crucial was taken from her or her past was depressive. However, Offred also refers to the tulips as “beginning to heal” perhaps implying that she is starting to develop an optimistic outlook on her current
This is where the stockings come into play. The stockings, although they are not their home, that is what they represent. This belief and reminder of their home is what they are used for, and why they have such an important role within this novel. There are other symbols that also have a large role in this novel. One of which being O’ Briens daughter Kathleen.
For instance, there is a conflict in the relationship between Irene and Clare because Clare wants to reconnect with her old life, nevertheless this causes instability in Irene’s secure lifestyle. Clare secretly visits and spends time with Irene’s family which causes jealousy because change occurs. Clare’s frequent visits causes Irene to: “secretly resenting these visits to the playroom, for some obscure reason which shied away from putting into words, never requested that make an end of them, or hinted that she wouldn’t spoiled her own Margaery outrageously nor be so friendly with white servants” (63). This indicates that Clare is spending time at the Redfield’s tying to pass as a black woman trying to live as an African American woman while forgetting about her own responsibilities with her own daughter. In addition, Irene feels insecure that Clare will jeopardize her role as a mother at the Redfield residence.
Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale, is full of references and examples of puritan and theocratic ideals, but one of the most interesting aspects of this novel is her use of nature. Puritans believed that divination and purity could be found in nature. Atwood uses nature to reflect the human nature of the characters in this work with flower and sky imagery. However in Chapter 13 Night, Atwood utilizes a storm to comment on nature during Offred and Nick's night rendezvous arranged by Serena Joy. As Offred step's outside heading to meet Nick, Atwood writes, "Now there's thunder, the storm's moving closer" (Atwood 260).
“Miss Strangeworth is a familiar fixture in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. Little do the townsfolk suspect, though, that the dignified old woman leads another, secret life…”. A secret life can be evil or good, in Miss Strangeworth’s case it is suitable, but do others appreciate this secret life. In The Possibility of Evil Shirley Jackson illustrates inner thinking, revealing action, and symbolism to show how Miss Strangeworth tends the people like her roses, but truly state's them evil.
Often, we see a society’s cultural values reflected in its citizens. For example, the United States values equality, a standard that is shared in all facets including gender. The opposite is true of Gilead, a fictional society in Emily Bronte’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The novel’s main character, Offred, is subjected to degrading treatment simply because she is a woman. It becomes apparent that this repeated degradation has affected the protagonist’s mind.
The Beauty of the Southern Flowers “Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between.” (Lee 278). When it comes to the topic of flowers, most of us will readily agree that they represent development, growth, beauty and happiness. For instance, Roses are known for signifying love and deep passion while Lotus flowers are known for purity of the heart. Nonetheless, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee utilizes flowers to symbolize the strength and character that women of Maycomb possess.
This ceremony is used as a way to reproduce, and is portrayed as a huge deal. As described by Offred, who is the main character, her “arms are raised; she [Serena Joy] holds my hands, each of mine in hers.” (Atwood 109). This signifies that the two women are “one flesh, one being” (109). The society that Offred is a part of believes that if the women are holding hands while the Handmaid is inseminated, then the Commander’s wife is the one that is being impregnated.
In a person’s life, many situations transpire and make them feel pride over one’s self. Readers can see this in the short story,” The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst. “In his spare time Hurst wrote short stories and plays, but The Scarlet Ibis was the only work of his that become famous “(gradesaver.com)”. In the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst uses red to symbolize warning, death, and guilt to show the change the older brother goes through, as he takes care of Doodle. The first instance when red is used, is to express warning and the older brother’s attitude, is at Doodle’s birth.
The book The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood is a literary masterpiece containing many symbols hidden in everything from the flowers to the clothes worn by the characters. These symbols are used to represent the purpose of the characters in Gilead, the setting of the book. The flower is a symbol for the sole reproductive role of the handmaids and the colors are used to symbolize how the characters are meant to behave, red meaning fertile, white for purity, green for service, and blue for sadness.
In the 1980s, United States was experiencing the rise of conservatism. Under the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservative religious groups were gaining popularity. In response to the social and political landscape, Canadian author Margaret Atwood published a fictional novel The Handmaid’s Tale in 1986; a genre of dystopian novels. The storyline projects an imaginary futuristic world where society lives under oppression and illusion of a utopian society maintained through totalitarian control. Dystopian novels often focus on current social government trends and show an exaggeration of what happens if the trends are taken too far.
Conflict can be described as the struggle between two opposing forces, whether the forces being person vs person, person vs self or person vs society. Good examples of conflict can be found in almost any book. Margaret Atwood’s novel, the Handmaid’s Tale is a source of all three types of conflicts. The Handmaid’s Tale is about a society where females are given specific duties and are restricted from reading, writing, talking to others and looking at themselves in mirrors. The protagonist, Offred whom is also the narrator in the novel faces conflicts with herself, with other people, and the society that she lives in.
Rebellion; the action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention. The Handmaid’s Tale written by Margaret Atwood is a novel. The novel takes place in Gilead a dystopian society. Everyone in Gilead has an important role to play within the society, however, it seems as if none of the characters seem content with their role, due to the restrictions they face. In the novel, the lack of freedom leads to rebellion as shown by the characterization, interior dialogue, flashbacks, and foreshadowing.
There are two ways people will react to when their freedom is taken away. They will either accept it or rebel against it, which is what a lot of the female characters in Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale accomplished. Shown through Offred’s repetition of certain events, Moira’s tone of being a fighter, and Serena Joy’s desperation, the reader can see that lack of freedom leads to rebellion. Offred, the novel’s narrator, now lives in a world where women are powerless. She has had her freedom taken away, and at times follows the rules, but ends up rebelling in many powerful ways.