Handmaid's Tale

“The Handmaid's Tale” deals with critical problems in the current society translated into a future society where new problems have risen. It deals with sterility, the inability to continue the human race, safety and security. This fear of infertility is emphasized by the empty toy imagery to create a foreboding atmosphere. She constantly refers to abandoned toys, childhood activities and games. Showing the lack of children, making the impact even more intense and scary.

Nothing prevents people from eating stones in a desert, there are plenty but it's not a resource. And the power does not lie in controlling stones, but in the water and food. The mind set of the society is to control these resources, and the people. They control religion, desire, thought, and safety. Thus, women are not permitted to read, much less have access to a Bible although, edited parts of the Bible are read aloud to the women through tapes or a Commander would read aloud before the “Ceremony” p87. Painted on a banner for the Prayvaganza: “God Is a National Resource” p213 limiting access to spirituality and God.

I found that there were so many intense scenes. Like the Ceremony, the execution scene where the Handmaid's tore the accused “rapist” apart, and the night club scene. Even in a “perfect” society the men need an escape, and a change of scenery where women dress up and pretend to be someone else. And the Ceremony of fucking, the women, the Wives specifically, had a say in how things were run, this is how they wanted it no matter how painful it is for themselves. I also think it's interesting how the names of the Handmaids are Of-(insert commanders name here) like Offred.

And the fact that this is a manuscript of a recorded oral documentation, is crazy. I first couldn't comprehend that, how the “Historical Notes” had to do with the rest of the story until I read it a few times. So in a way this is a happy ending! Where society is now more fertile and developed into respect for women, they're worshiping goddesses and what not. And so many biblical allusions, I'm sure every page had at least one!