The Handmaids Tale - Post One

The first half of the book showed Offred complying with the world around her out of fear, mostly fear of the unknown, as she becomes accustomed to the Gilead ways. Women have been stripped of all of their rights, freedoms, and privileges in society. Of course, while this is the focus of the book, it is interesting to note that men seem to have as well based on Offred's description of her Commander as he reads the Bible before the ceremony. The removal of freedoms is supposed to be rectifying the horrible mistake of a free society and creating a modern Utopia. As for the role of technology, Offred makes consistent references to the strobe lights that search, the walls that barricade them in, the Salvaging ceremonies, and the changed meanings of sirens blaring in the streets. Offred chooses to negotiate her humanity in this relationship where she is dominated by society and its structures by distancing herself from it. She often catches herself telling stories in her head or wishing for things and reminds herself that it won't help her survive. She hangs onto the little things such as the inscription she found in her cupboard as a sign of faith and survival. As the book progresses, we see Offred give into the moments of remembering more often and become bolder because of it. She seems less willing to be dominated byt fear of the unknown and more willing to save herself from the loss of all freedom.