The idea is that this spot should be a conversation about your important and unique thoughts on the novel, so when you post, respond to what others have said and add something new to the conversation. Support your discussion with quotes from the text and discussion or analysis of those passages. Do not simply summarize the events of the novel. Remember that you must post four times. Proofread carefully because I will not approve poorly edited comments, and you will not receive credit for them. Postings for this book are due July 13. Difficulty in posting is not an excuse for lateness.
THE HANDMAID’S Tale is what is called a dystopian novel, one that imagines a nightmarish world. The most famous novel of this genre is probably George Orwell’s 1984. As you read Atwood’s work and write your comments here, try to think about what the appeal of this type of literature is for the reading audience.
The idea is that this spot should be a conversation about your important and unique thoughts on the novel, so when you post, respond to what others have said and add something new to the conversation. Support your discussion with quotes from the text and discussion or analysis of those passages. Do not simply summarize the events of the novel. Remember that you must post four times. Proofread carefully because I will not approve poorly edited comments, and you will not receive credit for them. Postings for this book are due July 13. Difficulty in posting is not an excuse for lateness.
57 Comments
Madison Fri
6/25/2015 05:33:27 am
So far I'm only about 60 pages into the book and it's more intriguing the more I read it. It kind of jumped into things without explaining what has happened to the society and why it is the way it is, which made the first few pages somewhat painful to read. The more the story goes on, the more they reveal about the society. The main character, Offred, seems very normal to me. I feel as though the thoughts she has are similar to thoughts any other woman would have in this situation. I've noticed how much of an influence the changes in society have had on her thoughts; like when the tourists were visiting and Offred and Ofglen were "fascinated, but also repelled" (28) by the way they dressed. Even though Offred was aware of the fact that she used to dress like that, she was still stunned to see it. It makes me wonder what other ways the change in society has influenced her thoughts.
Reply
Isabel Virtue
7/5/2015 01:54:41 am
I agree with Maddy on how the book seemed confusing at first. Unlike many story's set in the future this one provided absolutely no back story, leaving many questions left unanswered for the reader. I feel like in a way, though, this allows the reader to get to know the main character for who she is, not for what her society is making her be.
Reply
Bailey Umstead
7/8/2015 01:16:43 am
I agree with Maddie and Isabel that the book was difficult to understand in the beginning. The society is so different from everything we are used to along with there not being any background about the life they live and how things work it was challenging to continue reading. It is easy to judge Offred because of what she has to do but as I progressed in the book the judgment stops and I wish there was something I could do for her. Do not judge a book by its cover is a simple phrase that means everything in this situation.
Delaney Bennett
6/26/2015 02:17:53 am
I agree with Maddy that Offred's mind has been corrupted by the new views of her society, but I think she there is quite a bit of fight left in her mind. In parts of the book Offred craves many of the freedoms she once had, such as cigarettes. Offred sees the Commander's Wife with a cigarette, and though smoking is forbidden to handmaids, she "looked at the cigarette with longing" (14). She may accept some traditions and practices of the new world, but Offred's mind is still desperately trying to grasp the old liberties she yearns for so badly.
Reply
Delaney Bennett
7/1/2015 07:51:44 am
As I read further into the novel I am starting to see more and more Offred is not as altered by the new world as I first believed. She has still been giving in to various temptations the new world prohibits. I think Offred's private conversations with The Commander are an act of defiance against the rules. As the secret rendezvous continue, Offred becomes increasingly comfortable with The Commander. During their first meeting Offred is afraid to even utter a single word to him, but as they spend more time together she could tell by the way she "was speaking to him that we were already on different terms" (162). I am excited to see how deep their relationship will go and if they will be found out. It is nice to know that she still has her own mind and is not completely changed by the new world.
Reply
Camryn Zeller
7/7/2015 04:26:07 am
As the novel progresses, I have also noticed Offred growing more accustomed to her life of small rebellions and defiance. However, Offred is not the only character provoking disobedience. I find it interesting that the Commander enjoys the Scrabble, kisses, and hand lotion they share just as much as Offred does. This dystopian society is built on the belief that men "are like war criminals" (33), yet Offred's most enriching and intimate relationship is with a man who loves to exercise his brain and escape to a world where freedom is the true luxury. Both Offred and the Commander long for change in lifestyle and reputation, but instead they settle for small victories in the privacy of the Commander's study. I am excited to learn if Offred teams up with other women to rebel against the corrupt government because I believe the Commander would follow her in acts of insurgence.
Reply
Mrs. Buboltz
7/7/2015 10:47:43 am
To everyone commenting on this novel, make sure you read the "Historical Notes" at the end of the book. Oftentimes, students skip that part thinking it isn't part of the story. Well, it is! And reading it might offer you a different perspective on the whole novel. Happy reading and posting!
Reply
Maddy Fri
7/8/2015 12:44:30 am
I've noticed how when Offred discusses her time at the school with the Aunts she talks about how the Aunts are saying this is a society that respects women, a woman's society, but I find that very ironic. I feel as though that handmaids are not treated with the respect they deserve. Offered agrees and knows that the handmaids are only used for their reproductive systems. When one of the handmaids had her baby I was quite offended when I found out she wouldn't even be able to raise her baby or name it. I would like to know more about why the wives are treated at such a higher standard than that of the handmaids when the handmaids are the ones providing the children.
Reply
Isabel Virtue
7/11/2015 01:40:18 am
I was thinking the exact same thing. It seems contradictory to say this is a society that respects women, when it appears it is only the Commanders' wants and needs that should be satisfied. I found it shocking as well when one of the handmaids had the baby and it was handed to the Wife as if she were the mother that had just given birth. The handmaids are treated as tools or props used for their job, not as people with feelings and emotions.
Reply
Bailey Umstead
7/12/2015 12:32:52 am
I was also shocked after the birth and the wife got to hold the baby as if she had just carried it and gave birth to it. The handmaids are not treated with respect and as Maddie said they are only used for their reproductive systems. I love how Isabel put it, that they are treated as tools or props and not as people.
Isabel Virtue
7/9/2015 02:08:56 am
I really enjoy the technique the author uses to explain the story by bouncing back and forth between Offred's current situation and earlier in her life. At first it was slightly difficult to follow but as the novel progresses I really like being able to get a glimpse inside Offred's memories. It helps in developing the reader's knowledge on the character and adds more emotion to the story. It is a unique way of explaining the backstory, as it is trickled throughout the book as opposed to in one clump at the beginning and I really enjoy that.
Reply
Delaney Bennett
7/9/2015 11:35:17 am
I completely agree with Isabel, the style Atwood executes in the story is enthralling. It always kept me interested because Offred bounced around from thought to thought so quickly. Her remembrance of Luke, Moira, and her child made were at times amusing, heart wrenching, and peaceful. The mixture memories were very well placed to give the reader a balance of all different emotions throughout the novel.
Reply
Maddy Fri
7/11/2015 02:55:08 am
I definitely agree with Isabel. When the author provides flashbacks of times when she was happy and free, it really give a glimpse of how different her life was compared to now. The flashbacks help me to understand the type of person she was in the past. When Offred begins to remember the Aunts and her time in the school, it really provides more insight on the society and why it is the way it is. Also, her affair with Luke makes me wonder if that aspect of her life plays a role in the meetings with the Commander.
Reply
Camryn Zeller
7/9/2015 12:11:07 pm
I love how Atwood strategically uses the color red to communicate Offred's tones, thoughts, and emotions about her life as a handmaid. For example, when Offred first introduces the reader to her daily walking routine, she remembers "the red of the tulips in Serena Joy's garden, toward the base where they [were] beginning to heal" (33). At first, this small passge may seem insignificant to the audience, but Atwood utilizes the color red to convey the stable and absolute aspects of Offred's life. Living in the crazy society that she does, I find Offred always looking for objects that have remained untouched by the Eyes and often when she finds these small treasures, such as Serena Joys's tulips, the color red is prominent. Offred dresses in red for the majority of her life and I feel as though the long for control and real feeling causes her to notice the authenticity in the world around her. As I continue reading, I hope to notice more colors Atwood uses to categorize Offred's life.
Reply
Ellie Szymoniak
7/11/2015 06:55:52 am
I am really enjoying this book, I have noticed many symbols throughout the novel so far, such as the color red. The color has been mentioned numerous times and I am just on page 86, I believe that Atwood applies red to her novel to symbolize, or maybe cue a reader as to what kind of government system she has created. I also believe that red is a way to brand certain women with a very alarming color. Many people dislike the Offred for her position or role in this society and because she wears the color red, everyone knows what she does and how improper her actions may be.
Reply
Ellie Szymoniak
7/11/2015 06:58:46 am
I am wondering about the main character’s man Luke. My theory is that Luke isn’t actually real, I believe that he is just a daydream created by the main character because she is so desperate for love and happiness. She may even believe that these daydreams are real because she has such hope and such need for them to have actually happened. Because her role in society involves feeling no love and no passion, she longs for it to the point where her mentality is that she had something once and those false memories give her that passion she needs to keep on living.
Reply
Ellie Szymoniak
7/11/2015 07:03:18 am
I love how Atwood clearly shows the envy Serena Joy has toward Offred, it helps highlight the loneliness and emotionless society. I also love how it accentuates the fact that these women in this society have no say at all. There are many wives that have to watch their husbands have sex with other women, even if there is no emotion towards their husbands these women may feel as if they are less than the handmaid’s. These wives cannot tell their husbands to stop and love them instead of the handmaid’s and the wives cannot leave their husbands because they have no authority or respect at all. It is almost as if this were a prediction of what would have happened if women had not gained rights. Is this what Atwood believed would happen if we had not stood up for ourselves and what is truly right?
Reply
Camryn Zeller
7/11/2015 11:53:39 am
Another interesting debate brought forth from the awkwardness of the Ceremony is whether or not the reader should support Offred or Serena Joy. In most situations, Atwood often portrays Offred as a victim of her household and her society, casting Serena Joy as an envious master. Offred recognizes that "there's not much common ground" (204) between she and Serena; however, as the novel progresses, Offred and Serena share a cigarette and a deal through which Serena's true intentions and values are revealed. Serena desires a child and her husband back; these are areas of life that Offred has intruded and controlled. Neither Serena or Offred have the authority to change the society they live in, so the reader is led to empathize with both women. I love how Atwood faces the reader with this challenge of reality through such an intricate relationship.
Reply
Bailey Umstead
7/11/2015 10:44:54 am
While with the Aunts, all of the handmaids might have thought they were being taught what is right and what is wrong when in reality the handmaids were being trained. the women in this novel are being trained just as the men involved in the war are trained to go into battle; these women are trained to do a job. One example is when Offred is thinking back to when they had to lie on the gymnasium floor for one hour for meditation. Handmaids have an enormous amount of down time so they are trained to be able to lie for long periods of time. This training along with an other is eventually useful in one way or another.
Reply
Mrs. Buboltz
7/12/2015 04:46:36 am
I noticed many of you in this discussion thread are not including quotes to support your discussion. Make sure you do so in order to anchor your ideas with text.
Reply
Ellie Szymoniak
7/12/2015 09:26:24 am
I feel as if Atwood's purpose for writing this novel is to highlight things we take for granted. For example we are able to live our lives with whoever we want, we are able to choose but in Offred's society men are "issued a woman" (page18). Atwood used cigarettes very often, I believe, because cigarettes are such an every day item. They are so easy to come by and she made them so difficult to find and punishable if one is found with them. It is difficult for me to imagine someone being thankful for a cigarette, but Atwood was proving a point. It is not just the cigarette, but the candy, the name brand clothing, everything that can be bought easily that will surly be missed. These are simply luxuries that women do not cherish and Atwood is drawing a picture of what life would be like if we lost those luxuries.
Reply
Delaney Bennett
7/12/2015 12:23:12 pm
I agree that one purpose of the novel is to point out the everyday tasks that no one appreciates. One of the most common things we take for granted is choice. Offred highlights this when she is going to visit Nick one night and she asks if she is too late, even though she knows the answer to the questions she still asks because "It makes me feel more in control, as if there is a choice, a decision that could be made one way or the other" (269). Something as small as asking a question is a task Offred holds sacred and that is a huge eye opener to all the things in life that should be recognized as a privilege. Atwood does a good job of this throughout the novel regarding several items such as; cigarettes, meat, and even being able to look around while walking down the street. After reading this book I will definitely honor and be more conscious of freedoms I receive on a daily basis.
Reply
Isabel Virtue
7/13/2015 08:13:01 am
I agree with both Ellie and Delaney on this matter. The freedom of choice is something so many of us take for granted. We can choose how we live our lives, what we do with our future, what we pursue, etc.When Offred is thinking back on her old life, she recalls talking with Luke about the future they were planning: the children they'd have, the house they'd buy, the things in their yard. As she remembers it she notes how "such freedom now seems almost weightless" (pg. 24). To even imagine being able to dictate your own future seems crazy to her, as this freedom was taken away from her. I agree that the emphasis Atwood put on freedom of choice has caused me to think differently on how I take things for granted.
Reply
Bailey Umstead
7/12/2015 01:16:17 pm
The more I read the more I realize how random the novel seems. Then I take a step back and visualize the thoughts Offred would have with all of the spare time and all of the questions she has that are left unanswered. At night Offred's thoughts are sometimes more sporadic than usual, "Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn?... I wish I could see in the dark, better than I do" (Atwood 191). Atwood began this chapter with "Night falls, or has fallen" leading into the tangent about night falling. It guides the reader in the character development of Offred.
Reply
Camryn Zeller
7/12/2015 01:29:24 pm
The end of the novel came as such a surprise; I love how Atwood left Offred's fate up to the reader's imagination. Thinking positively, I believe Offred's van came to rescue her and help her escape as Nick encouraged saying, "'It's all right. It's Mayday. Go with them." (293). This ending leads me to wonder if the van Ofglen saw before she committed suicide was actually her Mayday van. It is a shame that both of these women lived in such fear and oppression that death seemed like a better alternative than entering the van. Clearly and effectively displaying one of the worst ways our government can try and fix our broken society, Atwood leaves the reader with this final thought: will this novel serve as a lesson and a warning for upcoming generations or as a prediction of a future society?
Reply
Mrs. Buboltz
7/13/2015 05:26:00 am
Camryn, did you read the "Historical Notes" after the end of the novel? They are actually part of the novel, not separate. Really interesting.
Reply
Maddy Fri
7/13/2015 09:48:30 am
Offred surprised me when she started sneaking around with Nick. I feel as though she was using him as an escape, and he became her source of comfort. I was shocked when she said she "no longer want(ed) to leave, escape, cross the border to freedom" all because of her feelings for Nick. I wish the author would have elaborated more on Offred's time with the commander while she was seeing Nick and how her actions may have changed. I was wondering if the commander noticed anything, even though they were trying to be careful.
Reply
9/5/2022 05:51:33 am
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://freecodezilla.net/jetbrains-intellij-idea-ultimate-2021-free-download/
Reply
9/12/2022 12:10:57 am
Really informative article, I had the opportunity to learn a lot, thank you. https://odemebozdurma.com/
Reply
10/4/2022 11:41:33 pm
I think this post is useful for people. It has been very useful for me. Looking forward to the next one, thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/canakkale-escort/ezine-escort/
Reply
10/5/2022 09:22:55 am
It was a post that I found very successful. Good luck to you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/istanbul-escort/adalar-escort/
Reply
10/5/2022 04:01:34 pm
I follow your posts closely. I can find it thanks to your reliable share. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/isparta-escort/gelendost-escort/
Reply
10/6/2022 09:38:31 am
I support your continuation of your posts. I will be happy as new posts come. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/duzce-escort/yigilca-escort/
Reply
10/7/2022 03:51:46 am
I think the content is at a successful level. It adds enough information. Thank you. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/manisa-escort/akhisar-escort/
Reply
10/7/2022 08:46:18 pm
Thank you for your sharing. I must say that I am successful in your content. https://escortnova.com/escort-ilanlari/siirt-escort/kurtalan-escort/
Reply
11/10/2022 09:56:04 am
internet Sitemizi ziyaret et: https://taksikenti.com/taksi/
Reply
11/21/2022 03:20:21 am
Sitemizi ziyaret et ve evden is imkanina bak: https://sites.google.com/view/evden-ek-is/
Reply
12/9/2022 03:51:24 am
Uygun fiyatlardan takipçi satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/
Reply
12/9/2022 03:54:55 am
Tiktok takipçi satın almak için tıkla: https://takipcialdim.com/tiktok-takipci-satin-al/
Reply
12/9/2022 04:01:47 am
İnstagram beğeni takipçi satın al: https://takipcialdim.com/instagram-begeni-satin-al/
Reply
12/15/2022 03:33:18 am
takipçi satın al ve sitemizi ziyaret et: https://takipcim.com.tr/
Reply
4/27/2023 03:32:51 pm
Anabolik Steroid Satın Al: https://www.anabolickapinda14.com/urun/
Reply
5/12/2023 06:14:14 am
Heets satın al heets sigara: https://bit.ly/heets-heets
Reply
8/9/2023 05:11:35 am
Steroid Siparis Steroid Fiyatlari Steroidler Anabolizan Orjinal Steroid Steroid Satis Steroid Satın Al Steroid Siparis Et
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
August 2015
Categories |