The handmaid’s tale

Posted: November 30th, 2013

The handmaid’s tale

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The handmaid’s tale

            The main character is a handmaid called Offred who is used to develop major themes of the story. This story reflects several aspects of sociology in the country of Gilead. The most evident aspect is the caste system and social status. The people of Gilead are divided into poor and rich people. The poor are subjected to many sorts of maltreatment and poor living conditions. The rich people are entitled to luxurious life at the expense of the poor people’s welfare. The poor people have to work hard for survival. Most of them serve the rich people even when they are unwilling to do so.

There is a great gap of equality between men and women. The men are viewed as superior, and women must follow their orders. The men are exploiting women by using them as instruments for pleasure. For instance, Offred is forced to be intimate to his master as Serena Joy is present. The commander also wanted to make her pregnant against her will. The guards monitor every move made by Offred as she works. She is not allowed to have freedom in any way. The door to her room is never closed since she has to be watched as she does everything.

Some women seem to be assertive, and they declare their stand politically. Ofglen was a fellow handmaid to Offred, and she joined a secret organization to overthrow the prevailing leadership. Despite the fact that she is a woman, she supports an illegal movement because she believes in good leadership and freedom for the people. Moira also reflects assertiveness after she runs away from Red center. Unfortunately, Moira is captured, and she chooses to work in a brothel. On the other hand, some women are unassertive, and they blindly follow the oppressive rules and beliefs from men. For example, at the Red Center, Lydia convinced women to accept their role of giving birth and living under men’s rule.

The political atmosphere in this country is unstable. The leader is using dictatorship and rebels are punished by being executed. The leadership policies are biased and oppressive to women. They are not allowed to acquire education, jobs or own property. As Offred and her family tried to escape the country, they were arrested and forced to part ways. Every member of the family went separate ways. This was depressing for all of them since they knew they might never see each other again. The leadership denied citizens basic human rights and due to this, Offred’s daughter had to grow up without her parent’s care. Offred was also forced to stay temporarily in a center before she became a handmaid.

This story depicts the era of slavery in America and Europe. The handmaids represent the role of slaves. For instance, slaves were captured and forced to labor for the white people. The same case happens to Offred when she is captured as she tries to escape to Canada. Moira she stole and wore one of the aunt’s clothes and purse. She was captured and forced to serve in the brothel. The slaves were subjected to many assaults and abuses. The handmaid and low class women are abused sexually and forced to conceive and bare children for elite couples who were barren.

Intercourse purpose is depicted as for procreation and never for pleasure. The persona elaborates a situation where she is forced to have intimacy with his master and she cannot have an accurate description of the act. When the story is scrutinized, there is no instance where the commander becomes intimate with his wife for pleasure. Forced intimacy towards women is a symbol of demeaning and showing they are inferior. This story is suitable in showing a reflection of history in the colonial and slavery eras.