Posted: August 2nd, 2022

The Handmaid’s Tale Analysis

The Handmaid’s Tale Analysis

Chapter 34
Analyze the Commander’s logic when it comes to how society today has improved. Give one example he uses and evaluate that example (219-220). (Ch. 34).
The commander expresses that in the previous society, “ Money was the only measure of worth, for everyone, they got no respect as mothers.” Implying that no one in the previous society valued meaningful social institutions that had been previously valued and used to define the position of men and women within the society. He identifies that previously, the world was propelled by indignity and greed, people were individualistic, and when women were presented with equal opportunities, they failed to appreciate their biological role and instead opted to indulge in vices that were religiously immoral. The commander points out that women and men alike would go out to singles bar to partake in unwomanly behaviors, there were high school blind dates, women would feel their breast with silicon, and they were always complaining. This is to imply that the availability of choices made them indecisive. Men would abandon their wives for other activities and women, and often this created a dysfunctional society.
In his logic, the new society was more repressive to such behavior in a bid to shut down the desperation and greed perpetuated within the socialization process. The commander creates a link between the female form and motherhood. This framework ultimately ties the woman to her biological duties, that is to be a mother and secondary to the man. He praises arranged marriage as a way all people within the society get to have someone, since the previous system did not guarantee that all people would be married. He defines the previous system and its basis of interaction dependent on “Love” as an anomaly in a long history of social control for cultivation of morality and religious virtue.
Why does Offred claim there is power in whispering obscenities? What is this power and why is it important to have? (222). (Ch. 34).
Whispering obscenities in the context of the chapter, is meant to outline defiance and opposition to the overbearing system. It is a form of criticism to the patriarchal system. Categorically, Moira’s whispering obscenities could be defined as subversive humor. This is humor which critiques powerful institutions. Moira makes some obscene proposition directed to Aunt Lydia and Janine insists that talking like that does good for you. Offred agrees with her and identifies there is power in whispering like that. Aunt Lydia is powerful and collaborator to the patriarchy using her position as a woman to control other women on behalf of the men. This is an aspect that many of the oppressed women in the show fail to understand, and also signifying her betrayal to the feminist struggle. Subversive humor which is often whispered is used by these oppressed women to express their feeling on Aunt Lydia and also ensure that they are not caught or reported.
Subversive humor functions as a tool used by the oppressed to express their frustration and dissent of the preexisting power relations and additionally works to convict the oppressed to revolt. It is a meaningful communication used by the oppressed to make fun of the establishment and further reinforce that its mandates remain unrecognizable among the people who have been oppressed. It ridicules the existing institutions and with use of comedic elements such as irony and sarcasm, subversive humor works to provide an critical examination on preexisting social structures as well as identifying social prejudice between the powerful and the less powerful.

Questions 1
Offred takes the readers through her own interpretation and understanding of the events that have just transpired. In the first instance, she reveals that they made love passionately, the second instance she reveals that they both try to be empathetic to each others pleas, and Nick wishes that he could just release into a bottle, in the third instance she thinks about Serena Joy thinking about her. She expresses her emotions about the events that transpired and how she conceptualized the events. She is both aware of the event and its meaning, and she judges herself, stating that she feels ugly, she judges herself staying that her own response was a betrayal and she thinks about how others, the commander, as well as Nick think of her, as ugly and stupid, and Serena Joy thinkng of her as cheap. All three plotlines are important as they help Offred understand her role, and create a meaningful experience out of the events that transpired. She fails to come to a conclusive narrative showing that even on her own, she had mixed feelings about her interaction with Nick. The truth does not matter, as the events have already implanted a perspective of herself in her mind, one she cannot comprehend and is not of her own doing.
Questions 2
The significance of the sexual banter was to keep the core of yourself out of reach from the other person, enclosed, and protected. It removed the awkwardness that was compelled by the event and allowed both parties to mask their true feelings. Imitation of the sexual banter was similarly a ploy to try and avoid the vulnerability that comes with the intimacy. Lack of sexual banter was infinitely sad for both parties.
Questions 3
She tries to define the manifestation of a very sad reality that defines her life and how sad she felt for herself, after her own betrayal to the readers and to herself. She went back to Nick on her own, and she describes the event as an intentional affair that she had a part in initiating. This is exactly what she had been against all along in the book, how she was treated, how sad and ugly others made her feel. But she has become complacent. It is no longer her life, but a life of mystery and suffering that she could not be able to control or change the manifestation of the events. She tries to make the story better, but she realizes that it is not about love or happiness, but about ultimate suffering that she cannot be able to escape. She apologizes to the reader to make them more empathetic to her plight. She wishes she could do something to change her narrative, and that if she could she would because in the story, she appears hesitant to change her position.
Questions 4
Ofglen is determined not to lose herself, and become complacent to the dominating force. She will do anything not to be complacent and even death is part of her options. This is not how Offred feels. Her perspective has changed overtime. Initially Offred was of the same perspective, but she has slowly become complacent to her predicaments. Offred feels that she will do anything to live, she feels that she will stop wanting to always control her body and give in to the forces that want to define her as long as she could be able to return to her life someday.
Questions 5
Figurative language is often used to build vivid images in the readers mind and give simple words more meaning. Offred uses a variety of colorful languages she fo example states that “Her voice trembles with rage” she also defines a crowd stating that the rushed in with “urgency coming like a wave through us” All of these work to help contextualize the events and define all that was happening around then in order to provide the reader with vivid imagery
Questions 6
This is a participation execution, where the handmaid’s are allowed to kill a man condemend of raping a handmaid. They are supposed to kill the man with their bare hands. This is offered to the handmaids as a form of retribution to the man, to allow them to release their anger. The people in power direct the pent up anger that the handmaids have at a certain person, and through propaganda force them to release it all on that person. They accused the resistance supporter of raping a pregnant handmaid causing her to lose her child, which invoked rage and anger at the handmaids who are justifiably angry at the “man.”
Questions 7
Offred is no longer amused or surprised by death, she feel hungry because she instantly looks forward for something better, probably sex, or even food. Offred states that death makes her feel hungry “Maybe it’s because I’ve been emptied, or maybe it’s the body’s way of telling me I remain alive”. She reroutes her feelings of anger from the actions she has witnessed in the execution and chooses to focus her energy on something other than the execution. This is her coping mechanism, and it works to help her suppress her feelings and real perspective of life in the Gilead society.
Questions 8
She thinks whether it was such a bad thing to lose her body. It shows her resolve to survive the society in Gilead.
Questions 9
Her sentiments indicate her self-centeredness, and will to accuse other women, for men’s problem and also the lack of love between Serena Joy and the Commander, in the light of Offred’s interaction with the commander, Serena Joy is certain that there is no sense of attachment that he feels towards her and chooses to blame Offred
Questions 10
Nick is neither a friend nor a foe. He, like Offred is controlled by a large powerful force and he is only a small part of the larger organization. He can use his power to benefit Offred but this can only go as far as he is not discovered and in the event that he is outed he will reveal Offred for execution. The first time Serena Brings Offred to Nick, he indicated that he has no choice in the matter. The second example would be in the statement Nick made to Offred stating that Offred should not express “No strings now is no heroics don’t risk yourself for me.” This indicates that he was to be swayed in any direction by a larger force, as such, not one to be trusted.

Reference
Atwood, M. (1985). The handmaid’s tale.

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