The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
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Book Reviews of The Handmaid's Tale
Book Review: This is how it may be one day...
Summary: 5 Stars
"Behind the barrier, waiting for us at the narrow gateway, there are two men, in the green uniforms of the Guardians of the Faith, with the crests on their shoulders and berets: two swords, crossed, above a white triangle ... Their youth is touching, but I know I can't be deceived by it. The young ones are often the most dangerous, the most fanatical, the jumpiest with their guns."No, the above passage isn't a scene from the Reconstructionist South or Stalingrad in the early 20th century. It's from The Handmaid's Tale, a frightening novel by Margaret Atwood. And the narrator of those words is an unwilling prisoner in a stifling society, from which death is the only escape.
Known as Offred - her real name was taken away years ago - she functions as a baby-maker in the Republic of Gilead, a fundamentalist Christian society that was called the United States not so many years ago. Her every step, every gesture is monitored by heavily armed spies, who vigilantly watch for any trace of impropriety, any hint of subversiveness. Even a lingering glance at a man could cost Offred her life. "Such moments are the hold out for myself, like the candy I hoarded, as a child, at the back of a drawer," she muses as she glances into the eyes of a guard on her way to the grocery store. A former wife, mother and feminist, Offred holds out hope of leaving Gilead someday, even though the odds are against her.
As the book progresses, Offred's situation becomes more complicated. Her Commander, with whom she is forced to have emotionless sex every month, begins taking her to a brothel. Her mistress Serena arranges for her to have a clandestine affair with chauffeur Nick, so Offred can produce a child for her. And she is temporarily reunited with her best friend Moira, who was once a defiant lesbian but is now a prostitute, devoid of hope and ambition.
Atwood tells her chilling, "1984"-esque tale in elegant prose, interspersing scenes from Offred's current life with her tormented recollections of the way life used to be. "Pieces of paper, thickish, greasy to the touch, green-colored, with pictures on each side," she says of the old monetary system. "You had to take those pieces of paper with you when you went shopping."
Will Offred get out of Gilead and see her husband Luke again? Or will she be labeled an infertile Unwoman and be sent to the Colonies to clean up radioactive waste? With only her memories and an obscure Latin phrase to keep her going, Offred wrestles with these thoughts as she sits in the window of her government-issued bedroom, staring out at a world that is no longer familiar to her.
Part science fiction, part precautionary tale, The Handmaid's Tale reminds us all that we should never take the smallest liberties for granted and that a seemingly stable society can change almost at the drop of a hat. Give it to your favorite feminist, or just someone who likes scary novels. This one isn't frightening because lives are threatened, but because it's entirely possible.
Book Review: A dystopian view of a very possible future for America
Summary: 5 Stars
Atwood's story of an America taken over by Christian fundamentalists in the not-very-far future is chilling. It's chilling because, unlike similar novels, such as Orwell's 1984, "The Handmaid's Tale" is not very far fetched. In fact, it's a very possible result if the current trends in America continue. We see the very dire consequences of anti-American trends such as "The Patriot Act" and the breaking down of the barriers between Church and State. The future described by Atwood here is the natural extension of these trends. Atwood wrote this novel 20 years ago, yet she was visionary enough to see the trends.Atwood slowly reveals the "mystery" about what is going on. This technique holds our attention and builds our sympathy for Offred (the handmaid) and the other oppressed women in Atwood's post-Ashcroft/Bush world. We see things from Offred's point-of-view. We also have access to her memories of a not-so-distant past when Americans still could enjoy such things as liberty, religious freedom, privacy and safety of life.
The victimization of women; the dire consequences of destroying the environment to the extent that the very ability of the human race to procreate is jeopardized; the tearing down of the boundaries between religion and government -- the result is future that is dark for the individual. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, those in power take a bad situation (that they,themselves, created) and turn it to their advantage. They make lemonade for themselves and spit the pits back at the citizens, particularly at fertile women. Right-wing religious fundamentalists turn democracy into theocracy. The ironic result is a perversion of the very Christian values that, today, fundamentalists impose on people who may have different religious beliefs than they have.
Part of the power of the narrative is the revelation that the events leading to this dark, dystopia are recent events. The characters have lived in a free America and remember it. The transformation happened, if not overnight, very quickly. "Temporary" laws are passed that limit certain freedoms but, not only are these "temporary" laws never repealed, they become increasingly totalitarian until even having thoughts about freedom and rights becomes a crime. (You are either on the side of those in power or you are evil, on the side of "bad guys" and do not deserve to live.) Although Atwood created this fictional world decades before the "Patriot Act", she paints a world that is ruled by laws that, like the "Patriot Act, are designed to eliminate liberties and put the quality of American lives at risk.
We live in the times that preceded the changes remembered by "Offred" (the handmaid). Our children and grandchildren may very well live in the times that Offred and the other handmaids find themselves in.
"The Handmaid's Tale" is a moving, gripping story, but also a very important story.
Book Review: A Unique Perspective
Summary: 5 Stars
The Handmaid's Tale is Margaret Atwood's profound insight into the dystopian society that may exist if we as a people continue with our traditions of the oppression of women. Yes, the phrase "oppression of women" connotes the notion that women in our society are beaten and abused, but our society's discreet methods of repressing women give off a similar psychological effect. While society has progressed along in that women are now allowed to vote and run for political office, it has taken much too long for our mainly male-dominated society to consider females an equal gender (Where are our female presidents?). Atwood's depiction of a dystopian civilization is a perceptive look at what the world would be like if we continue to suppress women and their rights.
Eloquently written through a handmaid's observant point of view, The Handmaid's Tale presents novel ideas that present messages which could easily translate into today's society. While we may not realize it, we as a people take many of a woman's roles in life for granted. It is the woman who normally takes on her husband's surname in matrimony, but it is hardly ever the other way around. In Atwood's proposed civilization of Gilead, the matrimonial nomenclature takes on a whole new meaning. The protagonist Offred is a handmaid to her household, promised to her commander. She is "of" Fred, so to speak, and the rest of the women bear similar names- Ofglen, Ofwayne, Ofwarren, and so on. In a feminist argument, Atwood brilliantly challenges the concept of women taking on their husband's family names, as the women lose their identities in the process, marking complete submission to their male spouses. Women who are with child are envied in Gilead and those who are barren are degraded. That women must endure the hardships of labor while their spouses stand by and watch is an element of life that many underestimate. It is these minor details that truly exemplify Atwood's intellect in fabricating her dystopian society, making extremities of such small measures that we normally take for granted.
As a male, the book truly opens my eyes as it gives an alternate perspective of life if women were truly subjected to such measures. Despite the fact that the conditions present in The Handmaid's Tale could be considered by many to be outlandish to today's society, Atwood's message should be taken into deep consideration. Atwood creates a hypothetical world where America, rather than progressing forward, backtracks and resorts to its traditional gender roles where woman are kept for the sole purpose of bearing child. My appreciation for women has certainly been increased, as the book emphasizes the importance of women's rights today and how dire it is for these rights to be maintained, as society can easily, as The Handmaid's Tale shows, return to an antediluvian culture of male dominion. Through the portrayal of an anti-utopian society, Atwood conveys what may seem as imminent threats to society.
Book Review: A Hint of Red
Summary: 5 Stars
Sometimes, its not what you say, but how you say it. Story lines and plots are constantly recycled, but what sets them apart is how the author takes the idea and journey and makes it his/her own. Thus, Handmaid's Tale should not be taken for granted over Orwell's 1984. Atwood is too proud of a woman to let such raw energy slip past her fingers and she has proven to be quite a versatile writer by producing a surplus of immaculate novels. To me, the protagonist, Offred, is a timeless character - a submissive woman, who is so secretly rebellious, that she doesn't even realize it herself until half-way through the novel. Atwood puts Offred in the beginning years of the Republic of Gilead (formerly the United States), in which religion has taken over as an oppressive totalitarian government. It is an age of decline births, as few women and men are left fertile. Women's stations in the society have been reduced to roles that would make the medieval wives cringe in fear. A commander of a household would possess several women: his wife (the abstinent head of household), his Marthas (sterile women who act as servants and workers) and his Handmaids (the women designated for procreation purposes). Offred, acts as our tour guide through this horrific world, while carrying the burden of her lost liberties and her separation from her husband and daughter.
Through grace and tortured language, Atwood gives us a sociology lessen about a world that could possibly become our reality. Readers cannot help but be spellbound by the unique voice of Offred, who must adapt to a world where women are not allowed to read and are no longer allotted any simplistic comforts, such as make-up, photo albums and the freedom to speak and think openly. This book grabs you from the first page and the reader must succumb to the feeling of hopelessness that is embedded in almost every figure of society.
I think that's why I kept reading though - there is a chance for change and hope. All of the characters, no matter what their position in the caste system, seem to hate the society. Special moments, such as the commander inviting Offred to play scrabble with him. The gesture seems like a modest act of sympathy from a man who seems to resent his own superiority. Every character is worth exploring until Offred makes her own decisions to involve herself with a man who could either be a member of the rebel resistance movement or the secret police.
The Handmaids Tale has the storytelling quality of Anne Rice and the literary qualities and social criticism that one would expect to find from an Adrian Rich collection. I won't lie, this story is an epic journey and has been told before by other writers, set in different worlds with different voices. But I have yet been able to find one that touches every emotion the way that Atwood does. Good stories should always be treasured, but the one's that make you think are true gems.
Book Review: The Handmaid's Tale: An exquisite book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Experiencing a world that people can only imagine was a feeling brought forth when experiencing this fine novel. Set in a new world called Gilead (once the US), Margaret Atwood portrays a society run by men, with women as subservient creatures. This novel is a fictional journal of a girl named Offred (pronounced Of-Fred). Offred is a handmaid in Gilead who becomes an unhuman figure of her Commander, Fred. This novel brings insight into what a world would be like if ran by men and left in the hands of men. Most people, including myself, would consider this novel a feminist novel, although, Margaret Atwood contributes numerous other style elements. Incorporated into this novel includes themes of self-knowledge and a presence of gothic imagery of the way the government controls womens lives. In this new society there are classes of women. No longer are women equal. They are divided into the Handmaid's, there purpose is only to create new humans; Martha's, the maid's of the houses; Aunt's, teachers and in charge of Handmaid's; and Wives, they are married to the Commander's and basically sit at home doing nothing. The men also have ranks, yet all of them over-power the women. In this novel, every page thats read wants you wanting more and I can turthfully say that whoever reads this will not want to put the book down. The reader will experience the day to day life of the main character Offred. It's as if you are really there experiencing it. The vivid descriptions of the house she lives in and the way she describes the city paints numerous pictures in the readers mind. In this novel, you will experience different characters, such as Nick, Ofglen, The Wife, and The Commander, which are emanate objects in Offred's life. The descriptions of these characters are wonderfully written. Motifs of flowers and nature make the reader feel comfortable and at home, while the motifs of dark colors and wilting flowers makes the book even more intense, if thats even possible. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good reading and likes such books as "Brave New World" or "1984" or even if they enjoy books that show courageous women struggling to live in a twisted world. It is said that Margaret Atwood wrote this book to convey a satirical message of a subservient world where women do not have the right to read, write, vote, hold jobs, or do anything thats commen in our world today. Some might say that this book is patterned after a Puritan world. Although the women have no place but in the home in this novel, they are protected from such evils and the secular world that once was, since anything secular was demolished. A perfect world is what the men in Gilead had hoped to create, did they succeed? Did Offred gain her freedom? Well, i guess you'll just have to read "The Handmaid's Tale" to find out. Happy reading!